Been hacked what do i do

[Vape]

Ive been jacked by someone. Paid someone to clean up the computer and was working out ok. Then someone posed as him and cleaned up my computer and next thing you know youll be standing tjere and the web cam comes on. So all our identities have probably been compromised. Made a police report and filed a complaint with the fbi notified all credit bureaus and put identity alerts on them but i want my computer and we also have a samsung tablet and our phones we run on wi fi plus a tv. I have no clue what to do next. Im told a hard reset and tirn in all equipment to internet provider and get new ip address because obviously theyve got the ip address.

[mdklassen]

> I've been jacked by someone.

Read: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700813.aspx

Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do?

Jesper M. Johansson, Ph.D., CISSP, MCSE, MCP+I, [former] Security Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation

> Paid someone to clean up the computer and was working out ok.

Did you allow that person to remotely take control of your computer, or did you take your computer to a computer-store for "cleaning" ?

If the former, that person may have left active that "remote-administration" program, to allow the person to remotely connect at any time.

> Then someone posed as him and cleaned up my computer

There is a strong possibility that it was the same person -- first, gain your confidence, and then abuse that trust.

> and next thing you know you'll be standing there and the web cam comes on.

Disconnect the Ethernet cable, to prevent remote access to your computer.

Buy an external disk-drive, and backup all your personal files, music, pictures, videos, and bookmarks to it.

Do an "inventory" of the installed programs, e.g., Adobe Reader, MS Office, et cetera, so that you can (later) re-install them.

If you have any "licensed" software, such as MS Office, that requires a "product-key" to activate, find that "key".

> So all our identities have probably been compromised.

> Made a police report and filed a complaint with the FBI, notified all credit bureaus, and put identity alerts on them

Good.  Have you talked to your Bank (or Credit Union) who issued your credit-card(s) ?  Best to cancel them, and get replacements.

> but i want my computer

Your computer may have a hidden "System Recovery" partition, that makes it possible to reset your copy of Windows back to "day one", when you first "unboxed" it.   Turn the computer on, and look for a message about "System Recovery", and what key to press to launch that "reset".

> and we also have a Samsung tablet and our phones we run on WiFi plus a TV.

All these devices are very likely to NOT be compromised.

> I have no clue what to do next.

As Johansson recommends, it's time to "flatten-and-rebuild", after doing your "backup" and "inventory".

> I'm told a hard reset and turn in all equipment to internet provider

> and get new IP-address because obviously they've got the IP-address. 

Having your IP-address is useless to the hacker, if the software that accepts the "connection" from the hacker has been removed from your computer.  So, you don't need to exchange your ISP's hardware -- just leaving that equipment "powered-down" for a few days should cause the ISP to issue a different IP-address to you. [The "lease" on your current IP-address will expire, and your ISP will assign a new IP-address.] 

Of course, powering-down the ISP's "router" will block WiFi access for your tablet, and the "smart-TV" functionality.

Bottom line: "flatten-and-rebuild":

1. launch that "System Recovery" application to reinstall Windows

2. run Windows Update, repeatedly, until fully updated

3. If Windows 7, install anti-virus software

4. Reload from your backup -- the newly-installed anti-virus software will scan all the files, during the copy

5. Reinstall the "free" applications (Adobe Reader)

6. Reinstall the "commercial" applications (MS Office)

Choose a good password for your Windows login ID.

[Vape]

Unfortunately i am not computer literate and have no idea what your talking about. Im so sorry. Im trying my best to do what i should vut i know nothing about cleaning files which ones to remove or any of that. I dont even want to do a hard reset because i have no clue as what to do. Im trying to protect myself as much as possible with what i know to work with. Im pretty sure theyve hacked our tablet too. It was doing weird things. Im tempted to just have the internet removed so i dont get into any trouble with someone having my identity. The person that cleaned the computer did it remotely. And ive got rhe battery out of the notebook now and its powered down

[Vape]

Im computer illiterate. I dont know anything about backing up and all of that. Much less how to install the free and commercial applications. Im sorry. Thats why i needed help in the first place. Im such an idiot! I cant believe this is happening. Even our phones are acting up. There are 3 of us in this household that have info on these devices. My father is 75 and were both disabled. My roommate knows nothing of computers and itll cost an arm and a leg to get it going. And if i turn down the internet am i going to have to reset everything? New name and password?

[mdklassen]

> Unfortunately i am not computer literate and have no idea what your [sic] talking about.

OK.  Since you (obviously) do not have the computer skills to follow the steps I listed, it is time for you to follow the recommendations of that [former] Microsoft employee, namely to reinstall Windows from a "trusted" source (either a set of DVD disks, or the "System Recovery" area on your disk-drive).

Print the instructions that I wrote, and pay a qualified computer technician to "flatten" (completely delete the compromised installation of Windows) and to "rebuild" (reinstall Windows, and use Windows Update to apply all the latest security-fixes), after making a backup of all your personal files.

> i know nothing about cleaning files, which ones to remove or any of that.

Read that article by that Microsoft person -- his opinion is that YOU CANNOT REMOVE FILES to "recover" your currently-installed copy of Windows.

> I don't even want to do a hard reset because i have no clue as what to do.

I have told you what steps need to be taken.

Either follow the steps yourself, or pay a qualified computer technician to follow the steps.

> I'm trying to protect myself as much as possible with what i know to work with.

You contacted the police.  You contacted the FBI.  I told you to contact your bank (credit union).

> I'm pretty sure they've hacked our tablet too. It was doing weird things.

It is doubtful that they were able to hack your tablet, because it has much better protection, e.g., an Apple tablet can only download "official" applications from Apple, and an Android tablet can only download "official" applications from Google Play.  There just is a very tiny "window" for "rogue" applications to infect a tablet.

But, until you define "weird things", I don't want to write anything more about it.

> I'm tempted to just have the internet removed so i don't get into any trouble with someone having my identity.

An "identity-thief" does not need to use the Internet to "hijack" your identity.

With enough of your "credentials", they can go to your bank, and change the mailing-address for your account, and get access to your bank-balance, and can get new cheques printed, or get new debit-card and/or credit-card.

> The person that cleaned the computer did it remotely.

> And ive got rhe battery out of the notebook now and its powered down 

There are many differences between a "tablet" (where the battery cannot be removed) and a "laptop" computer.

Which do you have?

Did they "hack" your desktop computer, or your "laptop" computer?

There's nothing more that can be said on this forum, giving your current level of "technical-skills" about computers, that will be useful to you. 

Instead, hire a qualified computer technician.  She/he/they can restore your copy of Windows to its state on that day that you "unboxed" it, after making a "backup" of all your personal files.

[mdklassen]

> I dont know anything about backing up and all of that.

Hire a computer technician.  Cost will be $50 to $60 per hour, for 2 or 3 hours of "labour".

> Much less how to install the free and commercial applications.

Hire a computer technician. 

> I can't believe this is happening.

Believe it.

> Even our phones are acting up.

Please define "acting up". 

Do you mean cell-phone(s) ?  They are "immune" to over 99% of hacking attempts.

Are you using land-line telephones, connected via the local telephone company, or connected via the same ISP that is giving you Internet access?   Either way, it is VERY DIFFICULT for an "average" hacker to compromise your telephones?

> There are 3 of us in this household that have info on these devices.

Hire a computer technician to make a "backup" of all 3 sets of files.

> it wil cost an arm and a leg to get it going.

If all you want is a "backup", then one hour of that technician's time will be enough.

Of course, once you have that backup, you'll need a "clean" computer to be able to "restore" those files.

> And if i turn down the internet am i going to have to reset everything? New name and password? 

Huh?  If you are cancelling your Internet and telephone services, you will not need any ID/password.

As to your current computer, pay a computer technician to "wipe" all the files off the disk-drive, before either "responsibly recycling" your computer, or selling it "as is" to somebody, so that the recipient cannot retrieve any of your personal information from the disk-drive.

[Vape]

Id like to do a hard reset myself. But dont know how to do it. Is there anywhere i can get step by step instructions on how to do it

[mdklassen]

> I would like to do a hard reset myself.

> But don't know how to do it.

> Is there anywhere i can get step by step instructions on how to do it 

After you have made a backup of all your personal files, bookmarks, and E-mail messages, follow the instructions that I previously gave:

Bottom line: "flatten-and-rebuild":

1. launch that "System Recovery" application to reinstall Windows

2. run Windows Update, repeatedly, until fully updated

3. If Windows 7, install anti-virus software

4. Reload from your backup -- the newly-installed anti-virus software will scan all the files, during the copy

5. Reinstall the "free" applications (Adobe Reader)

6. Reinstall the "commercial" applications (MS Office)

7. Choose a good password for your Windows login ID

The "System Recovery" is designed to lead you through the process of a "hard reset", as you call it.

[Vape]

I have an android tablet. And yes the computer will be going to the real technician sooner than later. I will gwt in touch with my credit union asap. Thank you for the information. I deeply appreciate the help.