Urgent Update 5-11-09: If you accepted this file and did not open it you are still comprimised. Confirmed hijack of skype account that accepted, did not open and deleted. DO NOT ACCEPT FILES FROM ANYONE
***New Names added below***
WARNING I received a file send 4867jpg.scr from Steve Hennessee, there is no history in his chat, my skype history, and I can’t seem to locate a chat room with him in it either to check. Please be careful if you receive this, it IS NOT showing in his chat history or my history log and he is not replying to anyone. It is not Steve but a hacker.
This happened to a number of people months ago and is apparently still occurring. These files will come from persons you know and on your contact list. They may or may not respond. Several that lost their accounts to the hackers thought they were in conversation with their friend they do that sort of thing with all the time, send pictures between them.
The difference with this is, it DOES NOT come in normal. There’s no record in the person who sent it’s chat history or your history on your main skype page. It is unclear how these files are being sent through skype.
If you receive files sent to you like this DO NOT ACCEPT and block the sender. If not they will repeatedly attempt to send the file.
Should anyone accept this file it gives them access to your skype account which they take over. They then in turn send the same file to your list of contacts and have also gained access to persons paypal accounts.
None of the victims of this have been able to get their skype accounts back and/or their money returned.
This is a very serious threat please use extreme caution. Do not save, download or open this file. Many of them did not even open the file it was simply self executable.
If you accepted this file you could lose access to your skype account, they change the password and infiltrate your account spreading the virus and getting money from paypal.
If you accepted it DELETE it and run a virus checker. This somehow gives them your access so you may not even be able to log into your account. If you think you possibly got infected change your password before they do. Log out of skype and warn all your friends you’ve possibly been hacked.
Just from the warnings I sent today to some friends the names list is growing. Please be aware of the following skype accounts:
Steve Hennessee, Eloise Lord, Ron Hird, Carla Carey, Clint Burgess
Latest added names: drbarton54, kanndogirl
May 24th 9pm file send attempt from Mark Clutterbuck
I will try to post any new names reported to me as hacked or deemed suspicious during this latest hacker attack.
To block hacked or suspicious accounts click “menu” on their name in your list and then “block this user.”
May 10, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Good aticle thank you
May 11, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I wish skype would do more to make it safer.
May 11, 2009 at 8:36 pm
[...] Thanks to New Skype Hack Attempts – Do not accept file sends [...]
May 11, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I have a post on my blog about this and also a chat room to help you find out how to get your old account back. As well as info on how to inform PayPal about it and even get them to give you the money back that is spent for Skype purchased (skype out etc).
I suspect if you report this to PayPal… they will get on Skype’s “back” about it… as they are owned by the same entity.
Check out this post I wrote on my blog to find out how to watch the video, how to get in the Skype Support Room for this… and how to read all the comments of those who have experienced this them selves… and “survived to Skype about it”! http://incomeassurance.com/blog/help-with-skype-virus-and-skype-v40
Julie Wolf
May 12, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Did that Skype Virus post a comment here?
From the look it’s the same virus or maybe a next generation one because it seems to be more aggressive.
Thanks for letting us all know!
August 26, 2009 at 4:18 am
I accepted the .scr file unfortunately.Now i cannot able to logged in to my skype Id. is there anyway i can retrive my skype ID back? Anyway can help me in this?
August 26, 2009 at 5:05 am
Report it to skype if you have not already. So far everyone I know has had to get a new skype ID and I have not seen the old ID’s come back. They (the hackers) immediately change your password. Get a new skype ID and warn your friends of this too so they do not accept files from your hacked account. Be sure to contact paypal too as they have used skype to access paypal through the api. Skype had been very slow about helping folks with this hopefully they have speeded up the process and are offering more help and support and allowing people to recover their accounts.