Bloggers Beware…
Only a handful of people probably already know this. But I recently received a comment on Snafood — a seemingly legit and sincere comment at that. I’ve since deleted it, but I have the comment that came through my email here ::
Hello,
We bumped into your blog and we really liked it – great recipes YUM YUM.
We would like to add it to the Petitchef.com.
We would be delighted if you could add your blog to Petitchef so that our users can, as us,
enjoy your recipes.
Petitchef is a french based Cooking recipes Portal. Several hundred Blogs are already members
and benefit from their exposure on Petitchef.com.
To add your site to the Petitchef family you can use http://en.petitchef.com/?obj=front&action=site_ajout_form or just go to Petitchef.com and click on “Add your site”
Best regards,
Vincent
petitchef.com
After checking out their website, it sounded to be a great way to connect with more food/recipe bloggers. If nothing else, at least get some new ideas and inspiration for dinner! I signed up and moments later I received an email from the site contact saying that my blog was being reviewed and that if I “wish to participate in the TOP sites category of Petitchef, you need to add the following to every page of your site-blog.” – followed with a button code to place on my sidebar. I thought, I can do that. I have other badges for food blog portals and groups. No problemo, done and doner.
Immediately, and I mean immediately, after putting the button code on my sidebar I received a pop up advertisement. WTF? So I close it and mumble a choice word. Continue about my business… The pop up windows continue. No rhyme or reason to them, just randomly appear. So I close Firefox completely and ponder what’s going on. WITHOUT a browser open whatsoever I get a pop up. #)@!(#)! are you kidding me?! For shiggles, I go to check out the code I put on Snafood’s side bar… The code on my sidebar did NOT match the code in the email. And it actually had verbiage for a POP UP enabler. Son of a biscuit! So I deleted it immediately, thinking HA! you can’t fool me jerks. Take that.
Oh if only it were that simple… The pop ups continued even after the removal of the button. Even without a browser open. Even after I cleared my browser cookies. Even after I ran a session of Spybot Search and Destroy.
I’ve been dealing with this issue since Monday afternoon. I’ve had to use Mat’s computer during the day — and it’s a man’s computer. Bleh. I’ve been literally afraid to even turn mine on for a second to get a file over our network. I ran a full check with AVG on my computer — came up with over 50 trojans, malware files, viruses, even a worm. It seriously made me feel helpless and sick to my stomach. We did a full AVG check on his computer too just to be safe {which was fine}.
So of course there’s no email in the Blogger profile attached to the comment left by “Vincent”. I don’t know what else to do, but to get up on my little soap box and shoot of rage rockets at this website. I’ve sent the following email to the website. I doubt I’ll get a reply…if I do I’ll be continuing my story.
After receiving a comment on my food blog from Vincent, about your site — on an act of good faith I visited petitchef.com and liked what I saw at first. I liked it so much that I was willing to put a button on my blog so that I could promote your website.
However…
I am infuriated by your ill intent to inundate my computer system with malware. My system is literally bugged out as the result of putting your button code on my blog. I will be sharing my story with my blogging community, I will report you to the many search engines around the web and encourage my blogging community does the same. I have reported your site to
Thank you for solidifying my doubt with good faith efforts such as this one.
I'm sorry they got you boo. They can look so flipping legitimate!
I got a few asking me to link up because they find my blog blab blah blah blah and I promptly delete because I'm paranoid like that.
However I went to a link the other sent by someone from the blog community only for her to send out an email later that her email was hacked! Sigh.
I hope you get it fixed , cleaned up soon. I know it's more than a PITA
I'll link you so others can see this!
Oh wow Erin, I am so sorry. That's a absolutely horrible that someone would do that!
Wow! That would really p*$$ me off. Sorry they got you. They're getting smarter and smarter.
Oh I'm so sorry that happened to you! I hope you can get it fixed soon. That is just horrible. Thank you for warning us!
This is absolutely unbelievable! I am so, so sorry this happened to you, and ruined your computer. It was innocent looking enough. I also found this comment on my food blog, but only after you told me about this. Food bloggers need to especially watch out for this!
I encourage everyone to tweet this, post about it and spread the word! I am working on a blog post right now.
Please Please try this software (i am for real LOL)
I guarantee it will help you.
You can leave your AVG on your computer because its compatible with it.
http://download.cnet.com/IObit-Security-360/3000-8022_4-10967594.html?tag=mncol
and this one: (they are a set)
http://download.cnet.com/Advanced-SystemCare-Free/3000-2086_4-10407614.html?tag=mncol
they are both verified as spam free, and tested spyware free on CNET.com
Both free as well (options to upgrade of course)
Please give it a try. (Im a self-certified nerd LOL!)
If your AVG found that many Trojans, i bet that IOBit will find 50 more.
My email is Angela@MommyPR.com if you have ANYYY questions.
I am so sorry that happen to you but i def would love to help!!!
ugh, how annoying! i bet the whole time there was that little voice in the back of your brain trying to warn you, right? and then when all hell broke loose you were like "damn, I told me so!"
yeah, i am an erin too so I gotcha totally. I am glad you shared this with us. I will be tweeted and facebooking this and hope to hear updates!
I'm so sorry Erin! I hope you get it all worked out!
Sorry to hear about all of this. Hopefully you can get it all taken care of (then send that idiot the bill). Good luck and I am spreading the word.
Oh I am sorry that happened to you Erin but thanks so much for sharing with the rest of us so we can be aware!
That is so messed up! What is wrong with the minds of this sick world?!!! I can understand your frustrations. That would put me over the edge! I hope things get better
I'm sorry girl.
What is up with people?? Geesh!
Wow, I also put in the Petit Chef code in my blog but have seen no pop up windows. I wonder if it's because I have a mac? Now I'm worried that others see pop up windows when they come to my site.
How to sort through all these legit looking sites???
So frustrating. I'm off to tweet your post.
That sucks big huge donkey.. well you know…. How vicious! I hope you get this straightened out soon. And this is why my hubs is paranoid of me installing anything on my computer. Thanks for the warning, Erin.
I am going to retweet this post as well to hopefully get as many bloggers warned as possible.
For what it is worth…I have a couple programs on my computer that are great for removing stuff. Each is geared for removal of specific areas of infection but between the four maybe you could get all they planted in your computer.
1) Malwarebytes – I download at Softpedia
2) Ad-Aware (Anniversary Edition) – at Softpedia
3) I use Vipre AV and not sure if they have a free trial. If not AVG is rated great.
4) Mentioned in an earlier post…and that is Advances System Care. I use this daily just to keep my computer clean of misc. junk.
Also, you might want to check your C drive after you remove these to make sure there are no lingering files in the programs area.
These are all free or have a free version and are certified clean downloads. I have no conflicts from one against the other.
I hope your computer is up and running back to normal very soon.
*blah* Erin I'm sorry this happened to you. I posted about it on our blog also, to help get the word out about this.
I hope you can get your computer back to where it was.
*Hugs*
I got this scam in an email… I wasn't very interested in it though… so I didn't post it on my blog. Thank goodness I didn't! Sounds like this is a horrible scam! I'm so sorry about your computer… but thank you for getting the word out so hopefully it doesn't happen to your readers!!
OMG – so sorry that happened to you. I lost my computer around this time last year, so I feel your pain. Hang in there =)
spitfyr323 at hotmail dot com
How completely terrible! So sorry this has happened to you. Thank you for sharing this information. I have posted about this post on my blog so others can be aware also.
I'm so sorry that happened to you
I'd probably download Avast (virus checker) it's free much better than AVG, I'd also run your spyware and malware programs in safe mode on your computer it will catch way more. You might also want to download the free 30 day trial of tune up utilities as well as crap cleaner, these are all things I use on my computer to keep it running well 
Good luck and I'm sorry spammers SUCK! Specially when they screw you!
I have gotten their requests a few times in the past, added it once but finally removed it, just because. Never had any issues back then with them, they seemed legit.
Sorry this has happened to you, I hope it can be resolved. Boo on them!
It irks me that people have that evil side of them and just spend their time playing with people's hard work. Hope it all gets fixed up for you.
I guess there is no other way to say it, but that sucks! I found a few viruses last week and was upset, nothing compared to what you are going through. Thanks for spreading the word to help protect us other bloggers!
oh wow, thank you for sharing! That is just terrible of them to bug your site like that. I hope you get it figure out and that it doesn't happen to many other people!!
I am so sorry that this happened to you! I hope that your computer can be brought back to working condition. This sucks!
Tammy sent me over to read your post. Holy Cow, that stinks.
Thanks for warning all of us.
Good Luck fixing your computer.
Thanks for letting us know about this.. I am so sorry you have dealt with this crap… hope you comp gets up and working soon!
Cyber Bullies have nothing better to do? Thanks for the info, sorry for your situation. I have shared the info on my blog http://one2try.blogspot.com/2009/12/bloggers-beware-bad-blog-button.html
Man, that totally stinks. I am sorry you had to deal with that! YUCK! Thanks for the warning!
Woah. <— That's the only response I can think of that isn't obscene.
Word will be spread, and thank you for sharing your experience.
That is absolutely horrible! I am SO MAD for you! Viruses are so so scary. Make sure you back up all your important photos, docs, etc. ASAP in case you didn't catch all the yucky virusy crap. I'll keep your poor computer in my thoughts. Your blog is adorable, by the way. Will def be visiting again
Hugs,
♥ xtine
Shop / blog: http://www.stuffbyxtine.com
Ugh, that really stinks! I am really sorry this happened to you, things like this are so frustrating!
Thank you for posting this! I just got an almost identical sounding email today regarding a large network of gardening sites. These crawlers are disgusting.
Good luck. I hope all the issues are resolved.
I just think this sucks… It is so awful when people try and screw up other people's computers. I have blogged about your experience to hopefully get the word out to lots of other people, and maybe take these scumbags down!!
As Jeanna said – Malwarebytes – Anti-Malaware is fabulous – I used it to stop a bunch I had picked up form who knows where & it cleans everything! Then try CCleaner after that. Hope this helps!!
So sorry this happened to you! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your story. I got one of those today over at my blog and thought about it but then I started googling to see if anyone else had experience with them and came across your site. I'm off to reject their post.
Wow. I added that button but haven't had any problems. I also haven't clicked on it since adding it either. I'll take it off. Thanks for the warning.
Thanks for sharing. That sucks and I hope you can get the computer cleaned out. Boy these people are tricky.
Ugh! I am so sorry! It's a pain in the rear dealing with viruses!!! My suggestion… Get a Mac! Lol..
Seriously though. Also check out a program from McAfee called Stinger. Google just that and you should get the right site. When I was working Tech Support for the DoD, it was what we used…. And they were Windows users..
Hope your computer is salvageable too!! Good luck!
I'm really sorry that this happened to you. As bloggers, we all like to reciprocate links and such, 'cause we want more readers and we're nice like that, too!
One of my tipoffs:
If there are a bunch of misspellings and grammatical errors, that's a clue!.
I've only been blogging in earnest for the past month, and have received TWO different emails from companies like this asking me to pitch for them. Those emails went directly to my trash, as a legitimate company will take the time to proof before they send the email.
I was a practicing web designer for a number of years (can't tell by my blog yet, since I'm still using a premade template) and I've run into some doozies.
Again, I'm very sorry that this happened to you, and it's something that we ALL should be wary of .. the scammers and hackers evolve with time, and right now, blogs are hot .. so of course, they are jumping on THAT platform as well.