Help! I’ve Downloaded a Fake Antivirus Program

Help! I’ve Downloaded a Fake Antivirus Program

When is an Antivirus program not an Antivirus program? When it’s an imposter!

These tricky programs look like the real thing. Some even look remarkably like the security alerts that your own computer generates. Only problem is, they are malicious programs that are carrying out dangerous missions. These missions range from stealing your financial data to simply tricking you into paying for a product that does absolutely nothing.

How to Tell a Fake Antivirus Program from a Real One
In general, you should be leery of any popup that appears with a warning that your computer may be infected with virus. Yes, your own computer will generate popups as will your own computer security software. While the popup may be legitimate, it doesn’t hurt to consider the possibility that it isn’t.

If the popup looks like a Windows Security Center Alert, it may not be real, especially if that alert is prompting you to download a specific software product to fix it.

In cases like this, don’t click the window. Instead, disconnect from the Internet, physically pulling the cable or switching off the Wi-Fi switch, and reboot your computer. Once rebooted, remain offline and open Windows Security Center which is located in the Control Panel. Does the same information appear? If so, then you received a legitimate alert earlier. If not, it was an imposter.

Removing Fake Antivirus Programs
What if it’s too late? Many users have been tricked into downloading free Antivirus programs only to find out that the program is malware. The program may be generating non-stop pop-up windows, sucking computer resources, prompting the user to pay to remove it, or secretly installing even more malicious programs. The possibilities are as varied as the hackers who design these malicious programs.

Fortunately, computer security experts are regularly discovering new entries. In order to remove the fake virus, you will need a current – and reputable – Antivirus solution. Scan the entire system using the latest security updates and allow the software to remove any found malware. By removing the imposter and all other virus programs, you may also notice a performance improvement because virus is notorious for draining a PC’s resources.

Look for Antivirus products from legitimate computer security software developers. In addition, real-time blocking, frequent updates, and automated scans are highly recommended.

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