What is Messenger virus?

Messenger virus is a name used to refer to a malicious scam targeted towards Facebook users. The cyber criminals behind this threat send messages with corrupted links from infected Facebook accounts. The misleading message usually has a flashy opening line and often includes emojis. The embedded link appears to lead to a YouTube video, however, in reality it reroutes you to a phishing site containing unsafe browser extensions and other unreliable content. If you agree to installing the software presented on the malign site, you unwittingly download malware onto your computer. If you think that your computer has been infected, there is no question that you need to delete Messenger virus related malware as soon as possible. Messenger virus

How does Messenger virus spread?

Messenger virus has been around since 2013. It has several variants: one of them includes a message containing a profile picture, the name of the addressee, and a link, another includes a link with a message stating “You are in this video?” or “This is your video?”. There are also messages that contain a photo in SVG format, bit.ly links with a video title that includes the user’s name, and more. Regardless of the actual message, the virus always spreads through infected Facebook accounts as once you infect your system with malware, the same bogus messages are sent to all your Facebook friends. So if you get a fake message from one of your friends, it means that their account has been hacked.

Different variants of this threat carry different malicious files and programs. In 2016, Messenger virus distributed a Trojan called Eko that was used to steal users’ personal information. In 2017, it distributed harmful ransomware named Locky.

Depending on the Messenger virus variant that you are dealing with, the malign link may reroute you to a different site. One possibility is that you get rerouted to a page that looks identical to Facebook, where you are asked to enter your login and password. If you do so, you share your login information with hackers, who then take over your account and start sending out fake messages to your friends.

Needless to say, if you have fallen for this scam, you have to immediately change your password. If you cannot do so, you should report a hacked account to Facebook Support Center. Moreover, if you use the same password on your other social networking accounts, it would be a good idea to change passwords on those sites as well.

Another variant of the infection presents you with a link to a video. Once you click on the link, you get rerouted to domain where the video is supposed to be. However, if you wish to watch it, you are required to download additional software or update the existing one. This is how they trick you into downloading malware.

What is Messenger virus related malware?

As we have stated above, depending on the version of the threat, you may get infected with different malware and ransomware. Numerous malicious programs spread online, however, most of them have a similar effect on your computer. The main goal of malware is to make money, which is why it is used by hackers to collect your personal information. Moreover, as the parasite continuously runs in the background, it negatively affects your system. Your computer will no longer function without a glitch: you will experience slow downs, freezes, and other unwelcome symptoms including unauthorized settings modifications.

Malicious programs tend to be very good at staying hidden in the system. They perform malign actions often without the user’s knowledge. Ransomware, on the other hand, does not attempt to hide itself at all. It announces its presence soon after the infection. The threat encrypts all your data files and thus prevents you from accessing them. It then presents you with a ransom note, which explains exactly what happened and suggests a course of action. The suggestion is usually to buy a decryption key from the crooks, which can supposedly decode your data. Unfortunately, more often than not dealing with hackers does not lead to any positive results. We urge you not to waste your money on them, and, instead, to eliminate Messenger virus related threats automatically.

How to remove Messenger virus?

Before we move on to explaining Messenger virus removal options, we should mention how you can avoid falling for similar scams again. In order to keep your accounts and your system safe, you should always be careful with the content that you interact with. Even if the message comes from one of your friends, you should not trust it automatically, especially if it looks suspicious and contains links or attachments. You can always just ask your friend if he has sent anything to you recently before you click on the link or download the file, just to make sure that his account has not been hacked and that the sent link or attachment is safe.

You should, however, keep in mind that if you ask your friend about the message via Facebook chat, you may get a reply from the hackers. Of course, if you know the person, it should not be difficult to figure out whether it is actually him replying. Moreover, nowadays there are plenty of other means of contacting someone, so finding out whether you are dealing with a scam or not should not be that problematic.

If, however, you have already fallen for the trick, there is only one thing you can do and that is to remove Messenger virus related consequences as soon as possible. You can do that by scanning your computer with a reputable anti-malware utility and cleaning all found infections. You are welcome to use the malware remover from our website to eliminate Messenger virus and other possible threats from your system. Moreover, having a reliable anti-malware utility installed on your device will help you keep it protected from similar risks in the future.

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More information about SpyWarrior and Uninstall Instructions. Please review SpyWarrior EULA and Privacy Policy. SpyWarrior scanner is free. If it detects a malware, purchase its full version to remove it.

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