The good news is that we are talking about computers.  What happens when you're innocently surfing the internet and suddenly find yourself facing messages telling you that your computer is severely infected with spyware and viruses and for a small fee "their" anti-virus can take care of the problem for you?    Who are "they" anyway ?

Thank goodness "they" were there to catch these infections for you!  Well, not really.  It has become more common lately for malicious software developers to infect your computer with spyware and then to tell you they are there to make it all better.   After whipping out your credit card, the people on the other end either go on a spending spree wiping out your card, or they simply infect you with additional spyware and viruses.  Often elderly or those less knowledgeable about technology fall victim to these scams.

The trick is to be cautious while surfing the web and to think twice before clicking on anything.  When it comes to Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware software, if your computer didn't come with it or you didn't  have it installed, you probably don't want it - especially if it's coming from the web.  Make sure you keep your computer's protection up to date. 

If your computer does become infected, disconnect from the internet before attempting to remove the infection.  Run your anti-virus and anti-spyware scans to see if you can remove the infection.  Some of these infections are so well rooted they can only be removed in what is called "Safe Mode".  If you are somewhat tech savvy, you can get into safe mode by pressing F8 at the appropriate time while your computer is booting up.  If this seems a bit over your head, it is probably time to get professional help.

As always, Safe Surfing!