Warning: Malware Ad Being Sent via PM

[rongee]

I just got a Private Message in my Textpad Inbox with the subject line "Take measures immediately!!!" from a JoshuaaNave whose signature line claims to be a Textpad forum admin. In the message is a link to scan my computer for viruses, but the site is obviously intended to install a Trojan malware program that pops up false virus messages in an attempt to get you to buy their worthless product. Please be warned, and if there's a real admin who can scan all of the inboxes for this person's messages and delete them, that would be helpful.

[Tomas Eklund]

I just got the PM too. I immediately went here to post a warning but you beat me to it. I'm just hoping Textpad users are not stupid enough to actually download and install a Trojan like this. But as a precaution I agree with you - that it would be best if a real admin could delete the messages.

[mdfogg]

I hope someone can do something about this clown too. Thanks for being on the ball!

[dmz94]

I have the same message....Hopefully this can be stopped.

[karter257]

I also have received this message

[bbadmin]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for being so alert to this scam.

The offending user has been deleted, and his email and IP blocked. We've also deleted all of his PMs that have not yet been read.

As happens with all Internet forums, we occasionally get people abusing the facility. We try to maintain a balance between allowing easy access and making signing up a process that we manually vet. The abuse is infrequent enough for us to think that we've got the balance right, but we're willing to change our policy, if our members think it's necessary.

Just for the record, we will never perform online virus checks. It's not even possible to do that without installing software on your PC, but scammers will take advantage of any security bugs in your browser, so make sure you always keep it up to date.

Safe surfing!

Keith MacDonald
Helios Software Solutions