Avoid downloading untrustworthy apps from safeiphoneconnection.com

What is safeiphoneconnection[.]com?

safeiphoneconnection[.]com is a deceptive/scam website. Visitors to this site are warned that their device has been infected, and if the threats are not removed, they risk permanent damage. Note that no web page can detect threats/issues present on any system - any that make such claims cannot be trusted.

Scams of this type are common and are typically designed to promote untrustworthy applications.

At the time of research, safeiphoneconnection[.]com promoted the Antivirus VPN App. Most visitors to deceptive/scam sites enter them unintentionally, since they are redirected by intrusive advertisements or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) already infiltrated into their browsers.

The safeiphoneconnection[.]com scam mainly targets iPhone users, but it is possible that redirects to this page can occur on other Apple products as well. Users first see a pop-up window when they enter this website. The text within the window claims that the visitor's iPhone has been hacked after they have visited an adult-oriented site.

The alleged breach has resulted in the device being infected with fourteen viruses. If these fake threats are not removed within the next few minutes, safeiphoneconnection[.]com alerts that the SIM card is damaged and that certain data (e.g. contacts lists, photos) are deleted.

The pop-up urges users to click the presented button and follow the instructions to remove the "detected" viruses. After the window is closed, visitors are shown a different page, which repeats the initial warning. This web page also displays a countdown timer, with time elapsed until the supposed damage becomes permanent.

The removal steps instruct users to press the "Install VPN app" button, which will redirect them to the AppStore. The safeiphoneconnection[.]com website states that the application to which they are redirected must be installed and used to run a 'cleaning procedure'.

Following these steps will supposedly remove the fabricated problems from the system. When the indicated button is clicked, it opens another pop-up window. The message within reminds users that they are redirected and that they need to install the Antivirus VPN App and run it, which will clean their device.

As mentioned, safeiphoneconnection[.]com is a scam website, and therefore the information it presents is deceptive. None of the viruses it states the system to be infected with are genuine. You are strongly advised against trusting these web pages and/or installing the content they advertise.

Any applications endorsed using dubious methods are often untrustworthy, and possibly even harmful. PUAs have more dangerous capabilities. As well as causing redirects to deceptive, untrustworthy and malicious sites, these apps can run intrusive advertisement campaigns (i.e., deliver various unwanted and harmful ads).

Ads of this kind are more than just a nuisance (due to limiting browsing speed and web page visibility), they are also a safety threat. Once clicked, intrusive ads redirect to dangerous websites and some can execute scripts to stealthily download/install PUAs. Other unwanted applications can make unauthorized changes to browsers and deny access to their settings.

Most PUAs possess data tracking capabilities, which they employ to monitor users' browsing activity (browsing and search engine histories) and gather their personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This sensitive data can then be shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to generate revenue by misusing it.

Therefore, PUAs can cause to browser/system infiltration and infections, lead to financial loss, serious privacy issues, and identity theft. You are advised to immediately remove all suspicious applications to ensure device and user safety.

Threat Summary:

Name	safeiphoneconnection.com pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	Scam claims visitor's device is infected.
Detection Names	Full List (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	134.209.60.38
Promoted Unwanted Application	Antivirus VPN App
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.

manualchecker.com, topoffert.com, and safebrowsing.network are some other scams similar to safeiphoneconnection[.]com. Social engineering and scare tactics are often employed to trick users into performing certain actions. For example, deceptive pages can warn visitors that their devices are infected and offer content for removal of the false issues.

They might claim that a crucial piece of software is outdated and requires updating. All software and updates promoted on these web pages are untrustworthy - do not download/install or purchase them.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs can be installed inadvertently by users or infiltrate systems without their knowledge. "Bundling" is a term used to describe a deceptive marketing method of pre-packing regular products together with unwanted content (e.g. PUAs).

By rushing through download/install processes (e.g. ignoring terms, using pre-set options, skipping steps, etc.), many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled apps onto devices. When clicked, intrusive advertisements can execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without users' consent.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Research all content and download from official sources only. Do not use Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.), unofficial and fee file-hosting sites, third party downloaders, or similar channels - these are dubious and more likely to offer bundled software (e.g. with PUAs).

When downloading/installing, read the terms, explore all available terms, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive ads often seem legitimate and harmless, however, they can redirect to dubious websites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating and others).

If you encounter ads/redirects of this type, check the device and immediately remove all suspect applications. 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 initial pop-up window:

DANGER!

Your iPhone was hacked after visiting an Adult website and 14 viruses were found!

If this problem will not be resolved within two minutes, viruses will delete all of your contacts and photos, and the SIM card wll be damaged!

Please click the button below to get instructions for removing all viruses.

Screenshot of the second page displayed by the safeiphoneconnection[.]com scam:

Text presented in this page:

14 viruses were found
Your Apple iPhone was hacked after visiting an Adult website and 14 viruses were found! If this problem will not be resolved within two minutes, viruses will delete all of your contacts and photos, and the SIM card wll be damaged!
1 minute 44 seconds
How to remove all viruses:
Step 1: Click "Install VPN app" button below;
Step 2: You will be redirected to the AppStore;
Step 3: Install VPN app, open it and run cleaning procedure

 

Remove all Viruses    Install VPN app

Screenshot of pop-up displayed after "Install VPN app" button is pressed:

Text presented in this pop-up:

You will be directed to the AppStore now in order to install the Antivirus VPN App

After installation, start the VPN App to remove the viruses.

safeiphoneconnection[.]com scam appearance (mobile version):

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 safeiphoneconnection.com 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