Phew, sorted.

There I was all ready to ping my accounts to the Taxman when I went to look up something on our solicitor's site and WHAM my computer was frozen by this ghastly thing -

 

 

Advanced Police Central E-Crime Unit Virus

Police Central E-Crime Unit virus belongs to ransomware whose first version was detected in May, 2006 by Websense, a filter software vendor, to ask for $200 to acquire the decipher code for encrypted files. The first version of ransomware is quite simple, there’s no national logo, flag, emblem, regulations or payment method as the case in Police Central E-Crime Unit virus attack.

  It's apparently called a UKASH or ransome virus and it completely freezes your computer and demands money to unfreeze it _ which of course it won't even if you were fool enough to pay.  After a few moments panic - the full text is pretty unpleasant - I looked up ways to remove it on my tablet.  If you are unfortunate enough to be struck DON'T fall for all the ads offering further software to do the job, some may be in cahoots with the virus sender.  Turn off your computer with the power button or at the wall.  When it comes back with a black screen, reboot in SAFE MODE.  When you get you desktop back don't panic if things are missing, click on the windows icon at the bottom left (where you go to turn your computer off) go to ALL PROGRAMS then click through ACCESSORIES, SYSTEM TOOLS, to SYSTEM RESTORE.  Restore your computer to an earlier date.  When you're up and running again, go to McAfee and download Stinger and MalwareBytes free from their site and use them to scan your computer and get rid of any thing left in your system. 

It's a truly horrid thing and I know many people who aren't computer savvy would be quite frightened by its threats and implications.  I hope my computer hasn't passed it on to anyone, and I'm at a loss to know where it came from as I'm very cautious about suspect emails and links. 

You'll be leased to know that the accounts obediently floated off into the ether to HMRC - won't heave a sigh of relief until they accept them but at least they've gone!

Hope you aren't having such a stressful time!