How to spot scams like You need to update your browser to view the content

What kind of page displays the "You need to update your browser to view the content" message?

We have discovered this deceptive page while examining other pages that use questionable advertising networks. The purpose of this site is to trick visitors into downloading and executing a file that is supposed to update the Chrome browser. Our team has downloaded the file and learned that it is flagged on VirusTotal as malicious.

"You need to update your browser to view the content" scam in detail

We have examined the page and found that it is disguised as a legitimate (official) Google website. It displays a deceptive message stating that it is necessary to update the browser to view the content. It has the "Download and Install" button that downloads an ISO file containing an executable (.exe) file. Both of these files are flagged in VirusTotal as malicious.

It is unclear what exactly the executable file distributed through this page does. It could be designed to infect computers with malware or inject adware or other unwanted software. Either way, it is not a trustworthy page encouraging to download an untrustworthy file.

Threat Summary:

Name	You need to update your browser to view the content pop-up scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Chrome must be updated to view the page content
Disguise	Official Google page
Related Domain	google-app-update[.]com
Detection Names (google-app-update[.]com)	Certego (Suspicious), Kaspersky (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Detection Names (Install_Chrome.iso)	Avast (Win32:DropperX-gen [Drp]), AVG (Win32:DropperX-gen [Drp]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of MSIL/TrojanDownloader.Agent.JWP), Fortinet (MSIL/Agent.JWP!tr.dldr), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Downloader.MSIL.PsDownload.gen), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Detection Names (suter.exe)	Avast (Win32:DropperX-gen [Drp]), AVG (Win32:DropperX-gen [Drp]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of MSIL/TrojanDownloader.Agent.JWP), Kaspersky (UDS:Trojan-Downloader.MSIL.PsDownload.gen), Symantec (Trojan.Gen.MBT), 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.

Similarities with other scams of this type

More examples of similar pages are "Install The Extension For Chrome To Protect Your Privacy", "Update Your Chrome Browser Extension", "TO CONTINUE - ADD EXTENSION TO CHROME". Typically, these scam pages display fake messages claiming that visitors need to install certain software, call the provided number, or perform other actions.

How did I open a scam website

Websites displaying pop-up scams usually get opened through illegal movie streaming, torrent and similar sites, fake "Download" buttons, deceptive advertisements, untrustworthy browser notifications (displayed by dubious pages). Sometimes, these pages get opened by installed adware or other questionable software. In all cases, users do not open them on purpose.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid visiting untrustworthy websites. Download applications and files from official (legitimate) pages and through direct links. Do not click on advertisements appearing on shady websites, or fake "Download" (or similar) buttons. Do not allow untrustworthy websites to show notifications. If your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

The appearance of "You need to update your browser to view the content scam" pop-up scam (GIF):

Screenshot of the distributed ISO file and its detections in VirusTotal:

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 You need to update your browser to view the content pop-up 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?

A pop-up scam is a deceptive message (for example, a fake virus error notification) claiming that a user must (or at least should) perform certain actions immediately.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Usually, scammers use pop-up scams to distribute malware, extract sensitive information, obtain remote access to computers, sell fake (or unnecessary) services/software.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are delivered by untrustworthy websites that get opened through fake "Download" buttons, shady ads, sites using questionable advertising networks. Users do not open pages that display pop-up scams on purpose.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan every single website and warn about malicious or untrustworthy in another way pages (including pages designed to display pop-up scams). Also, this application can block access to such websites.

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