Monterey, CA A New Type Of Elder Abuse : Computer Viruses That Demand Ransom

The New York Times recently ran the disturbing Op Ed pieced called, “How My Mom Got Hacked” about a woman who inadvertently downloaded a virus called CryptoWall 2.0 which locked up all of her files and demanded $500 to recover them.  If she refused to pay within a week, the price would go up to $1,000 and if she waited yet another week the files would be destroyed altogether.  Most viruses cause all kinds of mischief but this is the first time I had heard of one which came with a ransom note attached to it.  The poor woman had several I.T. professionals try and unlock the files, but apparently this particular virus is very strong.  According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint venture between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center, this so-called ransomware is becoming more common.  One Sherriff’s Office, for instance, recently had to pay ransom to CryptoWall in order to unlock autopsy reports, witness statements, crime scene descriptions and other important documents.  Seniors are particularly vulnerable to this kind of abuse and theft.  Make sure that if your loved ones are using a computer, iPad or other device that is connected to the Internet, they back up their files frequently.  That way, if they get a virus, they can wipe the hard drive clean and start over without being subject to a ransom demand.