XP pop-up syndrome

[Chaucer]

You're aboslutely right that this is extortion.

I'm fairly certain this not an XP pop-up. Rather, it
sounds as if someone has installed a bit of spyware or
nuisanceware on your system.

You might want to download and run a free program called
ad-aware to detect and clean out any spyware and
nuisanceware on your system. I run it at least once a
month.

Also, google has a new beta toolbar that features popup
blocking. I tried one or two other popup blockers and
decided they were more of a hassle to configure than they
were worth. With the google toolbar -- which is also
free -- popups are blocked by default, although you can
allow them on a per incident basis for the few sites
where you actually need to allow popups.

I hope these suggestions help.

 

[Alun Jones [MS MVP]]

You're aboslutely right that this is extortion.

I'm fairly certain this not an XP pop-up. Rather, it
sounds as if someone has installed a bit of spyware or
nuisanceware on your system.

Nah - these are more likely to be standard Messenger Service spams. See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp
for details. Note that the example they cite is the same sort of "your
computer is at risk" spam as the OP discusses.

Every so often, I open up a small hole in my firewall to see these messages
- there's a hint, having a firewall prevents the messages, and secures you
against many other forms of attack - and I'm quite irritated that nothing is
done on a legal basis to bring these irritating weasels to book. But if you
close off your system from unwanted attention by using a firewall (my
non-computer-savvy neighbours don't notice theirs - it doesn't restrict them
in any way), it will cease to be a problem.

Man, sometimes I wish I sold firewalls

Alun.
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