Win32 Virus Removal

Pop-ups, warning you your computer has been infected. They seem real, but they could be an extortion virus.

"The problem is, when it comes up, it's too late," says Rob Rettew who says his laptop got the virus in December. He realized he had a virus when the pop-up told him his computer was infected and tried to get him to purchase an anti-software program.

"I thought, no I've got MacaFee, I don't need this. And then it hit me, oh gosh, something has gotten passed MacaFee," he said.

Kevin Hodges with USC Upstate's IT Department says some victims have been hit with repeated credit card charges all stemming from the virus.

"People often times pay for the service for the anti-virus software and it looks like it's gone, although it's not. It's on your machine, it's watching what you do. It logs your information, personal information, credit card information," said Hodges.

So how do you avoid the virus? The IT department says it may not be that easy. At last check there were more than 11,000 sites that have the code for the extortion virus.

But keeping your anti-virus programs up to date cuts down your risk of infection.

If you already have it, Hodges recommends you try this:

- Reboot your computer and press F8 for a few seconds as it starts up.

- Select "Safe Mode" when the menu appears.

- Then run your virus removal tools in that mode.

Rettew's problem was so bad, he took it to a computer repair shop.

"A lot of people have viruses they don't even know about and I apparently had a bunch," said Rettew.

If you are looking for a trustworthy anti-virus program at no cost, IT experts recommend you check out http://www.malwarebytes.org/. It has download options for you depending on whether your computer is infected already or not.