OT...HELP! I have a computer virus or something!

[SeekerMage]

I dont know what is going on with this computer. Last night explorer shutdown on me...happens on occasion...but when I closed the screen there was a new background to my desktop...this is what it said:

"Warning You are in Danger!
ALL YOU DO WITH COMPUTER IS STORED FOREVER IN YOUR HARD DISK. WHEN YOU VISIT SITES, SEND EMAILS... ALL YOUR ACTIONS ARE LOGGED. AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THEM WITH STANDARD TOOLS. YOUR DATA IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR FORENSICS. AND IN SOME CASES FOR YOUR BOSS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR WIFE, YOUR CHILDREN.
Every site you or somebody or even something, like spyware, opened in your browser, with all images, and all downloaded and maybe later removed movies or mp3 songs - ARE STILL THERE and could broke your life!
SECURE YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!

Removal instructions "

When you click on the removal instructions up comes a website for smart-security with mostly the same info and basically asking you to purchas something to protect your computer. (I wont post a link just incase its connected) However off to the side of this is a note saying that there has been some illegal advertising and if you have fallen prey to this to email them ....so stupid me....I did...it was a box that cam up that you sent a message to them and left your email address so they can respond to you.

Well now on explorer I cannot sign into my email it says invalid password on hotmail and the mailpuppy account I used says time expired sign in again but it wont. Also I am unable to post using explorer....so somehow explorer is connected. BUT....I can use netscape without problem. Any idea what is it? Oh...and I went to smart-security.com and it appears to be a different website all together so I dont think its connected which makes me think its some kind of virus. Any ideas?
DH tried looking at msn and there doesnt appear to be anything like it that might help. I dont know what to do. Anyone techinical that can help? Thanks!

[jubilee]

I am not an expert by ANY means, but I'd download a few programs to start protecting your computer.
1. virus scan (if you don't have one already) this one is free and I use it. http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

2. spyware search and destroy, again free and kills the spys on your computer (sounds like you need this) www.safer-networking.org/ en/download/downloadimportant1.html

3. firewall (stops your computer from sending info out without your approval) and again it's free http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...eeDownload.jsp

Hope that helps!!!

[deborah_r]

I am so not a computer person...but my computer has been nailed with viruses lately...DH had me download something from stopsign.com and it is helping, but it detects viruses still all the time...supposedly it is "curing" them and/or removing them, but even that whole process is annoying to wait for...