If you are locked out of an account, use the Google Account Recovery page.

A small window appeared with a progress bar. Initializing... Cracking... Success! it claimed. But as Leo waited for the promised activation key, his computer began to act strange. The cooling fans ramped up to a frantic whine. His mouse cursor flickered, moving on its own for a split second before snapping back. Then, the screens went black.

He clicked the link. His browser flashed a warning, a red screen screaming about "Deceptive Sites," but Leo brushed it off. He was desperate. He downloaded the .zip file, extracted the contents, and ignored his antivirus software as it began to quarantine the "Activation Tool."

Searching for "cracks," "activation keys," or "free downloads" for hacking tools is one of the most common ways to encounter malware. To protect yourself, always:

A single text file opened on his desktop: READ_ME_FOR_DECRYPT.txt .

Leo sat in the dark, the blue light of the ransom note reflecting in his eyes. He realized too late that in the world of "free" hacking tools, the user isn't the hacker—they're the target. Stay Safe Online