I received many replies about the "Messenger Service" ads that have been=20
annoying me since I downloaded AOL 8.0. The window is grey and says that=20
"Aol has detected a backdoor virus on my system." It then asks me to click=20
on an "ok" button that takes me to a website that sells anti-virus software.=
=20
I have a current, updated Norton, and my computer automatically runs a scan=20
every Friday, so the ad is untrue.
Several people wrote telling me they were being driven slowly insane by this=
=20
too. So, I'm posting a hit. I have taken the suggestion and disabled the=20
"Messenger Service"=20
And I plan on downloading the pop-up killer soon.
--------
This has been discussed on some other lists... It's a new form of
spam using a piece of Windows and IE called the Internet Messenging
(or Messenger) Service. It has a real use in the network world and a
spammer is taking advantage of it. It's not part of AOL, or any other
ISP. I've gotten a couple of these and I've never had an AOL account.
Just hit the x in the corner to get rid of it. It's annoying, but as
far as I've read, it's not malicious.
-------
I was reading your message thinking---I have gotten hat message when one
popped up.=A0 I went to Keyword: HELP on AOL. I talked with a tech helper --=
he
told me that my Windows Messenger Service were enabled. The tech person gave
me the following instructions:
1. Click start then select on >control panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click Administrative Tools.
4. Double click Services Scroll down and highlight "Messenger"
5. Right - click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
6. Click the stop button.
7. Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
8. Click OK.
--------
In addition to the good advice you've already received about running Ad-Awar=
e=20
I would also recommend a good pop-up killer. You can search google for=20
"pop-up killer" and find several. My personal favorite is PopUpKiller by=20
fXJumpStart but I've heard that it is not being updated any longer. I did=20
find one still active link to download the software at=20
http://software.xfx.net/utilities/popupkiller/tsguide/index.html and it does=
=20
still work as of a few minutes ago. You can even set it to make a very=20
satisfying ka-boom sound when it kills a pop-up window=20
------
I think there's more at play here. I've gotten this message several times
recently while online (not off) and it's telling me, a Mac=A0 user, that I'm
infected with a PC virus. I'm not. But for the first time in my Internet
life, I responded. I wondered if it knew something I didn't know.
I think we're victims of questionable advertising techniques and that,
perhaps, shoul dbe explored. I'd hound AOL on this one.
------
I've never seen anything like what you describe with my AOL. If your virus
software is updated and you've run a scan, then for me, the next logical ste=
p
would be to download Ad Aware and run it to remove adware and spyware
programs. Some of those pesky programs invade silently and can do what you
describe.=A0 Hope it helps
------
It sounds to me like they have planted this thing on your machine.=A0 I'd tr=
y
two things:
1.=A0 Go to Start and then to Find and try to locate the thing that way (use
the terms in the message or something).
2.=A0 Do you have AdAware?=A0 It hunts out stuff like this and is freeware.=
=A0 I
have heard it is great, but I have not yet used it because you have to read
the instruction manual and ... I'm lazy!=A0 Their web site is
http://www.lavasoft.de/aaw.html
------
Dawn, this a new form of spam that uses the Internet messenger service. It's=
=20
a part of Win2k and up apparently and was designed to be used by network=20
adminstrators to send messages to users and may be used legitimately by othe=
r=20
folk. If you disable it, you won't know what you miss. Just click the x to=20
close.=A0 It's not limited to AOL. I got two of them last night through my=20
non-AOL email.=20
------
It sounds as if this message is attached to AOL 8.0, just as Instant
Messenger automatically installs with later versions of Netscape.=A0 If it
is truly not an AOL add-on, go to the web page, highlight and copy the
web address & send it to tech support, with a note including the text of
the pop-up window.=A0 OR, have you tried to "Print Screen?"=A0 Do that,
insert the image into a Word document, and send a screen shot to AOL.
-------
>#1. How can I get rid of this damn annoying thing?
Get rid of AOL.
>#2. How did this "Messenger Service" get on my machine in the first place?
Do you have cookies enabled? If so, it is _possible_ (maybe not probable)=20
that it came in as a type of cookie.
I'm on a couple of lists at home that will not even let an AOL account sign=20
up. The reason is that AOL often thinks lists (like LM_NET) are spam and=20
automatically block those posts.
------
I do not know the answer to your 2 main questions, but if you want to copy i=
t=20
to send it to AOL, you might try (if you are on a PC) pressing print screen=20
(ALT print screen for just the window instead of the whole screen) while you=
=20
have the window up that you want to copy. =A0This copies the screen to the=20
clipboard. =A0When you have an email open to AOL, you then go to Edit and=20
paste. =A0I am not sure if it will work to paste in an email. =A0If not, pas=
te it=20
in a Word document and send the document as an attachment to AOL. =A0What an=
=20
annoying thing to have happen! =A0I hope this is helpful.
------
To send a copy of the add to AOL, you may have to do a screen capture.=A0 Wh=
en=20
you see the add, press the following 3 keys simultaneously - alt key, left=20
shirt key, & print screen key.=A0 Next, open a new word processing document=20=
and=20
press edit and then paste.=A0 this should paste a picture of what is on your=
=20
screen.=A0 Also - have you tried pointing to the pop-up ad, right clicking a=
nd=20
then clicking properties?=A0 This may show you some information about the we=
b=20
address where this thing is coming from.=A0 The techs at AOL may be able to=20
figure something out from any information you can find that way.=A0 Perhaps=20=
it=20
might give you some clues as to where the messenger service is on your=20
computer - if it is actually on your computer.=A0=A0 Once you know where it=20=
is -=20
perhaps you can delete it.=A0 Make sure that your virus protection is update=
d=20
at least once a week to keep such things coming in stealthily via an=20
innocuous looking email.=A0 Also - you might want to consider getting a=20
firewall.=A0 Although you are not as vulnerable as a DSL connection, I belie=
ve=20
Trojan horses etc can get in while you are online.=A0 A firewall usually cos=
ts=20
about $20-$30 per year and is well worth the peace of mind.=A0 I use McAfee=20=
for=20
both firewall and virus protection and have always been very pleases with=20
them.
------
To 'copy' the screen with that window showing, just hit the print screen
key (usually on right side somewhere) You can get just the window with
Alt+print screen.=A0 Then open wordprocessing software and do paste.=A0 Save
and send to AOL as attachment.
I'd also (probably first) recommend running Ad-aware
(http://www.lavasoft.de/). It searches your harddrive for 'spyware' and
other software that monitors computer internet activity.=A0 Delete the
stuff it finds and there is a good chance that popup will disappear.
Watch to see if there is any commonality with popup and sites visited.
May be from that site.
There is also some anti-popup software available. You may want to look
into those choices.
DSL would have nothing to do with the problem. DSL delivers the same
internet, just faster (like cable).=20
------
Dawn Sardes
YA Librarian
Dmsardes@aol.com
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