Ransomware, hijacks, scam recovery
Virus & malware removal
Pop-ups, redirects, ransomware or a scam remote-access session. We clean the machine out completely, then set up protection that holds — most reinfections happen because nothing was changed after the clean-up.
Cleaned properly
Every persistence point checked — scheduled tasks, browser policies, startup entries.
Accounts secured
If email or banking was exposed we help you lock it down and check for forwarding rules.
You learn the tell
We show you exactly what the scam looked like so the next one gets ignored.
Areas we cover
What we clean up
Almost everything we remove now arrived because somebody was persuaded to allow it, rather than because a computer was silently broken into. That changes what a proper clean-up involves.
- Remote-access scams — someone on the phone claiming to be from your telco, bank or Microsoft
- Ransomware, where files are encrypted and a payment demanded
- Browser hijacks — changed search engines, redirects, pop-ups that will not stop
- Bundled junk from a download that included more than you asked for
- Fake "your computer is infected" warnings that are themselves the infection
- Malicious browser extensions installed for one useful feature
Why reinfections happen
Most repeat infections are not new attacks. They are the original one that was never fully removed, because the visible symptom was cleared and the mechanism that reinstates it was not.
A proper clean-up means checking every place something can arrange to come back: scheduled tasks, startup entries, browser policies, extensions, services, and new user accounts added during a remote session. Removing the pop-up is the easy part.
What we actually do
- Establish how it got in, because that determines what else to check
- Remove the malware and every persistence point, verified rather than assumed
- Check browser settings, saved passwords and stored payment details
- Look for new accounts, forwarding rules and scheduled tasks added during the incident
- Configure protection properly — one antivirus, updates on, ad blocking in the browser
- Show you what the scam or prompt actually looked like, so the next one gets ignored
If it is happening right now
Disconnect the internet at the router — pull the cable or switch the Wi-Fi off at the router itself. That ends a remote session immediately regardless of what is on screen. Do not shut the machine down if you can avoid it; leaving it helps us see what was done. Then ring us.
If card or bank details were given, ring your bank on the number printed on your card, never one the caller provided. If a password was given, change it from a different device, starting with email. There is a full walkthrough in our guide to the remote-access scam.
What it costs
Clean-up runs $80–180 depending on what we find, and ransomware work $120–180. The assessment is free, and it is the same job whether the incident was ten minutes ago or last month.
Virus & malware removal — common questions
My antivirus was up to date. How did I get infected?
Most infections now arrive because someone was persuaded to allow them — a phone call, a fake update prompt, a bundled download. The software involved is often legitimate, so antivirus has no reason to block it. No security product overrides an explicit user decision.
Can you get my files back after ransomware?
It depends entirely on whether a backup existed that the ransomware could not reach. We contain it, clean the machine and recover what can be recovered. We advise against paying — a significant share of people who pay never get working files back.
Do I need to buy antivirus after this?
Usually not. Windows Defender is genuinely sufficient for most households and does not slow the machine. What matters more is updates, an ad blocker, two-factor authentication on email, and a backup.
Should I just wipe the computer to be safe?
Usually unnecessary, and a wipe destroys the evidence of what was done — as well as your files if the backup is not sound. A proper check is quicker and tells you what actually happened.
Ready to get it sorted?
Call and you'll usually get a diagnosis on the phone. Or book online and we'll confirm within the hour.