Credit Card Security issue

[basildon]

At home I'm running Windows 98 and IE5.

I've bought a number of items from companies that I presume have decent security (e.g. Amazon)

I have been informed recently, however, that there was a foreign program on my home PC that was monitoring my keystrokes (worryingly my card details??)

Does anyone know anymore about this program? Is it true that it exists or could exist on my PC, and how would I go about getting rid of such programs and not allowing them back

Thanks

 

[pmonett]

If such programs exist ? Unfortunately yes.
How can they get to you ? Via email, unscrupulous web pages, maybe even your Internet connection.
What to do about it ?
Install a firewall. Now. There is a number of free ones that have more than adequate quality (meaning they are damn good). Check out Tiny Personal Firewall, for example.
Check the startup list in Windows (with msconfig) and remove ALL entries you do not KNOW are indispensable). Restart and find out what broke. Reinstate that element in msconfig IF you want.
Use a washer to find the bugger and squash it. At Tucows or Download.com you will find ample entries to clean your PC.
How to prevent the reappearance of such things ?
Difficult, but mainly don't install something because a web site tells you to. Be wary of apps for free proposing to speed up your PC or your Internet connection. Never accept a download unless YOU asked for it, and always make sure it is the one you asked for. Check out the sites monitoring such issues, there must be some but I don't know any.
There is certainly much more to say, but I'll leave that to more qualified people.

Pascal

 

[pmonett]

Almost forgot : renew your credit card.

 

[jrbarnett]

Basildon,

I would run a good up to date virus checker and spyware checker over your machine in addition to pmonett's suggestions.

John

 

[Jontmke]

All good advice. But where did you hear this? In an email? some thiefs trick you into clicking on a link to a fake amazon site or other site to "confirm" your credit info. They are crooks! Never use this! If you feel the need to check your account status go the site yourself and update it manually. And make sure the address you go to is secure, it should be an https:// site not an

http://!!

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[Chris1234]

Basiljohn;

Jontmke almost hit the nail on the head. I don't know how Amazon would know if you had a "foreign" program running, whatever "foreign" might mean. Contact Amazon and they will probbaly tell you that the message did not come from them. If the message about the "foreign" program gave some instructions and you followed those instructions without contacting Amazon, you may have given out your credit card number.

Chris C.