Hi, Webroot Community,

 

 

I'm a longtime Webroot user. I'm also a devoted mom and was a loyal wife. I'm not really a computer person -- or, I didn't think I was... before. I'm a teacher by training, and also a writer. I'm a rule-follower, a quiet person, and utterly ethical. I'm not a computer geek by nature, but am becoming one by necessity.

 

My ex-husband is wealthy, powerful, and a computer geek by training. He is ALWAYS on the computer. He works on it, cheats on it, and lives on it being generally dastardly in various ways. He's well-connected, and protected. He was horrible to us, and it's all on public record. The three kids and I finally got freed of him (after six years fleeing in court and via social service agencies), but now he's stalking us again -- online. He appears to be accessing us, still, through our computers.

 

The local Sheriff called last year to warn us we were victims of postal theft and probably identity theft. My bank account about 8-9 months later proved this to be true. I don't know if it was connected to him.

 

My computer says there's no problem of any sort, and so does Webroot. BUT, I see that my es is following me under Webroot's radar somehow. 

 

How do I know? My gut, and...

 

In the last month, my email (Yahoo -- yeah, I know... ) started locating out of my ex's obscure little hometown, with weather posts and singles ads for his no-one-else-would-care hometown info. I'm not the singles-ad type. My ads used to promote parenting, sports, politics -- normal stuff -- and from MY own location.

 

When I change my passwords, Yahoo and Google address ME as the unauthorized user.

 

If it's useful to know, I also noticed sometime last fall that I was having problems with Window Update Assistant (like a virus), and then my emails and phone texts began to duplicate incoming and outgoing calls and messages, but only sporadically, at about the same time. 

 

Then, last week, I started to receive texts in my car's Uconnect through a really old phone dialer app on my crappy old cell phone. (I know it sounds like a first-world problem to have Uconnect stalking, but y'all, I won the car -- yes, seriously, grand prize in a national contest -- right after losing our family home to foreclosure because of this man and one of his women... and my own father, who's connected to him instead of me, also -- and to Scientology.) 

 

It's a good reminder to all of us that the pendulum does swing wide.

 

All crazy, I know. I'm writing a book. Be that as it may, though, please don't be distracted by the details. I need real help from the real experts in here.

 

I am running from savvy people in this situation, and trying to get smarter than they are, in a hurry. These people put us all in grave danger in recent years already. They are not the sort of people who anyone should have stalking them. 

 

I don't expect them to be in here on Webroot Community, though -- unless they are using a keylogger.

 

It is important to me that you know that no one ever knows how to help us because of their reach -- and neither of them are themselves very bright! It's absurd. They are just so well-connected, and my ex has some aptitude in computer systems. I am certain I can outsmart them at their own game eventually if I apply myself for our kids' sake. I only need to do so long enough to raise the youngest child to safety and independence. Then, I can go and DO in my ow life, independently, in the real world as I see fit -- we each can as we all see fit. The older two children are already grown and safe and utterly free now, both happy and, miraculously, very healthy. The youngest is still vulnerable for several reasons I won't go into here, but mostly they're health-related issues.

 

As long as my ex or his accomplices can follow us online, though, we are all vulnerable -- and in real danger. It's his last grip on us, and I expect that's why he's doing it: because he can, better than I can currently protect us in here. He's unstable (diagnosed Cluster 😎, unpredictable, and absolutely controlling. 

 

Can you help me? Can you teach me what I need to know about security of this sort? I might have a keylogger on my system. I have been scanning my startups and my actives. I've been deactivating stuff, (found an Adobe Invoker? and some other stuff), and warning others. I've cleaned up my computer substantially, but when I shut down something called osrss.exe tonight, I almost crashed my computer (blackout screen until I forced a shutdown); then, I figured out that it's OK when it's in my 32/ file path.... sigh... Rookie mistake, no doubt. I'm bumping around in the dark here, feeling pretty alone so far. This community site, though, seems very friendly, positive-minded, smart, and helpful -- all things I want and need around me while I become savvy about this stuff.

 

My intention is to learn as much as I can about cybersecurity and see if maybe all this happened to me and to our little family for some yet unrealized, greater good, ultimately. 

 

I'm teaching myself coding now and lately feel like the virtual version of Jennifer Lopez's character in "Enough". Y'know? One of these days, with your help, I might just be able to chase these guys right back up their evil, virtual pipeline and take them down. ... or, just live my life in peace. Either would be swell.

 

Thanks for reading, and for helping, if you can, and if you're willing.

 

- T.