In this article you will find more information on a new scam attack called I greet you I have bad news for you as well as tips how to act in case that you are among its victims.
If you received I greet you I have bad news for you email message don’t worry you are not alone. The same message has been received by thousands of online users worldwide. According to this message your operating system and all sensitive details stored on it have been compromised by hackers who intend to share your secrets with your friends, colleagues and relatives. The good news is that it is most likely a scam used by cyber criminals who aim to scare you and blackmail you into transferring a ransom fee.
Threat Summary
| Name | "I greet you I have bad news for you" |
| Type | Email Scam Message |
| Short Description | Attempts to convince you that all your sensitive data along with the access to your device have been compromised by hackers. |
| Symptoms | You receive an email message that urges you to pay for hackers’ silence within 50 hours. |
| Distribution Method | Email Spam Messages, Suspicious Sites |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss "I greet you I have bad news for you". |
“I greet you I have bad news for you” Email Scam – What is All About?
Let’s start revealing why you see I greet you I have bad news for you email message in your inbox and explain how is recommendable to act.
In short this message is trying to scam you that unidentified cyber criminals have managed to gain access to your operating system and obtained confidential data of yours. As described in the message they have records of your account password, browsing history, email contact list, phone numbers, and personal files. On top of that they claim that after installing a malicious Trojan horse on your device they had activated your camera and recorded you watching adult content.
The last is in the heart of their scamming strategy. Their I greet you I have bad news for you message threatens you that your embarrassing records will be sent to all people in your contact list unless you follow their further instructions.
The purpose of this scam is to intimidate you and blackmail you into buying criminals’ silence. Their demands are pretty standard – $813 in Bitcoin within two days (50 hours) after receiving the email.
The whole email message reads the following:
Subject: Change your password immediately. Your account has been hacked.
I greet you!
I have bad news for you.
09/11/2018 – on this day I hacked your operating system and got full access to your account –
It is useless to change the password, my malware intercepts it every time.
How it was:
In the software of the router to which you were connected that day, there was a vulnerability.
I first hacked this router and placed my malicious code on it.
When you entered in the Internet, my trojan was installed on the operating system of your device.
After that, I made a full dump of your disk (I have all your address book, history of viewing sites, all files, phone numbers and addresses of all your contacts).
A month ago, I wanted to lock your device and ask for a small amount of money to unlock.
But I looked at the sites that you regularly visit, and came to the big delight of your favorite resources.
I’m talking about sites for adults.
I want to say – you are a big pervert. You have unbridled fantasy!
After that, an idea came to my mind.
I made a screenshot of the intimate website where you have fun (you know what it is about, right?).
After that, I took off your joys (using the camera of your device). It turned out beautifully, do not hesitate.I am strongly belive that you would not like to show these pictures to your relatives, friends or colleagues.
I think $813 is a very small amount for my silence.
Besides, I spent a lot of time on you!
I accept money only in Bitcoins.
My BTC wallet: 17vzpL7n29egdeJF1hvUE4tKV81MqsW4wF, 1LwibmKAKu4kt4SvRLYdUP3aW7vL3Y78zL, 1B1Vov1LTLGLcVG3ycPQhQLe81V67FZpMZ
You do not know how to replenish a Bitcoin wallet?
In any search engine write “how to send money to btc wallet”.
It’s easier than send money to a credit card!
For payment you have a little more than two days (exactly 50 hours).
Do not worry, the timer will start at the moment when you open this letter. Yes, yes .. it has already started!
After payment, my virus and dirty photos with you self-destruct automatically.
Narrative, if I do not receive the specified amount from you, then your device will be blocked, and all your contacts will receive a photos with your “joys”.
I want you to be prudent.
– Do not try to find and destroy my virus! (All your data is already uploaded to a remote server)
– Do not try to contact me (this is not feasible, I sent you an email from your account)
– Various security services will not help you; formatting a disk or destroying a device will not help either, since your data is already on a remote server.
P.S. I guarantee you that I will not disturb you again after payment, as you are not my single victim.
This is a hacker code of honor.
From now on, I advise you to use good antiviruses and update them regularly (several times a day)!
Don’t be mad at me, everyone has their own work.
Farewell.
As a matter of fact this is not the first [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/sextortion-scam-restore/”]Sextortion scam reported to harass online users. Recently our team detected yet another one that is quite the same as I greet you I have bad news for you email scam:
- [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/remove-programmer-cracked-email-scam/”]“I’m a programmer who cracked your email” Scam
Along with these email scam messages a lot of other online scams are on the lurk across the web. Among the most popular ones are [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/instagram-scam-guide-detect-evade/”]Instagram Scam, [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/1000-amazon-gift-card-scam-get-rid/”]$1000 Amazon Gift Card Scam, [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/remove-twitter-phishing-scam/”]Twitter Phishing Scam and [wplinkpreview url=”https://sensorstechforum.com/facebook-nike-shoes-scam-2018-shows-history-repeats/”]Facebook Nike Shoes Scam. As online scams are not expected to leave the malware scene soon, we advise you to have knowledge of their diverse variants and catch them before they take the chance to catch you.
Even hackers remind you that you should care more about the security of your device by following certain safety practices proved to work against malware attacks:
From now on, I advise you to use good antiviruses and update them regularly (several times a day)!
To sum up I greet you I have bad news for you presents no real threat to your system, data or email account. Most of the times it appears to be an email scam that provides hackers fresh and easy funds. So you should not reply to it neither should you pay criminals the demanded ransom fee.
However, since there is still chance of your device being compromised by malicious code even if it is a minor one, we advise you to change the passwords of your email and device account as soon as possible. In addition, don’t forget to scan your machine for any present viruses.
Remove “I greet you I have bad news for you” Scam
To remove the I greet you I have bad news for you scam you should simply delete the email message. However, to ensure that you are not truly breached you should see the step-by-step removal instructions provided below.
Gergana Ivanova
Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online security.
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- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for "I greet you I have bad news for you" with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall "I greet you I have bad news for you" and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by "I greet you I have bad news for you" on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by "I greet you I have bad news for you" there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for "I greet you I have bad news for you" (Windows).
Get rid of "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall "I greet you I have bad news for you" and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to "I greet you I have bad news for you". Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove "I greet you I have bad news for you" via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove "I greet you I have bad news for you" files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as "I greet you I have bad news for you", the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for "I greet you I have bad news for you" (Mac)
Remove "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the "I greet you I have bad news for you" will be removed.
Eliminate "I greet you I have bad news for you" from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
"I greet you I have bad news for you"-FAQ
What Is "I greet you I have bad news for you"?
The "I greet you I have bad news for you" threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of "I greet you I have bad news for you"?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like "I greet you I have bad news for you"?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does "I greet you I have bad news for you" Work?
Once installed, "I greet you I have bad news for you" can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
"I greet you I have bad news for you" can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is "I greet you I have bad news for you" Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the "I greet you I have bad news for you" Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this "I greet you I have bad news for you" how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on "I greet you I have bad news for you"?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the "I greet you I have bad news for you" threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.