ushope777
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26 May 2011 - 11:49pm

Do Online Casinos cause Viruses/Adware/Spyware?

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Hi Friends~!

Only a few more weeks, and I will be on vacation. I hope to have a LOT more time, then, to come here and play with everyone. lol

I have a question, because my poor computer has more adware than spyware than I have ever had in my life~! I am thinking that the only new places that I really go are these wonderful online casinos.

I have a really nasty one right now that is reproducing itself and evading every anti-virus, anti-adware/spyware/malware program that I have tried.

At first, it would catch like "192 tracking cookies, and other junk," and it would get rid of them. Turn the computer back on and they are all back again! Just like magic right? Right. I am SO pissed at the people who get joy out of doing this to us!!! 😢 Anyway, it is now really messing with me. If I enter a topic in google (whether IE or Firefox, it does not matter) it will bring me, not to that site, but to a site filled with....guess what?.....you guessed it! ADS!!!! 😢

I am sooooo frustrated and now have to spend a ton of money to get this out of here, because this problem is much bigger than my limited knowledge. Oh, and I Have security that is suppoed to prevent this from happening in the first place, but it is obviously getting past it. It also likes to re-arrange my desktop icons. How ridiculous is that?

Has anyone had this happen? Any tips to get rid of it once and for all (without bringing it in, which I will do on the 31st)? And, finally, do you think the casinos can do this? I have to wonder.

Thanks!

auCL-Ed
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27 May 2011 - 12:46am
#1

Hi hope, sad to hear that. How annoying!

Do you have windows updates switched on? Most of these types of programs are able to exploit bugs in the system that need to be fixed whenever they are discovered. If you aren't updating windows regularly then there's a chance that you can get these problems just by surfing the internet. Every month or so they release an updated "malicious software removal tool" which can help avoid this stuff.

The 192 tracking cookies are not really something to be worried about. Most websites (including this one) put a cookie on your machine when you visit them as it helps us know who you are so you don't have to login every time you visit for example (we also store your country and currency preferences in a cookie). The "tracking cookies" that an anti-malware program detects are usually the ones that are put on your machine by advertisers who serve up the banner ads you see on a lot of websites. The cookies in themselves are harmless and should not cause your machine to slow down or malfunction.

The google search problem I would be worried about. It sounds like you have a program installed that overrides your searches and redirects you to pages full of ads instead. That sort of thing is usually done by things like toolbars that can be added to your internet explorer window. If you have ever installed a "free toolbar" or something similar then there's a good chance that is the culprit. Sometimes the toolbar can be installed at the same time that you install other software unbeknown to you. Watch out for programs like "free toolbars", "free screen-savers", "free cursors" etc.

You could also have a fake anti-malware program that is telling you that you have all these problems in an effort to get you to give your credit card info to supposedly fix things. If so, do not enter your card details!

The vast majority of casinos that I have ever installed have never installed anything nasty with them, and I have not seen anything bad come with a casino for several years now. I haven't installed every casino known to mankind though so it is possible! Let me know which casinos you have installed and I will let you know and even download them again and test them out for you.

Best thing to do is take the computer in to an expert and get it fixed. And after that be very careful about what you download and run, and make sure windows update is running regularly.

Always play it safe! Consult our list of rogue casinos and warnings before depositing at a new casino.
Post in our forums to earn CLchips which can be used to buy real prizes in our CLchips shop.

ushope777
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27 May 2011 - 2:05am
#2

Thanks for your reply. I have been VERY careful about using legitmate removal programs and researching first or asking my computer person. One thing that did happen is that my Windows Security Alerts WAS turned off by this problem, and it is absolutely impossible to turn on! I Have tried doing it manually, etc. I have to wait until payday to get this thing in, and then I really need him to get all this out of here and find something that will prevent this from happening in the future and be done with all these problems one and for all~! 😢

Thanks again!

auCL-Ed
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27 May 2011 - 3:08am
#3

Sounds very much like the malware is preventing windows update from working. Thats very nasty!

How proficient are you? There are sites where you can download an anti-virus kit and burn it to a CD. Then you reboot your computer and it loads from the CD instead of windows. Then the CD allows you to run an anti-virus / anti-malware program so that nothing running in windows can interfere with it. If you think you can handle that let me know.

Always play it safe! Consult our list of rogue casinos and warnings before depositing at a new casino.
Post in our forums to earn CLchips which can be used to buy real prizes in our CLchips shop.