Virus and malware removal in Perth
A warning fills the screen, the browser keeps opening strange pages, or someone you do not know has been on your computer. Do not pay anyone and do not call a number from the screen. The steps below take a few minutes. Then call Mark on the number on this page, and protecting your files comes before any clean-up.
Ask about this serviceHow Mark helps
Tell Mark what's happening
Call or send a message in your own words. You don't need the technical name.
Agree the plan and cost first
Mark asks a few questions, explains the options and quotes the job. Work starts once you approve the quote.
Fixed, checked and explained
Mark does the agreed work and checks with you before doing anything extra. Before he finishes, he goes over the result with you, so you know what was fixed.
A real infection or a scam pop-up?
Many alarming messages are not viruses at all. A full-screen warning with a phone number, a siren or a countdown is typically a scam web page pretending to be Windows or Apple. Microsoft says its error and warning messages never include a phone number. Closing the browser, or restarting the computer if the page will not close, is the first thing to try.
Signs that something is actually installed include programs you did not add, a browser home page or search engine that keeps changing back, pop-ups when no browser is open, security software that has been switched off, or friends getting messages you did not send. A computer that has suddenly slowed down can have many causes. Treat that alone as a reason to check, not as proof of infection.
What to do right now
Do not pay, and do not call a number shown in a pop-up or an unexpected message. If someone is connected to your computer, or you let a caller in, disconnect it from the internet: turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable. Then leave it alone until it has been checked.
Change your passwords from a different device you trust, starting with email and online banking, because email is how most other accounts get reset. If you gave out card or bank details, or someone watched you log in to your bank, call your bank now on the number from your card or its official app. Scamwatch lists the next steps, including reporting and free support from IDCARE.
Why cleaner and fixer ads make it worse
Search results and pop-ups are full of adverts for PC cleaners, driver updaters and virus removal tools. Some are unwanted software themselves. Others exist to sell a subscription by exaggerating what they find. Fake support numbers for Microsoft, Apple and banks also turn up in search results.
Windows already includes Microsoft Defender, and Macs have built-in malware protection. If you want a second opinion, ask before installing anything a pop-up or advert recommends.
What Mark checks, remotely or onsite
If the computer starts and nobody else still has access, a remote session can be a sensible start. If a scammer has been connected, a visit is usually the safer choice. Onsite help is on demand or by booking, and we will talk through which suits before anything is changed.
The check covers installed programs and remote-access tools, browser extensions and settings, items that start with the computer, security software and pending updates. Mark also looks at what a scammer may have seen or changed, such as passwords saved in the browser or new accounts on the computer. You get a plain explanation of what was found and what was removed.
Keeping your files safe
Before removing anything, Mark checks where your important files live and whether a separate copy exists. If there is no backup, copying the files you cannot replace comes first, and the copy is scanned before it goes near a clean computer.
If files have been renamed, locked or replaced with a ransom note, do not pay and do not delete anything. Disconnect the computer and any backup drives, then call. The ACSC explains how to report and recover from malware.
When a reinstall is the honest answer
Sometimes cleaning is not enough to trust the computer again. That includes ransomware, a remote-access tool that kept coming back, or a computer used for banking or business after someone else had control of it. In those cases a clean reinstall of Windows or macOS, once the files are safe, is often quicker and more certain than chasing every change.
Mark will tell you when he thinks a reinstall is the better option and why, and agree the work and cost with you before starting. Programs need reinstalling afterwards, so have your licences and account sign-ins ready.
What customers say
He knew what the problem was straight away and fixed it so that its running smoothly. He is a really nice bloke too.
awesome customer services, mark is a top bloke, he came to me and fixed my problem there and then...
Rated 4.6 on Google from 11 reviews. Read all reviews on Google
Arrange help and check the cost
Tell us your suburb, the equipment involved and what you need working. Onsite help is on demand or by booking. Check our service areas and discuss availability before making plans.
Every job is quoted individually. Tell us what needs fixing and we will discuss the options and cost before you go ahead. See how a job works.
Same-day and urgent call-outs available. Travel fees may apply for locations more than one hour from Perth CBD. Confirm the scope and total cost before work starts.