Do not trust content promoted by vpn1aprotectplus.com

What is vpn1aprotectplus[.]com?

vpn1aprotectplus[.]com is a deceptive/scam website. At the time of research, this site redirected to a blank page, however, it is also highly likely to redirect to other websites that promote unwanted applications.

Web pages such as vpn1aprotectplus[.]com are typically accessed via redirects caused by intrusive ads or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) already installed on the system. Note that these apps do not need express permission to infiltrate devices.

Following successful infiltration, however, they generate redirects, run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers and monitor browsing activity.

Visitors to vpn1aprotectplus[.]com first see a pop-up window urging them to download "The VPN App" to continue watching. The background page displays a loading video player - the message within the pop-up encourages visitors to watch it and download/install the promoted application.

During research, the "Install" button redirected to an empty web page, however, these deceptive marketing tactics are commonly used to promote nonoperational, untrusted and even malicious content. Therefore, you are strongly advised against trusting vpn1aprotectplus[.]com or similar sites. Note that these scams can lead to serious issues.

PUAs can force-open deceptive/scam (including vpn1aprotectplus[.]com), untrusted, rogue, compromised and malicious websites. These sites have varied capabilities. Some of these applications can deliver intrusive ads (e.g. pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys, etc.), which diminish the browsing experience by limiting browsing speed and website visibility.

Additionally, when intrusive advertisements are clicked, they often redirect to harmful web pages and can even execute scrips to download/install unwanted content (e.g. PUAs) without users' permission. Other apps within this classification hijack browsers by modifying them to promote fake search engines and restricting/denying access to settings.

Most PUAs (regardless of their specific type) can track data. They monitor users' browsing habits (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and collect personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This sensitive data is shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for financial gain.

To summarize, the presence of PUAs on devices can lead to browser/system infiltration and infections, serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. Therefore, to ensure device and user safety, you are advised to remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	vpn1aprotectplus.com pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud.
Fake Claim	Scam claims visitors must download a dubious application to continue watching videos.
Detection Names	Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.27.138.161
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.

The internet is full of deceptive websites. Popular scam models include (but are not limited to) alerts that: essential software is outdated/missing (e.g. therightwaytofindplayering.pro, installflash-upgrade.com, etc.); warnings that the system is infected and/or has been compromised (e.g. "Windows Defender Browser Protection", "VIRAL ALARM OF MICROSOFT", etc.); "amazing" offers (e.g. "Get the new iPhone 11 Pro", "Randomly selected to test the new iPhone", etc.); prize giveaways (e.g. "Congratulations Samsung user!", "YOU ARE THE CHOSEN!", etc.), and many others.

The only purpose of these scams is to generate profit for their designers at users' expense. Therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution when browsing.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs proliferate through the download/installation set-ups of other programs. This deceptive marketing tactic of packing regular products with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

When downloading/installing, ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options and similarly rushing these processes increases the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content onto systems. Certain PUAs have "official" download web pages. Intrusive ads also proliferate unwanted apps - once clicked, they can execute scripts to stealthily download/install PUAs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to research all products, prior to download/installation or purchase. Use only official and verified download sources. Do not use free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) or other third party downloaders, as they are untrusted.

Treat download and installation processes with caution. Read the terms, explore all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and decline offers to download/install additional apps, tools, features, etc.

Intrusive ads typically seem legitimate normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to rogue web pages associated with pornography, gambling, adult-dating and so on. If you encounter these advertisements/redirects, inspect the device and immediately remove all dubious application and browser extensions/plug-ins.

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 vpn1aprotectplus[.]com pop-up window:

VPN Update
Please Download The VPN App To Continue Watching

The appearance of vpn1aprotectplus[.]com pop-up (GIF):

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▼ 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 vpn1aprotectplus.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 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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