Phone Locked by Bailiffs – or Not

Ransom Virus is Back

A version of the Ransom Virus is back! In this post we aim to tell you a bit about the nature of this nasty computer virus and how it’s even affecting us here at Quality Bailiffs.

Although it is thought to have originated in about 2005, it is in December 2014 that CBS Money Watch reported instances of a new strain of ransomware.

This type of virus has hit the news the world over in 2014 and 2015. In 2015 and 2016 the BBC made several reports about ransomware including one that reported that the Australian government stated that 72% of businesses had experience of dealing with Ransomware incidents. In May 2015 it was the Telegraph who were highlighting cases in the UK.

The Scam

After you have been doing whatever you choose to do online, whether it’s shopping, downloading Youtube videos or something rather more private, a pop up appears on your device. The pop up will tell you that you have been accessing illegal websites and you must pay a fine of £200 to Quality Bailiffs and that your phone has been blocked.

It tells you that payment must be done by PaySafe card, a prepaid payment method that allows online payments without the use of a bank account or credit card.

This is a virus; it is not Quality Bailiffs and the virus did not come from us.

What You Should do if you get the Virus

1. Restore your data from your most recent backup. If you do not backup your device regularly then start now.
2. Check your antivirus software is current. If you do not have anti-virus then install it now.
3. Report the virus to Action Fraud.
4. If you are unsure how to remove the virus yourself, hire an IT specialist to remove the virus for you.
5. NEVER pay the money. It will be money wasted if you pay it.

It is not Quality Bailiffs

The scammers that send out this virus have hijacked our good name claiming that Quality Bailiffs has blocked your device from accessing the internet. It is nothing to do with Quality Bailiffs.

So they are not just attempting to make money from unsuspecting internet users, but it could also affect our reputation. It has to be said that we COULD NOT block your internet devices whatever ever your surfing habits are, legal or otherwise.

It is often said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. In this case it doesn’t ring true. At least we are not in poor company. A version of the scam has also used the name of the Metropolitan police to say they are issuing on the spot fines.

As with the police, we do not want to be associated with scammers and con artists because we work very hard to ensure that all of our Enforcement Agents work to the highest standards ensuring our established good name continues.

Professional Enforcement Agents

Quality Bailiffs has over twenty five years of experience in the enforcement business. Contact the professionals. Contact Quality Bailiffs.

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