OnlineVirusRepair.com reports a drastic increase in virus and spyware activity for 2012, along with the popular fake antivirus scam.

Computers are an essential part of our lives. They provide us an endless amount of useful information, communication, and simplicity. When computers stop functioning properly, it can create a huge headache and greatly impact productivity. OnlineVirusRepair.com, an online virus removal company based in San Luis Obispo, CA has noticed a drastic increase in new viruses traveling around the internet. This comes as no surprise as more people turn to their computers for holiday shopping instead venturing out to local stores. Many computer users fail to have a computer checkup before engaging in online business or shopping.

One of the most popular virus infections of 2012 is a new type of virus, classified as ransomware. Many of these viruses use a scare tactic to fool unsuspecting users into sending them money in order to have access to their computer. Some infections even claim to be part of a government branch, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the United States Department of Justice. Dan Steiner, Co-Founder of OnlineVirusRepair.com states “We’ve had quite a few people calling us asking if the FBI has blocked access to their computer, or if they should send money online to the government. It’s important that people understand the government will never demand money online. The FBI Virus and the United States Department of Justice Virus have been a huge problem, and these types of viruses will continue to spread for some time until antivirus companies can catch up.”

Another common type of spyware infecting computers is known as the rogue fake antivirus family. This type of spyware looks like a legitimate antivirus program installed within a computer, and may even pop up with alerts about threats and scan results. Using names like Win 7 Antispyware Pro 2013, or Microsoft Antivirus 2013, it’s easy to see how an unsuspecting computer user may fall victim to this scam. The goal of this type of spyware is to trick you into purchasing a license to remove threats. However, the program is entirely fake and paying for a license is dangerous and will not remove the problem.

To help prevent these types of scams and viruses from spreading, OnlineVirusRepair.com offers a computer checkup and virus scan at no charge. Computer users are urged to take advantage of the service and ensure their computer is clean before shopping or inputting any sensitive personal information that may become compromised.

OnlineVirusRepair.com is an American based company specializing in online virus and malware removal for individual computer users and businesses. The company was founded in 2012 by Dan Steiner and Brent Sarkison with headquarters in San Luis Obispo, CA. Customers with infected machines can call or chat with OnlineVirusRepair.com technicians to have viruses, malware, and spyware removed remotely without the hassle of taking their computer “into the shop.” Technicians are able to remotely remove threats even without the client being at their computer; often in 30 minutes or less.