Moneygram Virus

Posted by Max Lehmann on May 8, 2013

What is Moneygram Virus?

Moneygram Virus is a malicious infection that blocks desktop access and then demands you to pay a ransom fee. According to Moneygram Virus, you have breached several national laws and thus your access to your desktop has been restricted. The infection claims that in order restore your desktop access, you need to pay 300 USD for the crimes you have committed. Naturally, all these claims are not real, and Moneygram Virus only wants your money. Therefore, instead of paying your money, you should unlock your desktop and remove Moneygram Virus.

Where does Moneygram Virus come from?

Moneygram Virus is yet another ransomware program from Ukash Virus group. It is distributed by Urausy Trojan, and thus it differs nothing from other localized versions of this application, including United Kingdom Police Virus, POLITIET Kongeriget Danmark Virus and even FBI MoneyPak Virus. Moneygram Virus utilizes MoneyPak and MoneyGram alternative payment systems to collect its ransom payments. Even if a user does not have a bank account or a credit card, alternative payment systems allow him/her to transfer the money. Therefore, Moneygram Virus can trick a great number of users in the United States without them even realizing it. Nevertheless, the notification that blocks your screen is fake and you should not panic when you see this instead of your desktop:

ATTENTION!
Your PC is blocked due to at least one of the reasons specified below.

You have been violating "Copyright and Related Rights Law" (Video, Music, Software) and illegally using or distributing copyright content, thus infringing Article 1, Section 2, Clause 8, also known as the Copyright of the Criminal Code of the United State of America.

Fines may only be paid within 72 hours after the infringement. As soon as 72 hours elapse, the possibility to pay the fine expires, and a criminal case is initiated against you automatically within the next 72 hours!

To unblock the computer you must pay the fine through MoneyPak or MoneyGram xpress Packet of $300.

How to remove Moneygram Virus?

Moneygram Virus makes an impression that if you do not pay the ransom fee, you will be prosecuted, and if you try removing the ransomware infection yourself, your hard disk will be formatted and you will lose your data. Nevertheless, the malware does not have the ability to delete your data, so you should not worry about it. Simply follow the instructions below to unlock your desktop and then invest in a legitimate antimalware program to remove Moneygram Virus from your PC automatically.

How to unlock your PC

Windows 8

Press Windows key and metro Start menu will appear.
Click Internet Explorer tile.
Enter http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/download-sph into address bar and press Enter.
Click Run on the download dialog box.
Install SpyHunter and run a full system scan.