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What in the world JUST HAPPENED?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was doing some searching for Sim related information in the net. Some one asked a question, so I was checking out some information for them. I do have protection that warns me before I go into a site that there is an issue with it, and I avoid those like the plague.

I found one link that looked like it was dealing with the subject of what I was looking for, so I clicked on it. My computer was directed to some official government looking web page, and the next thing it was accusing me of downloading some pirated music, and that my browser would now be locked up and I would be forced to pay this really huge fine. I have NEVER in my life ever downloaded any music, that I have not paid for. I have NEVER downloaded any movies or anything else, unless I have paid for.

To get away from this, I had to completely shut my computer down, by pushing the power button. I did run a virus scan and nothing was found. Does anyone know what the bleep just happened? Right now I'm nervous as a chicken that is cornered by something that wants to eat it.

Comments

  • CayziCayzi Posts: 402 Member
    edited July 2014
    It was probably just an advertisement probably with a virus attached but who knows. Could you not just close out of it? Maybe install ad block?
    Obviously that doesn't happen if you get accused of pirating they'd probably just come to your house or send you a letter.

    One of my friends was accused of pirating movies he just got a warning in the mail.
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  • bishtybishty Posts: 393 Member
    edited July 2014
    I highly doubt that is legit. If you dare to go back, you'll probably notice something about it which highlights that, such as a strange domain or a dodgy email address or if they publicly ask for personal details. You cannot "lock up" a browser - it is not an official punishment for breaking the law to prevent someone from using the internet (except I believe for sex offenders). There is no way that a random page on the internet can prove an alleged download history, especially if there is none, and you wouldn't legitimately be fined for something unproven in a court of law. And even if it was a legit accusation, if you didn't do it it probably wouldn't even go to trial lol, nobody cares enough.

    I know those sites can be scary but you really don't need to be worried. Go eat some chocolate and cuddle a kitten and run a scan for malware as well :)
  • fereldenherofereldenhero Posts: 10 New Member
    edited July 2014
    Ah, so now my experiences come in handy!

    If you are suspected of pirating, whenever you try to access the internet at all, it will direct you to a page by your ISP. It tells you that you've been found downloading suspicious files, then asks you to confirm that the name associated with your ISP is indeed you. You will get this 2-3 times if you do not stop, then you will receive something in the mail, which normally includes a court date.

    So, do not worry. The 'government' will never contact you, but your ISP will. They also email you 1-2 times before doing the whole 'confirm this is you' thing. You would know if your ISP was suspecting you of pirating stuff.

    The important thing is, do not pay anything, and ignore it. (You can also do this if it's actually your ISP contacting you, as your records get erased after awhile and they'll stop bothering you.) *Ahem* I mean, pirating it bad! Don't do it kids!
  • LaBlue0314LaBlue0314 Posts: 17,436 Member
    edited July 2014
    Thank you every one for your answers, I feel much better now.
  • LittleMinxUndrLittleMinxUndr Posts: 4,196 Member
    edited July 2014
    LaBlue0314 wrote:
    I was doing some searching for Sim related information in the net. Some one asked a question, so I was checking out some information for them. I do have protection that warns me before I go into a site that there is an issue with it, and I avoid those like the plague.

    I found one link that looked like it was dealing with the subject of what I was looking for, so I clicked on it. My computer was directed to some official government looking web page, and the next thing it was accusing me of downloading some pirated music, and that my browser would now be locked up and I would be forced to pay this really huge fine. I have NEVER in my life ever downloaded any music, that I have not paid for. I have NEVER downloaded any movies or anything else, unless I have paid for.

    To get away from this, I had to completely shut my computer down, by pushing the power button. I did run a virus scan and nothing was found. Does anyone know what the bleep just happened? Right now I'm nervous as a chicken that is cornered by something that wants to eat it.

    This is a new form of scam. They really present a believable webpage, telling you to buy off investigation by paying a small sum though a money-service, typically giving you 6 hours to pay up.

    I was hit by one of those too, but I was accused of searching for child pron, while all I did was surfing sites for gay women. LOL

    Anyway, in the Netherlands investigative services are not allowed to operate like that under any circumstance and a person under investigation can't buy his/her way out of it. Besides, if I truly had been doing what they 'accused' me of, trust me, the first thing the dutch judicial system does is arresting me merely at hint of suspicion and forget about me for a week before interrogating me.

    Another thing is that all transactions with the dutch government go through iDeal as a preferred moneybroker.

    You can safely forget about that page. They gamble on your fear telling you pay up.
  • hummingbird41556hummingbird41556 Posts: 921 Member
    edited July 2014
    If it is the lock down trap my husband sometimes gets, it is a SCAM. I've had to go as far as restoring/reformatting the computer to get rid of these "ransom scams".
    I actually had to remove the webcam from the monitor because it was taking his picture when it did this. (Built into the monitor, so I had to figure out how to keep it from being functional.) These scams have been around a long time. You didn't do anything wrong, nothing to be worried about, but do let your AV company know what site that was and what happened, because obviously, your protection failed you, just as mine did those three times. . . :(
  • Fairy_HappyFairy_Happy Posts: 8,898 Member
    edited July 2014
    As others have said, this is a phishing scam. I would run my antivirus just in case it put something on the computer. this has happened to me before, except mine came to a web site that said my computer had a virus. It wouldn't let me exit out until I paid them to remove the 'virus' so I forced my computer off then ran my antivirus and of course it didn't find anything.

  • MsPhyMsPhy Posts: 5,055 Member
    edited July 2014
    Hopefully that's the end of it. The bad thing about these ransom hijack scams is that sometimes they keep popping up after the first time and can be very hard to remove. Like someone else, I've had to resort to reformatting on a couple of occasions. (This happened to the old bf more often than I like to remember).

    One way that's worked for me (other than reformatting) is running a free program called Malwarebytes. You need to either be in Safe Mode or disconnected from the internet when you run it, or else the darned thing will keep popping up. The only thing is that some of these are so nasty that they block you from downloading Malwarebytes or any other program that might help you (Spybot Search & Destroy is another).

    Here's hoping you didn't get hit by one of the really nasty ones and that it's all over now.
  • GalacticGalGalacticGal Posts: 28,284 Member
    edited July 2014
    It's a scam. I've heard all about it on the radio. They want your money, don't give it to them nor ANY of your personal information. If you have an anti-virus program, run it. Clean your registry keys and your c: drive, too.

    Sorry this happened to you. Sounds scary.
    You can download (free) all three volumes of my Night Whispers Star Trek Fanfiction here: http://galacticgal.deviantart.com/gallery/ You'll need to have a pdf reader. New websites: http://www.trekkiefanfiction.com/st-tos.php
    http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
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