late Wed. night I got an e-mail that looked very official telling me my pkg. had been mailed and I could get directions for delivery/pick up by clicking on the info below. This e-mail was on official looking UPS/FED EX form paper when they notifiy you about a pkg. or routing info. IF YOU GET SUCH AN E-MAIL....DO NOT OPEN...DELETE IMMEDIATELY.
I was expecting a pkg within a day or two and so I clicked on the information request. IT WAS A MAJOR VIRUS AND STOPPED MY COMPUTER LIKE A SLEDGE HAMMER. My SIL is a computer engineer and has my computer hooked up so he can remotely fix it if and when I need it fixed He says this virus is one of the worse there is and can't seem to be traced. I think he called it a "scare" virus. It is so official looking for UPS/FED delivery you can be fooled very easily.
I really wanted to report it to the FBI because the hacker is using official pages from a government source...the postal service, but I am afraid they will take my computer away. I had my laptop to use while my SIL was fixing my computer and it took hours....and I had to help him from this end. I am wondering if this is what shut down Joan's computer the other day??
I doubt the fbi will take your computer. They probably have strains of the virus.
Always look at the return address of any email. Why would fedex use a hotmail account.
Many email programs will show you the names of attachments and the true names of links if the cursors hovers over them. This usually makes it obvious if something is wrong.
An attachment giving information would never be in a file ending in exe or zip
Never trust any links in an email even if it appears to be from someone you know. I know people who have told their mothers that they did not see the electronic birthday card because they do it follow links, even from mom.
And set you email program to not show pictures from web sites in an email. This provides lots of protection