SPYWEAR HELP

ANITA GALANTE 0 Reputation points
2026-09-15T02:32:57.81+00:00

Hi Everyone: I have Defender as my Virus Program and it seems to do a good job. However, my bank account was hacked recently and before I could log into a new account, I had to have my PC cleaned to make sure there were no hidden problems that Defender couldn't find. After they were done (which cost me over $160), they said everything looked good. However, I noticed there was spywear which I don't think was removed and I don't understand that. With everything I've been through with the hack, I don't think Defender is designed to get rid of spywear so I'd like to know if you can recommend a free spywear removal program.

Thanks, as always, for your help and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft 365 Defender | For home | Windows
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  1. _AW_ 69,241 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-15T03:00:39.8366667+00:00

    What particular spyware did you find that hasn't been removed?

    Try scanning with Malwarebytes and post any detection records, if any.

    https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download

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  2. Abinesh Magudeeswaran 90 Reputation points Student Ambassador
    2026-09-15T02:40:14.3333333+00:00

    Hi Anita,

    Sorry to hear about the issues with your bank account.

    Microsoft Defender Antivirus is designed to detect and remove many types of malware, including spyware. You can start with a Microsoft Defender Offline scan, which can help detect threats that may be difficult to remove while Windows is running.

    You can run it from:

    Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan)

    I would also recommend running a Full scan afterward and making sure Windows and Microsoft Defender are fully updated.

    Because your bank account was compromised, I’d also recommend changing your banking and email passwords from a known-clean device, enabling multifactor authentication where available, and contacting your bank about the unauthorized activity.

    If a security technician specifically identified a particular spyware infection, please provide the exact threat name they reported. That would help determine the appropriate removal steps.

    For security reasons, please don't post your passwords, banking details, or other sensitive information here.

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