Do not trust privacyegg.com or similar websites

What is privacyegg[.]com?

privacyegg[.]com is one of many untrustworthy websites that advertise rogue software by using scare tactics. This particular web page is designed to trick visitors into believing that their computers are infected with viruses and installing a program called OneSafe PC Cleaner.

Note that privacyegg[.]com cannot be trusted and should be closed/ignored. If the browser opens it automatically, this is likely to be due to a potentially unwanted application (PUA) installed on the browser or operating system.

privacyegg[.]com may seem similar to a window of the Windows 10 Update & Security settings. It claims that the computer is infected with five viruses and encourages users to install an 'urgent update' designed to protect the system from the viruses and prevent additional damage.

According to privacyegg[.]com, the viruses might cause loss of photos, apps and other files. The aforementioned update should be installed by clicking the "Install Update" button. If clicked, this opens a fake system pop-up window containing the "Download Update" button. If clicked, it opens a download page of the OneSafe PC Cleaner program.

In summary, privacyegg[.]com is a scam website that advertises dubious software. Do not download software from unofficial, deceptive or untrustworthy websites. We advise that you ignore privacyegg[.]com, and never trust websites of this kind in future.

In most cases, people do not visit websites such as privacyegg[.]com intentionally - they are redirected to them through clicked dubious ads, rogue websites or PUAs that are installed on their browsers. As mentioned, PUAs open untrustworthy pages, display ads and gather data.

They serve ads such as coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and so on. Generally, when people click these ads, they are redirected to other untrustworthy, deceptive and potentially malicious web pages. The ads sometimes lead to download or even installation of potentially unwanted applications.

Furthermore, most PUAs record browsing data such as addresses of visited websites, IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, etc. Some PUAs might be used to record personal details. Developers share the data with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue.

Threat Summary:

Name	privacyegg.com virus
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud.
Fake Claim	This scam page claims that the visitor's computer is infected with five viruses.
Distributed Unwanted Apps	OneSafe PC Cleaner
Detection Names	Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

There are many scam websites like privacyegg[.]com, which are designed to trick people into downloading and installing rogue software by using scare tactics (displaying fake errors, alerts of viruses, and other notifications). Some more examplesare "Your PC is infected with 5 viruses", "Microsoft Protected Your Computer" and "Windows is not activated".

If these pages are opened through an installed PUA, we recommend that you uninstall it as soon as possible. Having an app of this type installed can lead to identity theft, problems relating to privacy, browsing safety, and so on.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

People often download and/or install PUAs through intrusive, deceptive advertisements that they have clicked, or through the set-ups of other software. Unwanted apps are commonly included into the set-ups of other programs and presented as additional offers, however, information these extra downloads/installations is not properly disclosed.

In most cases, the details are hidden in settings such as "Custom", "Advanced", and so on. People who do not check the settings and leave them unchanged often give permission for PUAs to be downloaded and/or installed with regular software. This PUA distribution method is called "bundling".

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Check settings such as "Custom", "Advanced", and "Manual" of download/installation setups and deselect offers to download or install unwanted applications. Do not download or install software through untrustworthy, unofficial websites, Peer-to-Peer networks (torrent clients, eMule), third party downloaders, installers, or other channels.

Use only official websites and direct download links. We advise against clicking intrusive ads, especially if they are displayed on dubious web pages. These ads might cause redirects untrustworthy websites or download/installation of unwanted software.

Typically, unwanted redirects and ads can be prevented by uninstalling all unwanted apps (extensions, plug-ins, add-ons) from the browser and programs of this kind from the operating system. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in the main privacyegg[.]com web page:

Antivirus Update

Update Status

Your PC is infected with 5 viruses. Urgent update is required for PC Cleaner to protect system from viruses and prevent additional system damage to y our personal data, such as loss of apps, photos or other files.

Install Update

Updates ara available:
2019-09 Cumulative Update for Windows Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4025342)
2019-10 Cumulative Update for Windows Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4022725)

Advanced Options

Screenshot of a fake system pop-up window:

Text in this pop-up:

Antivirus Update is prepared
Click the button below to download update
Download Update

The appearance of privacyegg[.]com scam (GIF):

Another variant of privacyegg[.]com website:

Text in a pop-up window:

privacyegg.com says

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

We have detected a trojan virus (e.tre456_worm_Windows) on your PC.

Press OK to begin the repair process.

Screenshot of the main page of another variant:

Text in this page:

Your system is infected with 3 viruses
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 12:45 PM
Your PC 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 PC with Windows.

Personal and banking information is at risk.

To avoid more damage click on 'Scan Now' immediately. Our deep scan will provide help immediately!
3 minute and 53 seconds remaining before damage is permanent.

privacyegg[.]com displays fake virus scan results:

 Text in this page:

DOWNLOAD REQUIRED
Your PC is heavily damaged! (33.2%)
Please download the PC Cleanup application to remove 3 Viruses from your PC.
VIRUS INFORMATION
Virus Name:  Ransomware 2.0; Trojan.Win32.SendIP.15
Risk:  HIGH
Infected Files:  C:/WINDOWS/System32/migration/ADJF9009de.@*fg/windows.exe; C:/WINDOWS/System32/Drivers/spoclsv.exe...
REMOVE VIRUSES NOW
VIRUS REMOVAL
Application:  PC Cleanup
Rating:  9.9/10
Price:  Free

Appearance of another variant of privacyegg[.]com (GIF):

OneSafe PC Cleaner download website:

OneSafe PC Cleaner installer:

OneSafe PC Cleaner potentially unwanted program:

Instant automatic 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 malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner 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. 7 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 privacyegg.com virus?
• 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 Windows.

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 Windows) - 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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