WARNING - Dialer Control

[-pops-]

On booting up this morning I was greeted by a "New Hardware Found" message and then the box telling me that an ethernet controller had been found and wanting the location of drivers - you know the sort of thing. Well, I hadn't installed any new ethernet controller or, indeed hadn't installed anything recently. I clicked Cancel and then the dial up connection box appeared (?what? I'm on broadband). Again I cancelled and then IE opened with an Action Cancelled page - it did this 53 times each one accompanied by a request from the Spybot registry checker about a registry change.

Then a message came up in German from "Dialer Control" telling me to (I think, my German is not good) to buy a copy of the program. I tried to cancel but it wasn't having it. I tried to cancel all the IE entries but as soon as I did that, they re-opened.

Somewhat concerned (!!) not least because everything was either moving at half speed or less or not responding at all, I tried a system restore - still the same. I then tried to find to find this dialer control "thing". After about half an hour, mostly waiting for the machine to respond, Dialer Control was located in Add/remove. I deleted it, rebooted and everything seems OK so far.

So, folks, look out for Dialer Control. I believe it is supposed to be a legitimate program. What happened with me, I'm not sure but, if you have Dialer Control or it appears on your machine (like it did on mine) or your machine starts behaving oddly, as above, watch out.

Recognise the program by a yellow chevron-like icon with a letter "C" in it.

[andsome]

Well posted pops, I am sure we will all be vigilant

[Scarecrow Man]

This sounds like a scam, or malware.

I've seen this before, a website will install a 'dialer' on your computer, so when you dial to your ISP, your not, your actually dialing to a company that will charge you like $50 an hour or something rediculous. Mostly I've seen these on pornography sites, offering to 'dial' to thier server to 'watch free pornography'. Seems like it might work for the average end user, but most in the know won't be fooled.

[-pops-]

Yes, but, there is no point installing a dialer on a broadband machine - it doesn't go anywhere - as illustrated by the 53 openings of IE with Action cancelled messages. All it did was mess things up for me.

Dialer Control, I understand, is a respected program for preventing dialers from acting out whatever they are supposed to do. I didn't install the program on my machine as I have no need for it. Whatever it was that did install had the appearance of being the legit program - the icon was identical as far as I could make out but I am certain it was this that caused the problem because of its persistence that I should buy it. A problem for me was that everything about it was in German, of which my knowledge is slight.

After I managed to delete the damnable thing in Add/remove, everything now appears alright.

Since sending the starter post of this thread, I have heard of another instance of it happening. This time it completely fuzzed up an Acronis backup run, as well as all the other disastrous happenings.

I point out that I never visit porn sites or anything underhand or illegal. I also have all the protection against "happenings" that is reasonable to have.