FBI has locked my computer, must pay $200

OK, so I know this is fake, but it has the computer locked up pretty tight. Even in safe mode, the flash app is running and I can't use the machine. Attached are a few pics of the warning message. I know I need to run rkill and combofix, but not sure how to do that when I can't minimize the FBI screen, can't start task manager, etc. Thanks in advance..

Does this occur in the Safe Mode Administrator account as well? (note: I am referring to the account named 'Administrator')

If me, I would just power off the machine, pull the HD and install it into an enclosure attached to, or as a secondary drive (NOT boot drive) installed in another computer then scan that drive from there.

I was able to start safe mode with command prompt, run explorer, then browse to CD drive and run rkill, combofix, and unhide, and rebooted and the computer came up normal, so all is good!

Unfortunately these types of attacks will continue until the real FBI or the equivalent start treating this as serious interstate crime. Hijacking a truck would get you noticed pretty quickly. Hijacking thousands of computers is just regarded as an irritation.

Unfortunately these types of attacks will continue until the real FBI or the equivalent start treating this as serious interstate crime.

We cannot blame them for lack of trying. They know full well this is a serious issue. The real problem is lack of resources ($$$). Our lawmakers have passed the laws to protect us, but have failed to fund Law Enforcement to enforce the laws. Why? Politics!

It is the same with our education system. Everyone says we have to do more but no one (politicians or taxpayers) is willing to spend the money (raise or reallocate taxes from their own pet-projects).

So the FBI is, and MUST, concentrate their cybercrime fighting resources on the constant attack the free world is under from "state-sponsored" (funded by the governments of China, N. Korea, Iran, etc.) cyberterrorists - the "real-world" threats on our power-grids, commerce/economies, communications, defense, etc.

That leaves us consumers to pretty much fend for ourselves by ensuring our systems are fully updated and patched with all the latest security/critical updates, scanned with updated real-time anti-malware solutions, blocked behind an active firewall (and preferably a router with NAT) - and finally, to avoid risky behavior like illegal filesharing through torrents and P2P sites, or being "click-happy" with unsolicited links, popups, downloads, and attachments.

The problem is, there is absolutely ZERO, none, zilch incentive for Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, etc., or the big telecommunications carriers to stop spam and malware at the source - to block malware at the badguy's ISP, before it can be distributed in the first place.

If the "commercial anti-malware industry" (Norton, CA, TrendMicro, McAfee, AVG, etc.) rid the world of malware (as they indicated to Congress and the EU when MS wanted to include an AV in XP that it was their job to do so, and not the monopolistic Microsoft) that would effectively put them out of business. So Norton, McAfee and the others thrive on the threat of us getting infected! I don't like that at all.

Note that Microsoft, constantly being blamed for the actions of the badguys, does have strong incentive to rid the world of malware - to have the MS bashers and ignorant IT media stop blaming them for the actions of others.

So Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is the only anti-malware solution whose maker truly does want to get rid of malware. Plus it is totally free for home users, AND small businesses with 10 computers or less. Something to think about.

And the big telecommunications carriers have no incentive to block spam (estimates state up to 90% of all email is spam!) or malware either. They would much prefer to sell you bigger pipes (more bandwidth) to better line their pockets.

We can also blame the United Nations for failing to force its "member states" to enforce the existing international laws and UN mandates within their own borders. Instead, there are government leaders in China, Russia, N. Korea, Nigeria, etc. who turn a blind eye, or more likely are padding their personal Swiss bank accounts.