What is spyware?

Spyware is software that gets covertly installed on your computer without your knowledge. Some very legitimate looking websites contain spyware, which they install on your computer without asking your permission. Spyware can also come from downloading and installing computer programs that say they do one thing when their real purpose is to install advertising on your computer.

What does spyware do?

Some spyware is relatively tame. Some spyware is downright malicious (malware). At its tamest, spyware can annoy. Giving you excessive pop-ups and advertising. At its worst, spyware can attempt to scam you out of money, or even steal your identity.

One common spyware attack is to generate official looking pop-ups that tell you that you're infected with a virus. They tell you that you should buy anti-virus software, and convienently point you to a website that sells products with such names as "Windows Antivirus 2009" or "XP Antivirus 2008". They take your credit card information and deliver you a product that usually doesn't even stop the pop-ups!

How can I get rid of spyware?

Spyware can be very tricky to get rid of. Sometimes a simple spyware scan will find the problem. Sometimes it won't. The people who make spyware don't want their malicious software to be detected, and they are always coming up with new ways to hide their software. Lake PC Repair uses specialized programs to detect and eliminate spyware. When we get your computer running like it should, we'll let you keep our software tools, and we'll teach you how to use them. That way you can keep your computer and your private information safe.