Urgent Help Needed: My Laptop is Compromised, Seeking Solutions

Hello, fellow tech enthusiasts!

I find myself in a distressing situation with my laptop, and I’m reaching out for your expertise. For some time now, I’ve been experiencing bizarre occurrences that lead me to believe my device is compromised.

Here’s what’s been happening: I often see random messages being typed into my Google search bar, displaying insults and vague threats—not specific, but unsettling nonetheless. It’s evident that the individual responsible knows personal details about my family and our jobs, which is quite alarming.

Despite having robust security measures in place, including Avast antivirus, Malwarebytes, and Spybot Search and Destroy, my full system scans consistently return clean results. This issue has persisted intermittently for about a year; after reloading Windows multiple times, it seemed to cease for a few months but has now resurfaced with renewed intensity.

As if that’s not concerning enough, just before Christmas, I noticed unauthorized transactions from an online retailer on my bank statement, which I immediately reported. Thankfully, my bank refunded the charges, but I can’t shake the feeling that my laptop is the source of this breach.

Interestingly, I have two other Computers in my household that have not encountered any problems, making this situation feel even more isolated to my work laptop.

If anyone has suggestions on identifying how someone might be accessing my device or methods to securely reset it, I would greatly appreciate your insights. I’m considering purchasing a new SSD drive and performing a fresh installation of Windows to ensure full security.

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide!

Best regards,

Grebe