Community Manager

[Tranquil Waters]

I just got another, similar pop-up to yesterdays. I tried to copy it but it would not let me. So I hand copied it. At the bottom was a tag that said, "Epic Play Advertisement" And there was a series of numbers/letters at the bottom as well: SSW345-GPR56HEUD57KKS44066558PPLM

 

The message itself went as follows:

_______________________________

 

Cruisecritic.com Visitor Message Detail Subject Suspicious

 

Subject: Suspicious Activity detected at Cruisecritic.com

Received: October 25, 2011

From: Fraud Department

 

Suspicious Activity detected at Cruisecritic.com on October 25, 2011

 

We think you might have been affected by a security breach and by the suspicious activity detected at Cruisecritic.com today, October 25, 2011. Pleas review your credit report immediately and report any activity that you did not authorize. Early detection is the best way to handle identity theft so you should review your account right away.

 

For your convenience, your credit report has been made available at no charge until 11:59 pm October 25, 2011. Please be aware that although your credit score is free, a credit card will be required to validate your identity.

__________

 

This one did not say Cruise Critic's database had been compromised but otherwise the content is very much the same as yesterday's pop-up. With the date changed to Oct 25 of course. And there was an icon to click on that said "Click Here to access your Credit Report".

[Langley Cruisers]

She asked you to e-mail this to her, yes?

[Tranquil Waters]

She asked you to e-mail this to her, yes?

 

Thank you for your correction. However, I felt it was information that perhaps other CC members might want to know about as well.

[reallyitsmema]

Have you noticed if you get this when you go into a particular thread? I have had an issue in the past with code that someone had in their signature that cruise critic was able to go in and delete and the pop up I got went away. Just wondering if it comes up at a particular time.

[Tranquil Waters]

Have you noticed if you get this when you go into a particular thread? I have had an issue in the past with code that someone had in their signature that cruise critic was able to go in and delete and the pop up I got went away. Just wondering if it comes up at a particular time.

 

I am not sure. I don't think I so but I would not swear to it.

[reallyitsmema]

I am not sure. I don't think I so but I would not swear to it.

Figured it was worth asking. I have been on both times you have posted about the issue and haven't had the popup. Wasn't sure if you were visiting unsavory threads that I skip.;):D

 

On a different note, welcome back. I am very sorry for your loss. I am happy that you are now ready to come back and post. I always enjoy your posts.:)

[Tranquil Waters]

Figured it was worth asking. I have been on both times you have posted about the issue and haven't had the popup. Wasn't sure if you were visiting unsavory threads that I skip.;)

 

On a different note, welcome back. I am very sorry for your loss. I am happy that you are now ready to come back and post. I always enjoy your posts.:)

 

Cruise Critic has unsavory threads?!? :eek::p:D

 

And thank you for the kind words. It is funny how one gets to know screen names over the years and you start to feel like you know the people. There are threads that I will open whenever I see certain screen names because I know I like reading what they have to say and how they express themselves. It is nice have something familiar when life is changing around you. :)

[BecciBoo]

In closing these suspicious popups, you should never just X out, but go to your Windows Task Manager: (CTRL/ALT/Delete) then to Applications, right click on the offending file-then to GO TO PROCESS-then to END PROCESS. Just Xing out may leave offending code on your brower. My hubby is an I.T. business consultant.

[Dinkachu]

In closing these suspicious popups, you should never just X out, but go to your Windows Task Manager: (CTRL/ALT/Delete) then to Applications, right click on the offending file-then to GO TO PROCESS-then to END PROCESS. Just Xing out may leave offending code on your brower. My hubby is an I.T. business consultant.

 

Thanks for this information. I have just been xing out any popups I am unsure about! Dinkachu (lindy)

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi,

 

Just read that you are recently bereaved. Am sending you my sincere condolences.

 

If the pop up happens again could you try a 'Print Screen', save the image in Paint as a Jpg and post it here? That could be a way of showing us what you can see.

[Jimnbigd]

I'm not sure how any identity theft could happen solely because of information on Cruise Critic. No where do I reveal my social security number or even my street address.

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm not sure how any identity theft could happen solely because of information on Cruise Critic. No where do I reveal my social security number or even my street address.

 

Having done a Google search with the information the OP has given this is malware and has nothing whatsoever directly to do with Cruise Critic. It's a phishing scam to get Credit Card details. OP needs to run appropriate software to remove this.

[JBoshears]

I know where you are getting these, because I'm getting the same thing. I clicked a link on Facebook (stupid, I know), and it took me to EpicPlay. It is supposedly a place to play games, and it may be, but it also is a scam. Ever since then I have been getting pop ups at the sites I'm visiting, Cruise Critic being one of them. I got the very same pop up as you. I, like you, just X out of them, and have never had any problems. I keep meaning to remove EpicPlay from my downloads, but have not yet. I'm hoping it will get rid of those annoying pop ups. I have no idea if you got it from Facebook or not, but that's where I picked mine up.

[Daghis]

Another possibility is that your computer is already compromised and it's interacting with your browsing session.

 

Note that the messages say "Cruisecritic.com" and never say "Cruise Critic" in a more human readable form. That makes me believe that it's simply automatically generated to go with wherever you might be surfing. If you were to go to a different web forum, it might tell you that that site is compromised as well.

 

It may be worth having your computer scanned against current anti-virus and anti-malware software to see whether anything untoward has slipped into your system.

 

A Google search found a (now deleted) question at Yahoo! suggesting that the "Epic-Play Advertisement" was as a result of having downloaded some "epic play" software that included this malware component.

[Tranquil Waters]

Another possibility is that your computer is already compromised and it's interacting with your browsing session.

 

Note that the messages say "Cruisecritic.com" and never say "Cruise Critic" in a more human readable form. That makes me believe that it's simply automatically generated to go with wherever you might be surfing. If you were to go to a different web forum, it might tell you that that site is compromised as well.

 

It may be worth having your computer scanned against current anti-virus and anti-malware software to see whether anything untoward has slipped into your system.

 

A Google search found a (now deleted) question at Yahoo! suggesting that the "Epic-Play Advertisement" was as a result of having downloaded some "epic play" software that included this malware component.

 

I want to thank everyone for their input. This makes sense. I did recently download some acrobat reader software as I was having trouble getting a pdf file to load and I needed it sooner rather than later so I couldn't wait for DD or SIL work on it for me (being my go-to family engineers).

 

One "free" thing that I downloaded did not work but I eventually got a reader that worked. I wonder if the non-working download was what did me in?? :confused::o Will have to have help clearing things out I guess.......

 

Again, thanks to everyone! :)

[reallyitsmema]

Malwarebytes is an easy download and has a free version that I use that has found things on my computer in the past. You might want to start with that one and then call in the heavy hitters if you can't kill it off yourself.;):p

[MS52]

I'm not sure how any identity theft could happen solely because of information on Cruise Critic. No where do I reveal my social security number or even my street address.

 

They are not going to get anything from cruise critic. They requested a valid credit card number to confirm your identity when you request your credit report. They'll probably ask for more information to "confirm" your identity. That's where they'll get you.

[xpcdoojk]

TW

 

I don't think it is something that CC is doing, as I have never seen this pop-up. That said, I agree with others that you have some nasty malware on your computer, and you need to run some system clean software, Norton, Mcafee and others are readily available.

 

Good to see you online wherever you are.

 

your buddy

 

jc

[Tranquil Waters]

TW

 

I don't think it is something that CC is doing, as I have never seen this pop-up. That said, I agree with others that you have some nasty malware on your computer, and you need to run some system clean software, Norton, Mcafee and others are readily available.

 

Good to see you online wherever you are.

 

your buddy

 

jc

 

No, I didn't think CC was the bad guy here (and I cannot always say that ;):p:D).

 

And I agree about the malware (although I have to admit that I never heard the term until the past couple of days :o). The pop-ups both came on Jim's computer which was the one that I uploaded the acrobat readers on. Have never had it on my netbook. I will have to get the family to clean Jim's computer up for me I am thinking.

 

Always good to see you as well.......