just to mention to everyone I just received a similar email from a client - please be aware its obviously doing the rounds so just delete anything you get that looks a bit wrong !!! could be from someone you know or dont know - mine was addressed ...Help !.. and from a client so I viewed the email but not the link. its now deleted

Foxy do you recognise this at all?

W32.Sinnaka.A@mm

I've only skimmed this thread so apologies if its been mentioned before

But when you run your virus scan disable system restore first ( cos the virus can hide in there and then as soon as you boot up again out it pops ) and then enable it afterwards

Hi Mys - No I'm sorry - in my panic I just didn't look at all - I just wanted to find out how to get rid of it as soon as possible. Thanks for all your help

I am going to take your advice and set it back to factory settings Mys just to be on the safe side. Just saved photos and some email addresses.

good luck

Decided not to do the factory resetting thing because it means I will have to set the router up again and that will probably take the rest of the 3 computers off the internet Its just too much messing and I don't feel my head can take it at the moment so I am just not going to ever use my card on line again just to be safe.

I think that the whole credit card thing was a lie, I think it was a fake pop up that comes with an adware virus that has downloaded once you clicked to download the codec thing from that website.

If you could remember if the pop up had anything about going someplace else to download some anti spyware of something like that, then I would almost be 100% sure because I know some people getting this click 'ok' on the pop up and it takes them to a place where they can pay for this anti spy software meaning the whole thing was fake and they just want you to part with some money for some (again fake) software.

I'm sure what you have is an adware virus.

Look out for other pop ups in the future...You may well get more pop up's and your system might get quite slow at times to.

But I actually think using your credit card online with known and secure sites will be perfectly ok and actually had nothing to do with the virus.

The pop up you got may well know be one of many trying to fool you into various things. If you get any pop up's in the future never click 'ok' or even 'cancel' or any links in them always use the X in the top right corner to close them.

one more thing to do = clear all your temp internet files to help get rid of some things that may be affected.

Yes,good luck Foxy, what a nightmare you've had. I suggest you instal that Adaware-SE Personal, too as it clears all unwanted ads, spyware, pop ups, etc. from your pc and cleans it up a treat. I use it every night and it finds loads of stuff I didn't know was put there. You can download it for free on the net.

Regarding the firewall business, I was told to disable my Nortons and use my XP coz it's better, is that right, as I notice Foxy is using her Nortons Firewall?