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help please = pdf.zip

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    help please = pdf.zip

    Morning all

    I'm a non IT contractor (finance) and yesterday one of my tiny little charity clients got emailed what they thought was a remittance advice from one of their customers. The attachment was in the format pdf.zip and said that they had a BACS receipt for £5,900. They didn't recognise the email address & couldn't open the attachment when they clicked on it. I can't tie the amount of money up to any of their invoices.

    Having had a quick google I think its a virus. Do you know any free software I could download onto their machine when I'm out there later today that would check for us? Their computer is mainly just used for emails and diary bookings but I know that they want to put internet banking on it soon so I'd rather make sure it was clean before they go down that route.

    I now have to break the news that I don't think they aren't going to be £6k better off today........

    #2
    Originally posted by SarahL2012 View Post
    Morning all

    I'm a non IT contractor (finance) and yesterday one of my tiny little charity clients got emailed what they thought was a remittance advice from one of their customers. The attachment was in the format pdf.zip and said that they had a BACS receipt for £5,900. They didn't recognise the email address & couldn't open the attachment when they clicked on it. I can't tie the amount of money up to any of their invoices.

    Having had a quick google I think its a virus. Do you know any free software I could download onto their machine when I'm out there later today that would check for us? Their computer is mainly just used for emails and diary bookings but I know that they want to put internet banking on it soon so I'd rather make sure it was clean before they go down that route.

    I now have to break the news that I don't think they aren't going to be £6k better off today........
    <Sigh>

    First tell them to unplug their computer from the internet, to stop things from getting worse.

    Then use this.
    https://www.malwarebytes.org/

    Then get them to read this (ALL staff!).
    General Online Safety Resources | StaySafeOnline.org

    I'm sure more tech savvy regulars will be able to give you detailed help...
    "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
    - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by SarahL2012 View Post
      Morning all

      I'm a non IT contractor (finance) and yesterday one of my tiny little charity clients got emailed what they thought was a remittance advice from one of their customers. The attachment was in the format pdf.zip and said that they had a BACS receipt for £5,900. They didn't recognise the email address & couldn't open the attachment when they clicked on it. I can't tie the amount of money up to any of their invoices.

      Having had a quick google I think its a virus. Do you know any free software I could download onto their machine when I'm out there later today that would check for us? Their computer is mainly just used for emails and diary bookings but I know that they want to put internet banking on it soon so I'd rather make sure it was clean before they go down that route.

      I now have to break the news that I don't think they aren't going to be £6k better off today........

      Assuming they are running a PC, then have a look at Avast. They do a free version you can download here: https://www.avast.com/en-gb/store
      Scroll right to the bottom of the screen to find it.
      "Being nice costs nothing and sometimes gets you extra bacon" - Pondlife.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by DaveB View Post
        Assuming they are running a PC, then have a look at Avast. They do a free version you can download here: https://www.avast.com/en-gb/store
        Scroll right to the bottom of the screen to find it.
        I use Avast Dave, but I thought that Malwarebytes was the D's B's for cleaning PCs?
        "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
        - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by cojak View Post
          I use Avast Dave, but I thought that Malwarebytes was the D's B's for cleaning PCs?
          Not sure there is an awful lot in it to be honest. Either will work.
          "Being nice costs nothing and sometimes gets you extra bacon" - Pondlife.

          Comment


            #6
            Thank you!

            Very, very much appreciated! They are one of those small charities whose heart is in the right place - they do horse therapy with children - but their general business skills aren't there at all. I'm actually gutted that the £6k they thought was coming in is garbage because they really need the cash.

            I will be popping out there shortly as volunteer IT helpdesk.

            Comment


              #7
              Come back later if you need more help, we'll try and advise.

              (And give us their name, I'm sure there's a bit of spare cash lurking down my sofa...)
              "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
              - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by cojak View Post
                <Sigh>

                First tell them to unplug their computer from the internet, to stop things from getting worse.

                Then use this.
                https://www.malwarebytes.org/

                Then get them to read this (ALL staff!).
                General Online Safety Resources | StaySafeOnline.org

                I'm sure more tech savvy regulars will be able to give you detailed help...
                Hate to pick holes Cojak, but it's going to be hard to download Malwarebytes if it's not plugged in. So if I may,

                (1) Delete the email. If by any stroke of luck they couldn't / didn't open it, you might be ok,
                (2) Then download Malwarebytes. Resist the offers of trying the premium version, because if you do, it won't run after 28 days when the premium trial expires.
                (3) Proceed as per other comments

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by cojak View Post
                  I use Avast Dave, but I thought that Malwarebytes was the D's B's for cleaning PCs?
                  I would use both - Avast for ongoing protection (and also an initial scan), and malwarebytes to check for other nasties.

                  Depending on what they actually need a computer for, given this level of mistake, I would actually look at Linux Mint (which does pretty much everything that a "normal" user would need) since your chances of viruses are much lower - I get sent .exe files in my emails which Linux just bins for me.
                  Best Forum Advisor 2014
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                  Comment


                    #10
                    Ideally you want to download Malwarebytes from a clean PC that's connected to the internet, then copy it to a USB stick and install it from there onto the (non-internet-connected) PC you want to check.
                    • The meaning of life is to give life meaning
                    • Worrying about tomorrow spoils today

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