On Saturday, February 19 while using my computer to research lesson plans I was faced with a screen warning me that my computer had been infected and that my files were being corrupted. The screeen asked if I want to continue unprotected or if I wanted protection. I immediately clicked "close" having been bombarded with pop-ups selling "stuff". It popped back up and said it was running a scan of my computer. I clicked on my security link with McAffee and ran a quick scan to detect any viruses. McAffee said everything was ok and that I was "protected". Once again the pop-up said that I was infected and that I needed to let them do a scan. I clicked on the "yes, I want to be protected" button only to find that it was indeed a company trying to sell me anti-virus protection for only $59.00. I closed this again.
Wow! The next thing I knew my entire screen was filled with this blue blinking screen with huge red letters telling me that my files had been corrupted and there was no way to close it. I tried using McAffee, but could not access it. Every file I tried to open warranted a message saying that this. Exe file has been corrupted. So here I was, no computer. I tried to set the security to stop the invasion, but found that the trojan named, "System Tool" had added itself to my users account and had filled in the boxes allowing it to control every aspect of my computer. I freaked. I was able to access the internet and went to McAffee's website and found a number for tech support. I dialed the number and talked to who I thought was a tech from McAffee, afterall I had dialed McAffee's number. The tech explained that this was a 3rd party intrusion and that my current McAffee Suite would not cure the problem. He said I needed a tech to "cleanse" my computer and install the proper anti-malicious software. I balked because when we purchased the McAffee Suite we were told that it would stop invasions if we kept it current, which we had. Well, for a small fee of $139.95 the problem would be solved. My husband immediately took out his credit card and reluctantly (I thought it was a marketing scheme engineered by McAffee) I gave the person on the line, who I believed to be a representative of McAffee all the information. The computer #, remote acccess to the computer, my husband's bank card #, our home address, telephone number, cell phone number, just the works. After all, this was a reputable company with whom we had done business for a number of years.
All of this was a lie. It was not McAffee, it was a company named PCCARE247. I realized this only after I recieved the email and noticed that McAffee was not mentioned. I called the phone number and asked the person if they were associated with McAffee, he only wanted my name and account number. I refused to give it to hima and asked again if this company was affiliated with McAffee. Once again he evaded the question by asking for my account number. The third time I said, "Is this company a part of the McAffee Company?" I was told, "No." I said, just what I thought I was scammed and hung up the phone. I went on the web looking for this company that I had never heard of and had no idea what or who I had let in through the door. I found this report. Reading it was just like going through it all over again. It sounded so familiar. I immediately called my husband and told him that he needed to take off work the following day and change his banking accounts. We are expecting a federal refund, which we desperately need to pay some bills, and do not want some scammer to have access to his bank account. My pay check is direct deposited and they could just wipe us out. Besides all that, I was lied to. The law says that omission of the truth is a lie. This company fraudulently represented itself as McAffee, used a website that had McAffee logo, trademarks, and phone number for its own and misrepresented the fact that they are not affiliated with McAffee. McAffee should sue. I just want their programs out of my computer, my money back and everyone to know about what crooks they are. They had to delete my McAffee (that I paid for) to install theirs. They probably deleted the fact that it was their malicious trojan that infected my computer as a marketing scheme. Shame on you PCCare247. Hopefully the US has laws that protect its citizens from such fraudulent acts.
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