Stop redirects to lp.macapps-optimize.club pop-up on Mac computers

What is lp.macapps-optimize[.]club?

lp.macapps-optimize[.]club is the address of a deceptive website that informs visitors that their computers are infected with viruses. Typically, websites of this type display fake virus messages to trick people into installing a dubious application that supposedly removes the 'detected viruses'.

At time of research, lp.macapps-optimize[.]club promoted a potentially unwanted application (PUA) called Smart Mac Booster. Websites such as lp.macapps-optimize[.]club and apps such as Smart Mac Booster cannot be trusted. Generally, people are redirected to these websites when PUAs are already installed on browsers or operating systems.

At first, lp.macapps-optimize[.]club displays a pop-up window notifying visitors that the MacOS might be infected with viruses, which must be removed immediately. The lp.macapps-optimize[.]club main web page states that the operating system is infected with three viruses including malware, phishing software, and spyware.

To prevent further system damage (loss of apps, photos, etc.), and keep personal and banking information safe, visitors are encouraged to scan their systems by clicking the "Scan Now" button. Generally, these websites run fake scanners that detect viruses and offer download and installation of another dubious app.

As mentioned, lp.macapps-optimize[.]club is used to promote Smart Mac Booster, however, it could also be used to promote other dubious apps. If allowed, it downloads maccleaner.pkg, an installation file that can be used to distribute other dubious apps. In any case, no apps advertised through deceptive, untrustworthy web pages can be trusted.

Browsers commonly force users to visit dubious websites when PUAs are installed on the browser or operating system. In most cases, PUAs display intrusive advertisements and/or gather information relating to users' browsing habits.

They display coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and other ads that, if clicked, redirect users to untrustworthy web pages or run scripts that download/install other unwanted apps. PUAs often collect user-system information including, for example, IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, URLs of visited pages, and other data of this kind.

PUAs can also record personal, sensitive details. Creators of these apps share the information with other parties who misuse it to generate revenue.

Threat Summary:

Name	lp.macapps-optimize.club pop-up
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	The website performs a fake scan and displays results of viruses/errors supposedly present on the system, which must be eliminated.
Promoted Unwanted Application	Smart Mac Booster
Serving IP Address	69.162.126.230
Detection Names	Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Lp.macapps-optimize[.]club is similar to many other websites of this type, some examples are apple.com-clean-mac[.]site, apple.com-scan-mac[.]xyz and apple.com-mac-optimizer.xyz. In most cases these websites trick people into installing dubious apps. In some cases these apps are not free.

PUAs that open deceptive websites (and perform other actions) are usually advertised as useful apps that supposedly provide various features or other value, however, most people download and install apps of this type unintentionally, that is why they are called potentially unwanted applications.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Typically, unwanted/unintentional downloads and installations happen when people click deceptive advertisements or when developers use a deceptive marketing method called "bundling". Developers often include PUAs in the setups of other software, however, not all people notice offers to download or install this additional software.

The offers are usually hidden in settings such as "Custom", "Advanced", and so on. People who leave the settings unchanged grant permission for PUAs to be downloaded/installed together with regular software.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Check all settings available in the download or installation setup. Check "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual", and other similar settings and deselect offers to download or install additional software. Avoid downloading software from untrustworthy, unofficial websites, using torrent clients, eMule and other Peer-to-Peer networks, and other sources of this type.

Download files and software from official web pages and through direct download links. Do not trust or click intrusive ads, especially if they are shown on dubious websites. These can cause redirects to potentially malicious sites or start unwanted download/installation processes.

To prevent unwanted redirects and intrusive ads, remove all suspicious, unwanted apps (extensions, plug-ins, add-ons) installed on the browser. Also remove programs of this type installed on the computer/operating system. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in the lp.macapps-optimize[.]club pop-up:

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED !

You Mac OS might be infected.

Press OK to begin the repair process.

Screenshot of the main lp.macapps-optimize[.]club page:

Text in this page:

Your OS High Sierra is infected with (3) viruses!
Your OS High Sierra is infected with (3) viruses. Our security check found traces of 2 malware and 1 phishing/spyware. System damage: 28.1% - Immediate removal required!
The immediate removal of the viruses is required to prevent further system damage, loss of Apps, Photos or other files. Traces of 1 phishing/spyware were found on your OS High Sierra with.
Personal and banking information are at risk.
To avoid more damage click on 'Scan Now' immediately. Our deep scan will provide help immediately!
4 minutes and seconds 34 remaining before damage is permanent.Scan Now

Appearance of lp.macapps-optimize[.]club scam (GIF):

Smart Mac Booster installer:

Smart Mac Booster app:

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is lp.macapps-optimize.club pop-up?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

▼ Show Discussion