My wife's computer has some sort of adware or malware.

Hello RichArms50
 
Welcome to the Webroot Community,
 
 

 
THIS IS A SCAM!!  Neither Microsoft nor any other company sends emails, pop ups, or phone calls of any kind advising that you may have a problem.
 
If you clicked on any links, allowed them to remote into your computer, or went to any websites please submit a Trouble Ticket ASAP.  (Now would be a good idea....)
 
If you would like more information, read on (After submitting that Trouble Ticket.....)
 
NEWS ARTICLE: Tech Support Scams are on the rise.
 
 
Microsoft never issues this type of warning or email or anything of a sort!  Please see the following link for Microsofts official word on this:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx
 
"Neither Microsoft nor our partners make unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls) to charge you for computer security or software fixes.
 
Cybercriminals often use publicly available phone directories so they might know your name and other personal information when they call you. They might even guess what operating system you're using.
 
Once they've gained your trust, they might ask for your user name and password or ask you to go to a website to install software that will let them access your computer to fix it. Once you do this, your computer and your personal information is vulnerable."
 
Also see Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/msname.aspx 
 
 
For more information here iwhat the United States Federal Trade Commission has to say on the subject::
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-support-scams
 
"In a recent twist, scam artists are using the phone to try to break into your computer. They call, claiming to be computer techs associated with well-known companies like Microsoft. They say that they’ve detected viruses or other malware on your computer to trick you into giving them remote access or paying for software you don’t need.
 
These scammers take advantage of your reasonable concerns about viruses and other threats. They know that computer users have heard time and again that it’s important to install security software. But the purpose behind their elaborate scheme isn’t to protect your computer; it’s to make money."
 
This scam is common and has been around for quite a while.  Here is a good Webroot Blog article from April 2013 by Threat Researcher Roy Tobin.
http://www.webroot.com/blog/2013/04/30/fake-microsoft-security-scam/
 
Also add a good free Ad Blocker like the ones suggested below:
 
For Internet Explorer Ad Block Plus: https://adblockplus.org/
 
For Firefox uBlock: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/?src=ss or Privacy Badger: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/privacy-badger-firefox/

 
Google Chrome uBlock: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en or Privacy Badger: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/privacy-badger/pkehgijcmpdhfbdbbnkijodmdjhbjlgp
 
Thanks,
 
 
 
 

Hi RichArms50
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
This is a SCAM most likely perpetrated by a non-malware program we commonly refer to as a PUA or Potentially Unwanted Application.
 
The main thing here is to NOT call the number provided, and if you have then to make sure that you agree to nothing offered and certainly do not let anyone access your system.
 
PUAs are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-ups, redirect your browser home page, and other behaviour that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information. Often they are installed intentionally by you the user as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools. But they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system entirely.
 
The key to avoiding them is to make sure that when downloading apps one does so from the author's own website or one that they have recommended, and not 3rd party downloading site.
 
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behaviour that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see THIS LINK for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
 
To make sure that your WSA is checking for PUA's with the best proficiently, it sometimes helps to reset the PUA detection within WSA's settings. For PUA's that had previously been scanned and determined to be OK, but have since been added to detection/removal, you may want to complete the following steps:
 

• Open Webroot SecureAnywhere
• Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ from the top right
• Select ‘Scan Settings’ from the left side
• Unselect the option “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
• Click on the Save button (you may have to enter in a CAPTCHA)
• Reselect the option to “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
• Click on the Save button
• Run another scan with Webroot and remove any items that get detected.

 
If that does not helps and you feel or consider yourself technically proficient then you can try these steps to remove it from your system.
 
And if that does not work or you do not feel technically capable then the best thing to do is to Open a Support Ticket & ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you.  There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
 
Hope that helps?
 
Regards, Baldrick