Scams

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UPDATE: Windows Live Credentials exposed – Microsoft Investigating.

Oct 5th

Posted by anovelo in Microsoft

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    MS logo (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mslogo NULL.gif) Microsoft has a post concerning the Windows Live ID’s that were exposed in the past few days. 

From the Windows Live Blog http://windowslivewire.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2F7EB29B42641D59!41528.entry?wa=wsignin1.0&sa=363915619 (http://windowslivewire NULL.spaces NULL.live NULL.com/blog/cns!2F7EB29B42641D59!41528 NULL.entry?wa=wsignin1 NULL.0&sa=363915619)

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10/5/2009

Update: Phishing scheme affecting some Hotmail customers

As of 3pm PT: We want to provide a quick update, that as a result of our investigation we are taking measures to block access to all of the accounts that were exposed and have resources in place to help those users reclaim their accounts.

If you believe your information was documented on the illegal list, please fill out the following form (https://support NULL.live NULL.com/eform NULL.aspx?productKey=wlidvalidation&ct=eformcs&scrx=1) to reclaim access to your account.

—

Over the weekend Microsoft learned that several thousand Windows Live Hotmail customers’ credentials were exposed on a third-party site due to a likely phishing scheme. Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers. As part of that investigation, we determined that this was not a breach of internal Microsoft data and initiated our standard process of working to help customers regain control of their accounts.

Phishing is an industry-wide problem and Microsoft is committed to helping consumers have a safe, secure and positive online experience. Our guidance to customers is to exercise extreme caution when opening unsolicited attachments and links from both known and unknown sources, and that they install and regularly update their anti-virus software.”  If you believe you’ve been a victim of a phishing scheme, it’s very important that you update your account information and change your password as soon as possible. More information on what to do is available on this page (http://windowslivehelp NULL.com/solutions/accounts/archive/2008/10/25/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-accounts-been-stolen NULL.aspx) at our support community.

Microsoft recommends customers use the following protective security measures:

  • Renew their passwords for Windows Live IDs every 90 days
  • For administrators, make sure you approve and authenticate only users that you know and can verify credentials
  • As phishing sites can also pose additional threats, please install and keep anti-virus software up to date
Answers to a few general questions about phishing scams

Q: What should you do if you fall victim to a phishing scam? How should you respond? What steps should you take?

A: If you think that you may have responded to a phishing scam with personal or financial information or entered this information into a fake website, you should take four key steps: (1) report the incident to the proper authorities, (2) change the passwords on all your online accounts, (3) review your credit reports and your bank and credit card statements, and (4) make sure you are using the latest technologies to help protect yourself from future scams.

  1. For the first step:
    • If you have given out your credit card information, contact your credit company right away. The sooner a company knows your account may have been compromised, the easier it will be for them to help protect you.
    • Next, contact the company that you believe was forged. Remember to contact the organization directly, not through the e-mail message you received. Or call the organization’s toll-free number and speak to a customer service representative. For Microsoft, call the PC Safety hotline at:
      1-866-PCSAFETY.
    • Then, report the incident to the proper authorities. Send an e-mail to spam@uce.gov (spam null@null uce NULL.gov) to report it to the Federal Trade Commission and to reportphishing@antiphishing.org (reportphishing null@null antiphishing NULL.org) to report it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group.
  2. The second step is to change the passwords on all your online accounts. The reason for this is that a lot of people use the same password for multiple accounts. Start with passwords that are related to financial institutions or personal information. If you think someone has accessed your e-mail account, change your password immediately. If you’re using Hotmail, go to: http://account.live.com (http://account NULL.live NULL.com).
  3. The third step is to review your bank and credit card statements and your credit report monthly for unexplained charges, inquiries or activity that you didn’t initiate.
  4. Finally, make sure you use the latest products, such as anti-spam and anti-phishing capabilities in e-mail services, phishing filters in Web browsers and other services to help warn and protect you from online scams.

Q: How can I recognize an e-mail scam?

A: There are several signs you should look for to identify a phishing e-mail: (1) Does it ask you to send your personal information? (2) Is it poorly worded or does it have typos? (3) Does it contain convincing details about your personal information? (4) Does it use phrases like “verify your account” or “you’ve won the lottery?”

  • Any e-mail asking for your name, birth date, social security number, e-mail username, e-mail password, or any other type of personal information, no matter who the e-mail appears to be from, is almost certainly a scam.  Microsoft and most other businesses do not send unsolicited e-mail requesting personal or financial information.
  • E-mails that are poorly worded, have typos, or have phrases such as "this is not a joke" or "forward this message to your friends" are generally scam e-mails.
  • Phishing mail often includes official-looking logos and other identifying information taken directly from legitimate Web sites, and it may include convincing details about your personal information that scammers found on your social networking pages.
  • A few phrases to look for if you think an e-mail message is a phishing scam are:
    • "Verify your account."
    • "If you don’t respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed."
    • "You have won the lottery.”

Q: What should people do if they think they have received a phishing e-mail?

A: If you think you may have received a phishing e-mail, you should take three steps: (1) take some time to check up on it and do not click on a link or give out your personal information, (2) make sure you have created a strong password for your account and (3) report the phishing scam.

  • The most important thing to remember is do not click on the link or give out your personal information.  It is possible for your computer to become infected with malicious software simply by visiting a phishing site – without you even realizing it. If you receive a questionable e-mail, take some time and check up on the information. Often sites like snopes.com list common e-mail scams.  Go to that website of the company you r
    eceived the e-mail from and contact their customer service reps via phone or online to verify the validity of the e-mail.
  • Another thing you should do is create a strong password for your e-mail account by using more than 7 characters and having a combination of upper and lower case characters, numbers, and special characters, like the @ or # symbols. It’s also a good idea to change your password on a regular basis. The next time you change your Hotmail password, you can check “make my password expire every 72 days” to remind you to change it.
  • Finally, help us identify new scams. If you use Hotmail and received a phishing e-mail, you can select the dropdown next to "Junk,” and select "Report phishing scam.” Whatever you do, do not reply back to the sender. You should also report phishing scams to the Anti-Phishing Working Group by e-mailing them at reportphishing@antiphishing.org (reportphishing null@null antiphishing NULL.org).

Q: How common is this scam?

A: The most recent version of Microsoft’s Security Intelligence Report (Volume 6) shows that more than 97 percent of e-mail messages sent over the Internet are unwanted: They have malicious attachments, are phishing attacks, or are spam.

Q: Is Microsoft taking any proactive steps to prevent this from happening?

A: To help protect people from phishing attacks, Microsoft is providing education and guidance to customers, collaborating with other technology leaders, businesses and governments and supporting law enforcement actions against phishers.

  • We provide guidance and information to customers about how to stay safe online at www.microsoft.com/protect (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/protect) and work with others in the industry and governments to educate people on online threats and safety tips.
  • From a technology perspective, because so much phishing comes from spammers, our Hotmail spam filter, called SmartScreen, blocks over 4.5 billion unwanted e-mails per day by distinguishing between legitimate e-mail and spam.
  • The Microsoft Phishing Filter, which is free as part of Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, Windows Vista and as an add-on for the Windows Live Search Toolbar, also helps protect people from phishing attacks by identifying suspicious or confirmed phishing sites and warning customers before they reach them.
  • Law enforcement also plays a big role here. Microsoft has supported 191 enforcement actions against phishers worldwide.  These include civil lawsuits filed by Microsoft, as well as civil and criminal actions by international government and law enforcement agencies for which Microsoft made referrals and subsequently provided support. 
  • Microsoft is a founding member of the Anti-Phishing Working Group, a cross-industry association focused on preventing phishing. Microsoft also actively participates in DigitalPhishNet, an alliance between law enforcement and industry leaders in a variety of sectors, including technology, banking, financial services, and online auctioneering.  The group is focused on assisting law enforcement in apprehending and prosecuting those responsible for committing crimes against consumers through phishing. 

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microsoft.jpg

Alert: “See Who Blocked You on MSN” Phishing Attacks

Oct 5th

Posted by anovelo in Phishing Attacks

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  microsoft (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/microsoft1 NULL.jpg)  This specific story came out a couple of weeks ago on the TrendMicro blog.  This involves an email that says “(Name of someone you know) has invited you to check who has deleted you or blocked from their contact list on MSN Messenger.

    In the past couple of days I’ve actually had 2 customers who have received this email and fortunately for them, they asked me about it before clicking on the email.  With that said, here is the post from the TrendMicro website concerning this current Phishing Attack.

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From http://blog.trendmicro.com/see-who-blocked-you-on-msn-phishing-attacks/ (http://blog NULL.trendmicro NULL.com/see-who-blocked-you-on-msn-phishing-attacks/)
11:22 am (UTC-7)   |    by Merianne Polintan (Anti-spam Research Engineer)

We have received samples of a new phishing mail targeting users of MSN Messenger inviting them to see who deleted or blocked them from their contact list. Users would be interested to know who among their friends have deleted them from their lists.

Phishing Email
Figure 1. Phishing email

Clicking on the link displays the following fake login page asking the user to input his or her password:

Phishing Website
Figure 2. Phishing website

It is obvious that the intention of the cybercriminals is to harvest the user’s MSN Messenger login credentials. Afterwards, they can then continuously sends spam messages to the account or, worse, they can use the account for their malicious intent.

Getting in touch with friends is now much easier than before. Because of the growth of social networking sites, we can stay connected with our old friends, or even find new ones. This may include reading the profile pages of other members, sending and receiving invitations to fun games, videos and other applications. However, users must be on guard when interacting within online social networks. Spammers are now abusing these in their phishing attacks.

Always be mindful in accepting “invitations”, especially when it concerns your personal information. This particular spam message, and the associated website, are already blocked by Trend Micro products via the Smart Protection Network.

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    Now lets go over what the Trendmicro blog said – By Phishing – The bad guys try and get your information so that they can then get access to your account.  Once on your account they can use your “legit” account to help spread the malware in addition to possibly get account information to banking or other financial information, considering these days its very common for people to keep emails or other notes that may have account information.

    In a related note, another news story posted today (10/5) by Neowin.net concerning the fact that over 10,000 Windows Live User Names/Passwords were posted online in the past few days most likely means that the bad guys got that information via a phishing scheme like the one explained by Trendmicro.  The compromised accounts affect Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Zune, Xbox accounts to name a few as most people share the same sign in throughout the various Microsoft online sites and offerings.  the complete store on the password posting can be seen at  http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/10/05/thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-leaked-online (http://www NULL.neowin NULL.net/news/main/09/10/05/thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-leaked-online)

     Some of the most important things to keep in mind when using email or instant messaging or twitter or any social networking site or basically anything on the internet.

1) Regularly change your passwords. I know this one drives most people nuts, but changing your passwords can prevent someone else who knows your password access to your account. (If you currently use any Microsoft online passwords like Hotmail, Messenger, Xbox, Zune, etc it is highly recommended that you change your password and your secret access code immediately due to that breach)

2) Do not use the word “password” or admin or bank or “your name” or anything that anyone over the age of 5 can guess.  Passwords should be what is called alpha-numeric including caps and symbols which means that it should look something like this Pa55w0rd@ (which is the word password with a capital P followed by the number 5 twice instead of the letter s and a zero instead of the letter o and the @ symbol at the end).

3) If you receive an email from “a friend or relative or your bank or the IRS or anyone at all” asking you to click on a link or enter any private information, before doing it, check with them and ask if they sent it and confirm why they are asking.  Those few minutes lost verifying if this is legit will say you a ton of head-aches and save you from paying me a ton of money (Not that I don’t want you to pay me a ton of money but I’m here to help you so this is your warning – No matter how much you really really want to don’t do it, or at least verify that your bank account has enough money to pay me when i have to go out and clean up your mess).

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Alert: How malware / viruses can ruin your day

Sep 15th

Posted by anovelo in Panda Labs AV

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     From the Panda Labs Blog ( http://pandalabs.pandasecurity.com/ (http://pandalabs NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/) ), shows how malware and viruses can make small changing to your online banking screens and fool you into giving up information that can then be used to make unauthorized charges or clean you bank account out. (Click on the link below “Live Demo” or look on the sidebar under VodPod Videos)

Live Demo: Banking Trojan (http://vimeo NULL.com/6491332) from Panda Security (http://vimeo NULL.com/pandasecurity) on Vimeo (http://vimeo NULL.com).

     I had a client a couple of days ago who asked me to clean her pc of viruses, during the conversation, she mentioned to me that on top of having to deal with the virus on the PC that she was dealing with her bank because someone got her info and drained her bank account in one evening.  She mentioned that she didn’t know how they did it because she knew she followed all the rules people know for keeping her information private……

- She would shred old documents

- Had a very difficult sign on passwords

- Only thing she did online was banking at her bank, she would never buy anything online because she was afraid that somehow her info would be compromised (which it was anyways).

     I unfortunately had to explain to her that the virus I was cleaning from her PC was the reason she had her information compromised and her bank account drained.  The panda labs demo in this post shows how normally going to a banking site (they use Bank of America in the example, however, I should point out that B of A was not the bank my client was using) you get prompted for your Online ID and Online password for your bank.  However, as shown once the machine is infected, the entire site looks normal to an untrained eye except for the fact that your sign on suddenly wants you to enter your pin #.  Considering your at your banks website by all appearances most people would not think twice in entering that information.  However, in fact, as shown in the video the information is on the sign in is actually being sent to criminals who can then use it to steal from you without ever meeting you in person. 

     Just another example as to why you need a good anti-virus, a good anti-malware (and yes these are 2 different functions) on your machine and that both programs need to be updated regularly and run regularly on your machine to try and keep your PC secure. Also if you do get infected, you should either directly address the issue and make sure to clean your machine if you know what your doing, or make sure that a trained professional cleans your machine before doing any sensitive work on your pc.

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Alert: Another Fake Anti-Virus program

Aug 29th

Posted by anovelo in Panda Labs AV

2 comments

     If anything can get under my skin, this will do it.  It seems we have another “Anti-Virus” program out there who’s only goal is to scare the user (who probably doesn’t know any better) into believing that the “sky is falling” and then requiring them to give up their credit card number in order not to get hit with the “falling sky”.  I’ve have had to spend a lot of my time this past week cleaning this one up because a couple of clients didn’t know any better. There have been numerous versions of this malware scam over the past few years, some examples are

A

* Ad-Protect
* AlfaCleaner
* Antispyware Soldier
* Anti-virus 2008  * Anti-Virus 2009
* AntiVermins
* AntiVirGear
* AntivirusGold

B

* BraveSentry
* BreakSpyware

C

* CmdService
* ContraVirus
D

* DeluxeCommunications
* Dr. AntiSpy

E

* ErrorSafe

M

* MalwareWipe
* MrAntispy
* Mirar
* Movieland
* MySpyProtector

P

* PestCapture
* Pest Trap
* Popcorn.net
* PSGuard
S

* Seekmo
* Smitfraud
* SpyAxe
* SpyCrush
* SpyDawn
* SpyFalcon
* SpyHeal
* SpyLocked
* SpyLocker
* SpyMarshal
* SpySheriff
* SpyShield
* SpySoldier
* SpywareKnight
* SpywareLocked
* SpywareQuake
* SpywareStrike
* Starware
* SystemDoctor
T

* Toolbar888

U

* UnSpyPC

V

* VirusBlast
* VirusBurst
* VirusBurster
* VirusRay
* VirusRescue

W

* Winfixer

Z

* Zango Search
* Zlob

    and now joining the list is a Rogue Anti-Virus programs comes SaveSoldier. Here is information on the malware from the Panda Website ( http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/security-info/212755/SaveSoldier (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/homeusers/security-info/212755/SaveSoldier) ).

Effects

SaveSoldier is an adware (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/glossary/glossary NULL.aspx#ADWARE) program that carries out the following actions:

  • It reaches the computer downloaded from the following website:
  • When the file is run, it is installed in the affected computer and starts scanning the system in search for possible malware.
  • Once ended, it displays a warning message like the following, informing users that their computer is infected:
  • If the button "Remind me later" is clicked, the interface of the program is displayed, which is like the following image:
  • If users decide to follow the program’s instructions and remove the threats, the program will require a registration code:
  • This code is obtained after purchasing the antivirus solution. Therefore, the user will be redirected to a website where it can be purchased:
  • On the other hand, if users do not follow the program’s recommendations, it will display warning messages like the following to make them think their computer is infected:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Infection strategy

SaveSoldier creates a directory called SaveSoldier in the folder SaveSoldier Software (created by itself) of the Program Files directory and a group of programs with the same name in the Start menu.

SaveSoldier creates the following files in the folder SaveSoldier Software\SaveSoldier of the Program Files directory:

  • SAVESOLDIER.EXE, which is a copy of itself.
  • SAVESOLDIERSVC.EXE
  • UNINSTALL.EXE

SaveSoldier creates the following entries (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/glossary/glossary NULL.aspx#CLAVE) en el Windows Registry (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/glossary/glossary NULL.aspx#REGISTRO):

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    SaveSoldier = C:\Program Files\SaveSoldier Software\SaveSoldier\SaveSoldier.exe – min
    By creating this entry, SaveSoldier ensures that it is run whenever Windows is started.
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SaveSoldier
    Install_Dir = C:\Program Files\SaveSoldier Software\SaveSoldier
    By creating this entry, SaveSoldier creates a new directory.
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Uninstall\ SaveSoldier
    DisplayName = SaveSoldier
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Uninstall\ SaveSoldier
    UninstallString = C:\Program Files\SaveSoldier Software\SaveSoldier\uninstall.exe
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Enum\ Root\ LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC\ 0000
    Class = LegacyDriver
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Enum\ Root\ LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC\ 0000
    ClassGUID = {8ECC055D-047F-11D1-A537-0000F8753ED1}
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Enum\ Root\ LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC\ 0000
    DeviceDesc = SaveSoldier Security Service
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Enum\ Root\ LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC\ 0000
    Service = SaveSoldierSvc
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Enum\ Root\ LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC\ 0000\ Control
    ActiveService = SaveSoldierSvc
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SaveSoldierSvc
    DisplayName = SaveSoldier Security Service
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SaveSoldierSvc
    ImagePath = C:\Program Files\SaveSoldier Software\SaveSoldier\SaveSoldierSvc.exe
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Services\ SaveSoldierSvc\ Enum
    0 = Root\LEGACY_SAVESOLDIERSVC000
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Services\ SaveSoldierSvc
    Start
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ ControlSet001\ Services\ SaveSoldierSvc\ Security
    Security

<?xm
l version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Means of transmission

SaveSoldier can be voluntarily downloaded from the website belonging to the company that has developed it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Further Details

SaveSoldier is 712,704 bytes (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/glossary/glossary NULL.aspx#BYTE) in size.

As additional information, a website that promotes another fake antivirus has been detected. In this case, it is called TrustNinja. The interesting thing is that both the format and content of this website is the same as the website of SaveSoldier . Only the references to SaveSoldier have been replaced with TrustNinja.

The file downloaded from this website is called TRUSTNINJA.EXE and once run, a program with the same interface and functions as SaveSoldier is installed on the computer. Even the fake results displayed when the scan is finished are the same. The only thing that changes is the name of the program.

As always, the 1st line of defense is to not click on every pop up that you see without reading it 1st.  Additionally, if your not sure what the message or the pop up is for, its always better to click on deny or no on a pop up if your not sure what its for or at least take the time to run a quick search on Bing or Google with the name of the pop up.  There are many sites out there that will tell you what the pop up is and if it is safe.

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xbox360arcadepackage.jpg

And More: (Soapbox) There isn’t always truth in advertising and Dell customer service/support has “NO CLUE”

Jul 25th

Posted by anovelo in And More!

3 comments

     (Notice: This post is entirely based on what just happened to me while attempting to discuss an order I placed Online with Dell, all the information posted is based on my experience)

     My son has been wanting an XBox360 for a while now because it has a number of games that are Xbox only games that he wants to play.  He has worked very hard in school and at home (doing everything asked of him), to show me that he deserves to get his Xbox.  So for his birthday (after seeing how hard he has tried) I started looking around the net to order him an Xbox, and found the best deal from the Dell Website.  (I have screenshot of the page from Dell’s site, I also found the discount coupon code 65G7RQ11J?M2LH from the dealnews site ( http://dealnews.com/Xbox-360-Arcade-Console-for-170-free-shipping/309111.html (http://dealnews NULL.com/Xbox-360-Arcade-Console-for-170-free-shipping/309111 NULL.html) ) which brought the price to $169 dollars). 

xbox360 arcade package (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/xbox360arcadepackage NULL.jpg)

     The Dell page  for the 360 Arcade bundle seemed to me to be a little lacking in formation, but this is Dell, this isn’t some person I’ve never met on an e-Bay auction, this is Dell one of the biggest players in the computer and technology markets so I didn’t make much of it.  Additionally, prior to making my order, I saw the posting on Microsoft’s own 360 website concerning the XBox360 arcade edition ( http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360arcadesystem/ (http://www NULL.xbox NULL.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360arcadesystem/) ) which told me that the 360 arcade bundle came with a 5 game CD (Pac-Man, Uno, etc……). Even though the information was lacking on the website, Dell posted a picture that shows the console, cable, controller, memory card, and arcade CD and its Dell so that what I should get, or so I figured. WRONG!!!!!!!

     So there I was and I placed the order online with dell.  Received the order and waited for my son’s Birthday which is today.  He was so happy when he unwrapped his gift and saw it had gotten his wish.  Then we started opening the box and in that’s when the fun began. 

    In the box was the Xbox console, a wireless controller, the power supply, and the cable to the TV.  That it.  So where was the memory card and the game (Check out what they show on the Dell picture)

xbox360 arcade package missing (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/xbox360arcadepackagemissing NULL.jpg)

     So I called Dell, and that’s where the “fun” part of my story comes in.  My calls started at 9:30a (EST) and as of 1:30p (EST), I have now been so frustrated and given up to the point where I will just go to my local store (probably GameStop) and buy a used edition of each.  That’s not where my problem is, because if it was just about the $10 or $15 that the 2 missing pieces would cost, I guess this post would have never even occurred. Its about principle and the fact that I called Dell (Using both the 800-999-3355 and the 800-624-9897 numbers) and started with customer support (after a 20 min hold time) who said they couldn’t help me because this was not their issue (using those words) and sent me to customer care who told me that …………….ding ding ding. Wait they could have told me something after I explained what was up but suddenly I was disconnected and all i got was a loud tone.  (**I’m not saying I was hung up on but lets see if someone sees a pattern).  So I called back (again 15 min waiting) until I got to customer support and they sent me to customer care who then said that the Xbox comes with only what they sent.  I explained that what I received isn’t on what is showing on the ding ding ding ding ding…wait again I didn’t get to finish what I was explaining because the same loud tone, and again I’m disconnected).  So I called again, this time, I called customer care directly because I was able to find that number (the 3355 one) on-line. This time (30 min wait) I was told that they have no one of knowing what was supposed to be in the package and that I need to speak to the sales department, they transferred me to sales to confirm what’s on the order.  Sales gets on the line and starts asking me if i want to start a new order, of which I explained the story to them and they said they could tell me what was in the package and was told that yes a game and memory card comes with the package…..when I then asked to get back to customer ding ding ding ding (lets see is there a pattern here or what……) , again I’m disconnected with the same loud tone as before.  So I now call customer care back and get back to the same person as before (at least she gave me her extension) and told her that sales said that yes I should have gotten a game, I am now told that what they need to do is order me a new system, for $199 dollars I may add because they had no way of adding the discount code I used online.  Then I would go back to a different department that would then arrange a return of the system I just got and that I would then get a refund from Dell in a few weeks, The refund of course would be for what I paid on the 1st one, which was less than $199 dollars. When I questioned as to why I would have to pay 2x’s (in my opinion at least) and if this was just a game issue why they couldn’t just send me the missing pieces, ding ding ding ding…..I again get that loud tone and I’m disconnected.  I was going to ask her if I would actually get that I expected if I bothered to jump thru that many hoops since sales said I should but customer care wasn’t sure, but with it “disconnecting” again, I was never even able to ask.

So with that, my son has been able to enjoy his xbox360, due to the fact that a friend from work was nice enough to let me have some of his 360 games this week (after I told him we were getting the Xbox for my son), so that my son would be able to enjoy a few games while we built his collection.  So to Andrew I say thanks, and to Dell I say,  (well I can’t say what I really want) NO THANKS!.

    And to you, who read my posts, I just have this caution, even if the site your on is as big a Dell, pay very close attention to orders online, you may not always get what you are expecting. A good thing to do is look at the customer rating comment which I didn’t do, as I now see from Dell’s own site that I am not the only one who was expecting something that he didn’t get.

 

dell review (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dellreview NULL.jpg)

dell review2 (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dellreview2 NULL.jpg) 

(End of the soapbox for now)

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pandalabs_security.jpg

ALERT: Fake Antivirus software really adware meant to take your money $$$

Mar 2nd

Posted by anovelo in Alerts

No comments

pandalabs_security (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/pandalabs_security NULL.jpg) Story (and pictures) from the Panda Labs website (LINK: http://www.pandasecurity.com/emailhtml/oxygen/022809_ENG_in.htm (http://www NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/emailhtml/oxygen/022809_ENG_in NULL.htm))

Anti-Virus-1: A new fake antivirus

Anti-Virus-1 is adware, specifically a "fake antivirus". As with all such adware, it is designed to simulate a scan of the computer, supposedly detecting thousands of strains of (non-existent) malware. The end aim is to sell users a pay version of the fake antivirus in order to eliminate the threats.

When run, this adware warns the user that the computer is not protected. The main screen displayed (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/panda_security/3313653378/) is a spoof of the Window Security Center

3313653378_e9307e88f8 (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3313653378_e9307e88f8 NULL.jpg)

It then pretends to scan the system for malware (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/panda_security/3313653384/). If users do not immediately take the bait and buy the pay version of the fake antivirus, the malicious code will sporadically display a message reminding the user that the computer is infected (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/panda_security/3313653386/)

3313653386_d7d2477df1 (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3313653386_d7d2477df1 NULL.jpg)

In warning messages, and after the fake scan, a link is provided from which users can download the fake antivirus. Anyone clicking on the link will be redirected to a page like this (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/panda_security/3313653390/).

3313653390_a9554b8264 (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3313653390_a9554b8264 NULL.jpg)

Additionally, when infected users visit certain Web pages with comparative reviews of antivirus products, there will be redirected to a spoof page showing a review of an ‘antivirus’, called Antivirus2010, with functions and characteristics similar to Anti-Virus-1.

"By doing this, cyber-crooks hope that users will download this adware on their own initiative. This makes it far less likely that users will suspect that they have been infected and consequently more likely that they will buy the fake antivirus", explains Luis Corrons, Technical Director of Panda Labs.

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