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Malware on The Sims Resource site

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neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
edited February 2022 in The Sims 3 General Discussion
Just a heads up to everyone who downloads CC from The Sims Resource site. There is malware on the site that freezes your Safari browser and a page comes up saying you are looking at **** and "they" will unlock your browser for either $100 or $300. It's a phishing scam, but if you are on a pc it leaves malware on your hd which will corrupt your system. It's called the FBI Moneypak virus. There are instructions everywhere on how to delete it from your system, and do it ASAP.

I notified TSR about the malware and they told me it's one of their ads and asked ME to find out which one. It's on every page so I told them that their IT people should figure it out, as it's the rotating banner ads. I've decided to use Adblocker which prevents the ads from popping up. TSR doesn't like that but it they won't get rid of the malware and not let visitors know their site is infected, I'll continue blocking the ads and using hotspot shield to protect me from this virus.

Thought you all should know, if you don't already. :x
Post edited by EA_Mako on

Comments

  • King4510411King4510411 Posts: 2,056 Member
    edited July 2014
    I've heard a lot of bad things about TSR in the past. I've never used them and don't plan on it. Thanks for the heads up :)
  • plopppoplopppo Posts: 5,031 Member
    edited July 2014
    There's another Sims site that was hacked recently (well, more than once) - Newseasims (something like that). Their database was stolen at least once.

    Could be that scammers are seeing The Sims customers as easy prey.

    I've always assumed that thesimsresource.com was a major third party Sims site - if so, then it's a major problem if they have been hacked - it's potentially another database that is floating about.
  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    plopppo wrote:
    There's another Sims site that was hacked recently (well, more than once) - Newseasims (something like that). Their database was stolen at least once.

    Could be that scammers are seeing The Sims customers as easy prey.

    I've always assumed that thesimsresource.com was a major third party Sims site - if so, then it's a major problem if they have been hacked - it's potentially another database that is floating about.

    Thanks for the heads up re: Newsea.
  • plopppoplopppo Posts: 5,031 Member
    edited July 2014
    The Newsea accounts were stolen a year ago - the site was recently defaced again which means it has potential vulnerabilities.
  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    I've heard a lot of bad things about TSR in the past. I've never used them and don't plan on it. Thanks for the heads up :)

    You're welcome :)
  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    plopppo wrote:
    The Newsea accounts were stolen a year ago - the site was recently defaced again which means it has potential vulnerabilities.

    I suppose when these hackers see sites getting 10s of thousands of downloads a day, they figure the site is a good target.
  • fereldenherofereldenhero Posts: 10 New Member
    edited July 2014
    Dang. I used TSR a week or two ago, and didn't come across anything...Then again I never look at the ads that pop up, I just close out of them immediately.

    Do you think I'm safe?
  • mysticdiva2mysticdiva2 Posts: 699 Member
    edited July 2014
    I Never download from TSR have gotten burnt once and Never again.....Their site is not safe and they dont give a flying rats behind...
  • Fields007Fields007 Posts: 126 Member
    edited July 2014
    If it was me I would instantly removed all the adverts from the site, sure that can be a lot of hard work, but is the safest way. Bad show on them for not doing so
  • chic_urbanitychic_urbanity Posts: 274 Member
    edited July 2014
    maybe because I'm on a mac I don't have any problems with TSR? Their content has always been good and I've never gotten anything weird from them. I also use adblock.
    b11vVIw.jpg
  • wolfkomoki1wolfkomoki1 Posts: 5,053 Member
    edited July 2014
    I have never gotten Malware from the sims resource.
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  • PHOEBESMOM601PHOEBESMOM601 Posts: 14,595 Member
    edited July 2014
    I don't understand people's fear of TSR. I've used them for years and never had a problem. Then again I never click on any ads at any site.

    The only serious problems I've ever had came from here at the exchange.
    "People really love to explore 'failure states. In fact, the failure states are really much more interesting than the success states." ~ Will Wright
  • momboqueenmomboqueen Posts: 1,721 Member
    edited July 2014
    Never had a problem with TSR and I also have used them for several years. I have been over there a couple times this week and have not seen any pop up adds. But I'm running a malware scan right now just in case,lol.
  • Jalice4everJalice4ever Posts: 233 Member
    edited July 2014
    Well duh. There's malware on almost every site to download mods or custom content from.
  • MarLin114MarLin114 Posts: 1,724 Member
    edited July 2014
    In defense of TSR, I have to say that I've never had any issues with their site.

    But, I have had problems with other Sims 3 sites, including SimsVIP website (just visiting, not clicking on anything).

    Like another/others have said, it's everywhere. You have to keep your computer protected.
    a.k.a. - Linda
  • colton147colton147 Posts: 9,663 Member
    edited July 2014
    I don't understand people's fear of TSR. I've used them for years and never had a problem. Then again I never click on any ads at any site.

    The only serious problems I've ever had came from here at the exchange.

    And the bad CC on the Exchange almost always comes from the Sims Resource. :wink:
  • PHOEBESMOM601PHOEBESMOM601 Posts: 14,595 Member
    edited July 2014
    colton147 wrote:
    I don't understand people's fear of TSR. I've used them for years and never had a problem. Then again I never click on any ads at any site.

    The only serious problems I've ever had came from here at the exchange.

    And the bad CC on the Exchange almost always comes from the Sims Resource. :wink:


    Considering that over the years I've downloaded hundreds of items from TSR and only about five or six things from the exchange I'll take my chances.
    "People really love to explore 'failure states. In fact, the failure states are really much more interesting than the success states." ~ Will Wright
  • IncredibleDesiIncredibleDesi Posts: 176 New Member
    edited July 2014
    I've NEVER had any problem with TSR. Is it a popup, or an ad on the sidelines?

    Not the whole site is corrupted. It may be some of the people that make something and put it up on the site may have hidden something in there that we don't want, but most people are smart enough to read the reviews and view the artists page.

    Thanks for the heads up, even if I think that this isn't true.
    I'll still watch out :mrgreen:
  • Megan31917Megan31917 Posts: 457 Member
    edited July 2014
    maybe because I'm on a mac I don't have any problems with TSR? Their content has always been good and I've never gotten anything weird from them. I also use adblock.

    I've never had a problem with TSR either & use AdBlock on my PC.
  • chic_urbanitychic_urbanity Posts: 274 Member
    edited July 2014
    Megan31917 wrote:
    maybe because I'm on a mac I don't have any problems with TSR? Their content has always been good and I've never gotten anything weird from them. I also use adblock.

    I've never had a problem with TSR either & use AdBlock on my PC.

    Ya I think it just comes down to being careful (and adblock is your friend!). If there are comments on an item I read those because typically if something is bad people will say so, but I've yet to come across something that's bad. My game is positively loaded with CC clothing/accessories (biggest chunk of my CC I think), some makeup, and hairstyles, and I've yet to have a corrupted game. Sometimes my sims glitch after I've been playing a game for a long time but if it was CC-related those glitches would happen immediately with a new game...

    I'm sure with any custom content there will always be a slight risk... but we just all have to be careful and take steps to avoid bad experiences... no reason to paint any particular site in an ugly manner.
    b11vVIw.jpg
  • ceejay402ceejay402 Posts: 24,507 Member
    edited July 2014
    OP thanks for alerting TSR and im interested in knowing if TSR confirmed the malware ad was in fact an ad they were aware would show up for many users? since arent most ads on the web tailored by user habits/cookies?

    i also want to note i would review your anti virus security, i never have an ad pop up at that sight. i was just there today getting about no lie about 150 mb of stuff :) no issues and ive been using them for around 5 years now - again never an issue.

    and the only way i can interact with an ad is if i click on it. which i never do.

    i bring this up because that i cant think of one site that provides sims CC that doesnt have questionable ads. the only way to truly protect yourself is to have good security and settings, an updated system and never click on ads.

  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    Dang. I used TSR a week or two ago, and didn't come across anything...Then again I never look at the ads that pop up, I just close out of them immediately.

    Do you think I'm safe?

    Yeah you are. Your browser would have been redirected to a page that said you were looking at *********** and your browser would have locked.
  • chic_urbanitychic_urbanity Posts: 274 Member
    edited July 2014
    ceejay402 wrote:
    the only way to truly protect yourself is to have good security and settings, an updated system and never click on ads.

    AND the best way to never click on ads is to never see them with adblock! :D hehehe.
    b11vVIw.jpg
  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    I've NEVER had any problem with TSR. Is it a popup, or an ad on the sidelines?

    Not the whole site is corrupted. It may be some of the people that make something and put it up on the site may have hidden something in there that we don't want, but most people are smart enough to read the reviews and view the artists page.

    Thanks for the heads up, even if I think that this isn't true.
    I'll still watch out :mrgreen:

    I never click ads either, but I was viewing several pages and suddenly my browser was redirected to a page that said I was viewing *********** and my browser was being locked (it didn't, as I'm on a MAC) I did notify TSR and they said it was one of their ads, but didn't know which one.
  • neuroticnellyneuroticnelly Posts: 8
    edited July 2014
    In case I wasn't clear on the malware. It's not a pop-up ad, it's in one of the banner ads on their site. TSR knows this but don't know which ad it is.
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