Strange Message About Tv?

[AmeriThai]

I ran into something that I’m not sure about. First of all, I use Avant Browser on Windows XP. I have AVG virus checker, Kerio Firewall, and a popup blocker on all the time. I have a couple of programs to check and eliminate spyware. I keep all utilities updated on a regular basis. Finally, I use snail slow dialup for Internet access.

Since both the phone and Internet access use the same line, I close the Internet to allow for making or receiving phone calls. When I want to go online again, I double click one of a couple of desktop icons to dialup. In this case I was offline at the time.

I double clicked the icon that dials my ISP and takes me to my regular homepage once I’m connected. What happened was my browser showed up as usual and the popup. Nothing unusual. However, before I could use the dialup, something different popped up on the monitor. It was a message that I first thought may have been from ThaiVisa, but on closer inspection appeared to be from a TV user with the message being about ThaiVisa. Keep in mind that I had not yet clicked to go online, but only started the process by bringing up the browser.

Looking back, I should have tried to make a screen grab of the message, but seeing this thing appear was so startling that my reaction was to shut down quickly. I ran through all the checks to see if I’d been hit by a Trojan horse, worm, virus, spyware or whatever, but came up with nothing.

I can’t quote the exact contents of the message, but I can give you a general idea about it. The header was something to the effect of a warning or an important message. The contents started out telling me that I had reached a page without first logging on to ThaiVisa. It was not the typical “Page Not Found” message, and the color scheme was completely different. It looked more like a web page.

After that, there was what appeared to be a humorous “DON’T List”, such as “When you come in, don’t knock the glasses off the table and break them,” etc.

It seems like there was something else that followed the list, but I can’t remember what it was. The message concluded with a username. I won’t say what the member’s username is because for all I know the username may have been hijacked. But I did check the member list and found the name of a newbie who only had 7 posts, 4 of which were on the Chiang Mai forum.

In a nutshell, what looks like happened was that my computer had been hijacked to show the message when I tried to log on to the Internet. It was a onetime thing and I haven’t seen it since. After thoroughly scanning my computer, I found nothing unusual. Nothing in the registry or anywhere else that I can tell. My guess it that somehow this message was hidden until trying to log on, then popped up and promptly deleted itself.

I have nothing of any great interest on my computer, apart from email addresses. And for all I know, whatever this thing was could have been a diversion while at the same time scanning for email addresses. So how did it get my address. Here’s all I know:

- It did not mention my username, meaning it wasn’t anything personal sent to me

- It showed up on my computer while I was still offline BEFORE I had actually logged on to the Internet.

- It specifically and prominently mentioned ThaiVisa, although it didn’t say or appear to be anything from ThaiVisa

- It concluded with the username of a new member of ThaiVisa forums

It looks like it was some kind of prank, but not one that I appreciate, since it appeared to be invasive. I’m wondering if the email addresses from the TV member’s list had somehow been grabbed?

I don’t think it was necessarily from the user that was named in the message. And I don’t think it was a “warning” message that came from TV. I have not contacted the user to see if he knows anything about it. But if he did, I seriously doubt anyone admitting to it. I don’t mind admitting that I’m greatly ticked off about it. It was pretty startling and completely unexpected.

Anyway, I’m posting here first to see if any other TV members have experienced anything similar to what I’ve described. Has ThaiVisa had any unusual activity like this recently? Any thoughts, comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Send your post to Huski. He's our guru in this area. Good luck.

[AmeriThai]

Send your post to Huski. He's our guru in this area. Good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I appreciate it. I went on in my rant about email addresses, but it wasn't sent as an email. Sorry about the confusion there. What I suspect is that located my ISP and got in that way. I'm kind of laughing about it now, but, WOW! it was a real shocker at the time.

I've delayed contacting the member whose name was on the popup because, as I said, the username may well have been hijacked for all I know. I'll wait to see what you guys come up with before I make an inquiry to the user. Again, I don't have any reason to suspect the member, but it's possible he may be aware of something goofy happening to him. I have no idea if anyone else has experienced this sort of thing.

Thanks dr Pat!

- AneriThai

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Not a problem old friend. Good luck with it. If it persists Huski will handle it with due confidence.