Avoid downloads through websites such as lp.macsmart-cleanupc.club

What is lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club?

lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club is used to trick visitors into believing that their computers are infected with viruses. To remove them, they must supposedly download and install a potentially unwanted application (PUA) called Smart Mac Booster.

Do not install or use apps that are promoted through deceptive sites such as lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club. The best option is to simply ignore these web pages. If the browser opens them automatically, a PUA is probably installed.

At first, lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club shows a pop-up window encouraging visitors to take immediate action and begin the repair process. According to the main lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club web page, the operating system is infected with three viruses: two classified as malware, and one, phishing/spyware.

This web page states that the detected viruses put personal and banking information at risk. To prevent further damage such as loss of photos, apps and other files, visitors must click the "Scan Now" button. When clicked, lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club starts a fake scan that 'detects' malware.

To remove this, visitors are encouraged to download the Smart Mac Booster application from lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club - this downloads an installation file called "maccleaner.pkg", however, there are cases whereby this file is used to distribute other dubious apps.

In any case, software that is advertised on dubious, deceptive websites should never be trusted. Furthermore, users are often asked to pay for activation of this software.

Browsers are commonly forced to open deceptive websites (including lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club) by PUAs that are installed on them. These apps can also record details and display ads. They gather information such as IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, addresses of visited web pages, and other browsing-related data.

PUAs might also be designed to gather sensitive information. Developers share the data with other parties who misuse private details to generate revenue in various ways. In some cases, these third parties might include cyber criminals. In addition to information tracking, PUAs feed users with ads such as coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, etc.

When clicked, these redirect to dubious sites or download/install unwanted apps (the ads run scripts that are capable of these actions).

Threat Summary:

Name	lp.macsmart-cleanupc.club pop-up
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	According to this website, the visitor's computer is infected with viruses.
Detection Names	Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	69.162.126.230
Promoted Unwanted Application	Smart Mac Booster
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.

The internet is full of of deceptive websites similar to lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club. Examples include your-mac-security-analysis[.]net, apple.com-clean-mac[.]website, and apple.com-scan-mac[.]xyz. In most cases, they display messages about 'detected viruses' and encourage visitors to download a dubious app that will supposedly remove them.

PUAs also cause redirects to dubious web pages, gather information, and/or display unwanted ads. This can lead to problems with privacy, browsing safety, and even identity theft.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

It is possible to download PUAs from 'official' websites, however, in most cases, they are downloaded/installed through intrusive advertisements or during download or installation of other (usually free) software. Software developers use a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" in which they include PUAs into the set-ups of other programs.

They do this to trick users into downloading or installing unwanted apps with other software. They hide PUAs in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings of the download or installation set-ups and do not disclose this information clearly. When people leave these settings unchanged, they allow PUAs to be downloaded or installed with regular software by default.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Download software using trustworthy and official sources, especially if the software is free. Other channels or tools such as third party software downloaders, installers, unofficial sites, Peer-to-Peer networks (torrent clients, eMule, and so on), and similar sources cannot be trusted. Install software properly and check all "Advanced", "Custom" and other similar options/settings.

Opt-out of offers to install unwanted apps before completing any setup. Many intrusive advertisements redirect to untrustworthy sites or download/install unwanted apps.

These ads should not be trusted or clicked. To avoid being redirected to dubious web pages or forced to see unwanted ads, remove all unwanted extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons that are installed on the web browser and programs installed on the computer.

If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text in the lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club pop-up:

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED !

You Mac OS might be infected.

Press OK to begin the repair process.

Screenshot of the main lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]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 56 remaining before damage is permanent.Scan Now

Appearance of lp.macsmart-cleanupc[.]club scam (GIF):

Smart Mac Booster installer:

Smart Mac Booster application:

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.macsmart-cleanupc.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.

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