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WEBSITE HIJACKING

By
Home Inspector with Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants

Hello everyone,

I've been away for a while and it's nice to say hello to all of my old AR buddies and hope to make some new ones.

I guess this is a good time to post this topic, I've posted it before, but the problem seemed to go away. It is now back... worse than ever.

If anyone has some advice as to what I can do to solve the problem, PLEASE HELP!!!

I am experiencing a very frustrating problem. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it happens MOST of the time.

Since everyone here is so much into improving their SEO rankings, I'm sure you will understand how I feel. Anger, Panic, Frustration!!!!


  Angry Huh  Embarrassed  Lips sealed  Cry 


Here goes.

I live in Staten Island, for those that do not know it, Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The areas that I have targeted are Staten Island, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Manhatten and Long Island.

If you search "EIFS inspections staten island," my EIFS website shows up in the #1 and #2 positions, I also show up #3 and #4 from ActiveRain. This problem happens at my direct listings (my website address) and/or at an ActiveRain listing.

When I click on one of the listings, and the occurance switches from listing to listing, many times I am brought to some other HI website, or to mine for an instant and then to the other. Sometimes it is to the same website, sometimes to a completely different website, sometimes to an HI search site or some other type of search site.

Sometimes I am able to "arrow back" to get to the search results page, most of the time I am locked into the "pirate" site and have  to do a completely new search to get away. Sometimes, if I try it a second time it works properly, sometimes a different listing gets hijacked.

Almost ALWAYS at least one or more of the listings gets hijacked.

By the way, the sites I am brought to is almost always in a different part of the country, so it's not like it will do anybody any good. But if someone is looking for an inspector, I'm sure they are not going to realize they have been kiddnapped or try to get to me again.

I contacted one of the site owners, he was very nice and insisted he did nothing to create this situation. He gave me the name of his provider.

All of the work and time that I (we) invest in trying to better our SEO and sites should not be in vain.

IT JUST ISN"T RIGHT AND THERE HAS GOT TO BE A WAY OF PROTECTING OUR WORK.

Steve

I have two websites, the one that I have noticed the problem with is my EIFS website. I wonder if when my HI website (it is a new site) rises in ranking if the same problem will occur?

Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Steve, you're going to have to reboot into safe mode by hitting f8 right before the windows screen with the knight rider bar at the bottom.  A menu will appear, hit safe mode which takes you in to a limited version of windows that most spyware can't run on. Then run all the spyware, antivirus programs you have.

Jul 20, 2008 01:04 PM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

Dom,

You lost me right after f8

Jul 20, 2008 01:20 PM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Just try it :) Right down the instructions on a piece of paper and reboot your machine. It's not something I can do remotely or I'd help you out.

Jul 20, 2008 02:36 PM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Steven - Hope you get your virus calmed down. Doesn't sound like fun. You may have to take it to someone for a check-up.

Jul 20, 2008 03:16 PM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

I came up with a brainstorm and contacted Dell. They straightened out some problems and the computer has stopped freezing up... that is the good news.

As far as the hijacking problem, I hooked up with Norton (every time I think Norton I think Jackie Gleason), They worked on it for three hours last night and could not get it fixed. It has now been passed on to their research department. They promised to get back to me within 48 hours with some answers.

Today when I got home and turned on my computer I was disappointed to find out that my flat screen monitor died. Good thing I had an old monitor lying around. Boy, does it take up a ton of space on my desk!

Jul 24, 2008 05:24 PM
Bob Elliott
Elliott Home Inspection - Chicago, IL
Chicago Property Inspection

Steve ,I hope you are backing up data with an external hard drive.

There are a lot of good deals on computers right now and if you wish I will send you a list.

Jul 25, 2008 04:08 AM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Our neighbor went through that with Dell a couple months ago, finally ended up buying a new computer. I thought he was going to have a heart attack he was so stressed from talking on the phone with someone he couldn't understand, pushing buttons he didn't know he had and we will take it up with research and call you back. When they did call him back he had to start all over doing the same thing.

Go buy you a new computer. Transfer all your old info. to your new computer and go on down the road. Just buy you a Plain Jane box, I suggest Vista Premium (no basic) and get them to help you transfer your info. I'm looking at buying, lilke Bob said , and external hard drive (try Buy.com or Tigerdirect.com) good prices and they will ship it to you.

These computers are good for a couple years then they go crazy and along with evrything else that tries to crawl inside, virus, spooks and unwanted spam.

 

Jul 26, 2008 10:28 AM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

There's definitely no reason to buy a new computer, the problem is with an infection with is software based. At worst you reformat your hard drive and reinstall windows. Steve do you have the original install disks that came with the computer? If none came with it call Dell and asks forthe disks, they are required to give them to you by law (though they might charge a few bucks for shipping).

 

Dominic

Jul 26, 2008 10:40 AM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy Steven

Glad you are starten to get things worked out.

Bob is right there are a lot of very good deals going on out on computers.

Baker Home Inspection and Consulting

Jul 28, 2008 03:06 PM
Anonymous
John Bubber

Good luck with that. Getting rid of viruses stinks! I had to pay a few hundred dollars to get mine removed from Best Buy, won't be going there again!

Jul 29, 2008 09:33 AM
#24
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

So, at this point, I went to Norton, they charged me $100.00, took control of my computer, spent 3 hours and said there were no viruses. But it still was hijacking my browser, the tech said he would have to refer it to the research dept and they would contact me within 48 hours. Eight days later and I have not heard from them. I contacted them again and they once again said that someone from the "Elite Team" would get back to me soon.

I believe I am simply going to get an external drive, copy my important data, erase my hard drive and reprogram the computer.

Jul 31, 2008 02:49 PM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Sounds good Steve. Did you find the XP CD's? Newegg.com has great deals on drives (where I buy most of my stuff).

Aug 02, 2008 07:12 PM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

Hi Dom,

Actually, I just ran over to the local Circuit City and bought one. It's hooked up and I started backing up my stuff.

Gee, I hope this works!

 

Aug 02, 2008 07:21 PM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

It'll work fine. Make sure to get everything in your my documents folder, and your program files folder. If you need help just let me know and I'll help you remotely. What are you doing up at 3am!!

Aug 02, 2008 07:26 PM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

3am your time or mine?

Aug 03, 2008 12:08 AM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Yours, unless ActiveRain was delayed in emailing me. I got the notification at 1am.

Aug 03, 2008 06:57 AM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy there Steven

Wanted to be sure to visit you to say, Merry Christmas to you!

Baker Home Energy Audit/Commercial Properties Inspections Blog Signature

Dec 23, 2009 08:51 AM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst

Hey there Dale!!!

How have you been? Thank you very much for the kind thoughts.

I wish you and the rest of all of my good friends at AR a Happy and Healty Holiday Season.

Warmly,

Steve Turetsky

Dec 23, 2009 09:12 AM
Dominic Maricic
Home Inspector Pro - Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Merry Christmas guys :)

Dec 23, 2009 07:53 PM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy and Morning Steve

That sure is a mighty fine looken new photo of ya! I was hoppen you would sign in before Christmas. But was not sure if you would. Its sure mighty good to see ya!

I've been doing fine, been keeping busy here in the ActiveRain community, helping other folks, and blogging. AR ask me to be, and made me one of their community Ambassadors. That keeps me mighty busy here in the community. Our good friend Carl has been down sick in bed, he's doing a bit better now. Hope to see more of ya around the community.

Baker Home Energy Audit/Commerial Properties Inspections Blog Signature

Dec 23, 2009 08:03 PM