Gardai Issue Warning About “Police Trojan” Computer Virus

You might want to take extra care when it comes to protecting your computer over the coming days because a sneaky new virus has just arrived in Ireland.

The Irish Independent reports that an online scam, which as conned thousands of users across Europe, has landed on the Irish internet scene, and members of the Gardaí are warning web users to be extra vigilant.

The scam, which is known as the Police Trojan, tricks computer users into forking out a €100 “fine” in order to “unlock” their computer.

Basically the virus redirects a user to a fake page that is complete with a Garda logo. The page states that the user has been redirected because their computer has been used to view banned websites which contained explicit material and child pornography. The virus then prompts the user to part ways with €100 to get their computer “unlocked.”

The virus then downloads a graphic onto your screen and locks it, making your computer completely useless. Annoying, right?

Speaking last night, the Gardaí stated that they would never contact the public in this way. They stressed that computer users should not share their bank details or pay out any money if they encounter this virus.