Description
Getting pop-ups about having a virus and needing to purchase some anti-virus. The following symptoms may indicate that the system you’re using has been corrupted by spyware:
- An endless amount of pop up ads begin to plague your monitor when browsing the web.
- Your browser continues to redirect you to pages other than those to which you’ve navigated.
- New toolbars appear in your web browser (often installing themselves as a browser plug-in).
- New and/or unidentifiable icons appear in the task tray at the bottom of your screen.
- Your browser’s home page has changed without you having done so.
- When using the search bar in your browser, you are redirected to a different search engine.
- Certain keys fail to work in your browser (like the tab key will not advance within a form).
- Random error messages begin to appear when performing previously unaffected operations.
- Your computer seems very slow when opening programs or saving files.
Helpful Links
Resolution/Troubleshooting
- We recommend running a spyware/malware removal tool such as Malwarebytes.
Cause
Fake Virus alerts are usually generated by a Trojan -- a program that takes control of your computer -- after you open an email attachment, click on a pop-up advertisement or visit a particular website. Sometimes, the Trojan creates "false positive" readings, making you think viruses and spyware have infected your computer, even though nothing has. In other cases, scam software actually implant malicious code into your computer, especially if you request a "free virus scan".