What not to do, if a browser tells you you've got a virus

[Tom22]

Good stuff.

Big additional issue. The sites put up boxes that essentially freeze your browser (and almost the whole computer sometimes) and have these boxes asking you to click on them.. but the boxes don't look exactly like a typical windows pop up box. I suspect they mask the look of it and sort of hover their image over a "are you sure you want to download this " button.

However they do it, I'm wary about even clicking the X to close their little fabricated box.

I'll go down to the bottom of my computer and right click and close the browser entirely.. from outside the browser program. That's really a pain if you have other browser tabs that you were viewing that got closed. But obviously its far better than the only other way to close it that might download something by secretly having you assent to do so.

Your suggestion of going direct to the companies site in a new browser window instead of clicking on a link is a great way to procede unless you're entirely sure the site that recommends it would screen all of the people paying to adverstise on their site. Very often it is the advertisements on the site, not the site content itself, that is at fault.

Do that always with your bank or paypal or email provider too. "We need to update your information" should be a RED TAG .

Close the email. Go interdependently to that site via a verified google link (for big companies they do place the official site at the to) or a bookmark you have (probably the best) been to before that you know is the site. Typing it from a statment you need to be very careful as crooks will have web sites with names that exploit common typos.

If you go to the real site (say paypal or amazon) and you see everything is in order you can bet the email was a "phishing" attempt.

I'm sure 95% of the people know these things but.. I don't mind reminding myself again either. In a moment of frustration or desire (to hear a Haley video) it is so tempting just to click OK