MacKeeper/clever bridge Inc./ZoomSupport by Cromlech Reports & Reviews

MacKeeper/clever bridge Inc./ZoomSupport by Cromlech Reports & Reviews (1)

Victim Location 60068
Total money lost $130.98
Type of a scam Tech Support

My Macintosh desktop computer was running slowly so it was suggested by a family member that I install "MacKeeper", a Macintosh Performance Optimizer and Protection program. I searched for the website online and upon opening it was given a Chat window with a "Certified Apple Technician" named Andrew at 800-903-7320 who would help me install the program. To pay for the program ($130.98 for 24 months of protection) I used PayPal. While PayPal was loading, I was told that after payment I would need to Activate the program. Did I want Andrews help via chat or via a phone call. I chose the call. I was given the number 800-934-8196 to call and was connected to Jimmy, "tech expert #4910", at ZoomSupport.com by Kromtec. Jimmy proceeded to go into simple diagnostic suggestions for my Mac and then asked if he could gain remote access to help me better. I hesitated and expressed my hesitation and Jimmy proceeded to assure me and showed me how to disconnect the access at any time. After going through a few diagnostic suggestions and remedies which would require further payments, all of which I declined, Jimmy started sounding ever so slightly desperate/frustrated or something and finally said 'Well you contacted me for my diagnostic help' in which I reminded him that I contacted him only for help to activate MacKeeper. He persisted in trying to sell me expensive diagnostic programs so I ended the call and the remote session. At that point, I could see my desktop screen again and the MacKeeper window was still open as was the chat window with Andrew. The chat window said that payment went through and that MacKeeper was activated. There were also step by step chat instructions for how to activate MacKeeper myself! I felt at bit uncomfortable and confused about the Jimmy experience and his ZoomDiagnostics, but ran MacKeeper and all seemed okay. I proceeded over the next couple days running MacKeeper as my computer was still running slowly. It eventually ran slower and slower and then crashed.

I brought it to an Apple Genius Bar and was told immediately that MacKeeper is a virus and that I just paid $130+ dollars for a virus! The technician said not to feel too badly, that it was a very common scam and virus and he could get rid of it. He asked how I paid for it. I used PayPal so he suggested I contact PayPal to alert them. I was at the Apple Genius Bar about a forty-five minutes. The tech removed MacKeeper and installed Malwarebytes and CCleaner and said to run them regularly. So for a couple days I did that, but my computer remained slow and weird things started happening. My screen would go completely blank, my applications would not load, I lost mouse controll, etc. At one point a compass-like icon popped up on top of my open windows and then kept duplicating itself whenever I tried to do anything, like close the windows and run Malwarebytes. I was eventually able to shut my computer down.

My husband had installed MacKeeper on his laptop previously with no known difficulties. But after I told him the Apple Genius guy said MacKeeper was a virus, he brought it to the Apple Store to have it removed. His Genius Bar tech removed it and then, because we are Comcast/Xfinity users, downloaded Norton Antivirus for free. The following day my husband helped me load Norton onto my desktop as well.

I ran a Quick Scan with Norton and nothing showed up. However, when I ran a Full Scan of my desktop, which took many hours, it scanned 852,000+ files, 15 of which were infected. Upon close look at these files, 13 of the 15 were from MacKeeper!! I then ran a Norton Full Scan on my husbands laptop, even though he had no complaints, and of the 160,000+ files scanned, nearly 700 were infected - all MacKeeper! A bit scarey.

MacKeeper seems an insidious virus. I do not know if we have successfully removed it from our computers entirely to date.

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MacKeeper/clever bridge Inc./ZoomSupport by Cromlech

MacKeeper/clever bridge Inc./ZoomSupport by Cromlech Reports & Reviews (1)

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