Is This Legit?

[jimscott]

I got a message from tis hitsonline site that I registered with last year, part of my love for music. In the last week a received a message that read:

From: Robert Taylor
To: jimscott
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:23 am
Subject: Hello

Hello. Email spam from your computer was detected. It is quite possible that your pc is a part of a botnet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet).

Highly recommend you scan your computer for malicious and potentially unwanted software. If you do not follow this, I will have to make a complaint to your Internet Service Provider with attached log file (your IP address, etc.).

If you want to find a report about your computer's security and solve every problem with it, please click here:

http:/www.totalpsscan.com/detected/jimscott

This is an online service that you can use for free spyware removal.

Sincerely, Robert Taylor

It's my kid's pc. I showed him the message. He says to just delete it. He has XP and they don't target older OS's like his. They target the newer ones like Vista. I don't appreciate threats like this and it doesn't ring legit, but I don't have the savvy to know for sure. Whaddya think?

 

[Not a Number]

Well since totalpsscan.com isn't a registered domain I'd say it is BS. Probably the real link is hidden as an href html tag in the message. The site it actually links to is either a phishing site or one that will infect your computer with malware, under the guise of scanning to remove spy/malware.

Theses fake scanners will infect your computer, tell you have spy/malware and try to sell you fake removal and blocking programs.

An given the number of security patches this week alone that Microsoft has put out for XP I'd say that XP is still a target.

However scanning your son's computer would not be a bad idea. Get some decent free scanners like Spybot and Malawarebytes. Google is your friend.

 

[scottychaos]

I would call it spam, and ignore it..
it looks like a classic spam message, hoping you trick you into downloading something malicious..

If there was really something wrong with your computer, doing your own anti-virus/malware/adware scan is the way to find it..if some anonymous person or site out on the internet tells you you need to do something, you should always delete and ignore that message..

Scot

 

[jimscott]

Thanks, will do / have done.