Avoid being scammed by the "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" scheme

What is the "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" scam?

"WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" is a technical support scam promoted on various deceptive websites. The scheme states that users' systems have been infected with 36 viruses and urges them to call Microsoft 'tech support' via the number provided. All of these claims are false and are in no way connected to the Microsoft Corporation.

Furthermore, no website can detect threats/issues present on a device - any that make such claims are scams. These deceptive/scam web pages are usually accessed through redirects caused by intrusive ads or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) already infiltrated into the system.

"WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" scam overview

When a website running the "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" scheme is entered, it displays several pop-up windows. The pop-up in the left corner of the page states that thirty-six infections have been detected during the last scan. It advises users to remove the threats before they cause irreparable damage to the system.

The possible consequences are listed as additional infections, system crashes, processor overheating, reduced internet connection speed, permanent data loss and serious privacy issues. The window at the center of the page reports that, due to a spyware infection, suspicious activity has been noted on the IP address.

This is putting all of the users' data at risk (e.g. online information and financial activity), and they are instructed to call the listed number and contact certified technicians to resolve this issue immediately.

Additionally, the message in the pop-up warns users not to open any internet browsers or make any changes to the system, as this can result in data loss, system file and driver corruption, and system failure, etc. Restarting or shutting down the computer can lead to the same outcome.

This window also asks users to provide their account usernames and passwords. This is not a legitimate security report from Microsoft - "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" is simply a scam. The fake technical support telephone numbers provided by these types of scams often have high-tolls (despite any claims that they are toll-free).

Alternatively, the scammers may demand payment for "services rendered", attempt to extort sensitive information from the users and/or gain unauthorized access to their systems. In summary, trusting "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" or similar schemes can result in system infiltration/infections, financial loss, endangering user's privacy and identity theft.

Therefore, do not trust this scam or any others. In some cases, a deceptive site cannot be closed. If this is the case, use Task Manger to end the browser process and, upon reopening the browser program, do not restore the browsing session (to prevent the scam web page from being opened again).

As mentioned, PUAs can force-open various deceptive/scam, untrusted, rogue, sale-oriented, compromised and malicious websites, however, they also have other malicious capabilities. They can deliver pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys and other intrusive advertisements.

Once clicked, these ads redirect to similarly harmful sites and can even execute scripts to stealthily download/install rogue software (e.g. PUAs). Other applications within this classification can modify browser settings and deny access to them - this, to promote bogus search engines.

Most PUAs (regardless of type/specifications) can track data. They can record browsing activity (browsing and search engine histories) and collect personal information derived from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). The gathered data is often shared with third parties, seeking to misuse it for profit - potentially, by putting it to criminal use.

To ensure device integrity and user safety, remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	WARNING! 36 infections found!!! tech support scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud.
Fake Claim	Scam claims that the user's system is infected.
Tech Support Scammer Phone Number	+1-844-976-1809
Related Domains	securitywindow28606311[.]club
Serving IP Address	104.168.242.190
Detection Names (securitywindow28606311[.]club)	Kaspersky (Malware), 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.

Technical support scam examples

"Windows Defender Browser Protection", "Windows Was Blocked Due To Questionable Activity", "Microsoft Protected Your Computer" and "CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED" are some examples of other technical support scams. They attempt to trick people into performing certain actions - to further the scammers' nefarious aims.

People are often encouraged to: call fake and expensive support/service lines; download/install or purchase nonoperational, untrusted or malicious software; make monetary transactions (e.g. pay for fraudulent services or likewise fake subscription, registration fees, etc.), and; reveal personal information (e.g. names, addresses, telephone numbers, emails, credit card or banking account details, etc.).

Regardless of what these deceptive pages claim or request, they have just one purpose: to generate revenue at users' expense. Therefore, you are advised to exercise caution when browsing - avoid becoming the victim of a scam.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs spread via the download/install set-ups of other programs. This deceptive marketing method of packing normal software with unwanted or malicious additions is termed "bundling". Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. using presets, skipping steps and sections, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertent installation of bundled content.

Some PUAs have "official" download web pages. Intrusive ads also proliferate these apps. When clicked, they can execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without users' permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Software should be researched prior to download/installation and/or purchase. Use only official and verified download channels. Untrustworthy sources, such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders can offer bundled content and should be avoided.

When downloading/installing, you are advised to read the terms, study available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, functions and so on. Intrusive advertisements may seem legitimate and harmless, however, once clicked, they can redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

If you encounter these ads/redirects, check the system and immediately remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/pug-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 "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" pop-up:

Antivirus Scan Results

WARNING! 36 infections found!!!
Malicious threats have been found during the last scan.
We strongly recommended to delete the threats before they inflict unrecoverable damage to your PC:

Permanent loss of data
System virus infections
Privacy vulnerabilities
Windows crashes
Internet connection slowdown
CPU overheating
Remove all threats
Continue unprotected

Second variant of "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" pop-up scam:

Third variant of "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" pop-up scam:

Another variant of "WARNING! 36 infections found!!!" pop-up scam:

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 WARNING! 36 infections found!!! tech support scam?
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Basically, pop-up scams are deceptive messages delivered via pop-ups that aim to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be deceived into calling fake support lines, allowing scammers to access devices remotely, disclosing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, and so forth.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing vulnerable data, and distributing malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are primarily promoted via websites that use rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, PMs/DMs, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

I cannot exit a scam page, how do I close it?

If you cannot exit a deceptive website – end the browser's process using Task Manager. Remember that restoring the previous browsing session will reopen the scam page; therefore, start a new session when relaunching the browser.

I have allowed cyber criminals to remotely access my computer, what should I do?

If you have allowed cyber criminals to access your device remotely – you must first disconnect it from the Internet. Afterward, uninstall the remote access program (e.g., UltraViewer, TeamViewer, etc.) used by the scammers, as they might not need your consent to reconnect. Lastly, run a full system scan with an anti-virus and eliminate all detected threats.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by a pop-up scam, what should I do?

If you have disclosed your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you have provided personally identifiable or finance-related information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams and the malware they proliferate?

Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and remove all kinds of threats. It can scan visited websites for deceptive/malicious content and restrict all further access to them. Additionally, Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate most of the known malware infections. Keep in mind that performing a complete system scan is essential since sophisticated malicious software typically hides deep within systems.

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