Do not trust "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" sites

What kind of scam is "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!"?

Our research team discovered the "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" while investigating deceptive websites. Presented as a page of a legitimate anti-virus, this scheme makes false claims regarding threats present on visitors' devices. Typically, scams of this kind are used to promote fraudulent and potentially malicious software.

"TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" scam overview

Once a site promoting this scam is accessed, the visitor is presented with a legitimate-looking webpage. It immediately performs a bogus system scan, during which various threats are "detected" on the user's device.

The scan is concluded with a pop-up window stating that the visitor's computer is infected with five viruses. The non-existent threats are listed as trojans, spyware, and adware. The pop-up details these alleged infections and urges to use an anti-virus to remove them.

It must be stressed that all the information provided by "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" is false. What is more, no website can scan visitors' systems or detect threats/issues on them.

In most cases, schemes of this kind are used to endorse software, primarily – fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers, and Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs). We have even found instances wherein such scams proliferated malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, etc.).

Schemes of this type may redirect to the official websites of genuine products or services. This is done through the abuse of the content's affiliate programs by scammers who seek to acquire illegitimate commissions for the promotion.

In summary, victims of scams like "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	"TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Visitor's computer is infected with five viruses.
Related Domains	safeclean[.]site
Detection Names (safeclean[.]site)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (safeclean[.]site)	185.254.198.31
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.

Similar scam examples

We have investigated thousands of online scams; "Google Safe Browser Total Protection", "CCleaner Total Protection", and "Avast - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" are merely a couple examples of our latest finds.

The deceptive and malicious content available online is innumerous. Various scam models are used to gain and subsequently abuse users' trust. Due to how prevalent this content is – we highly recommend exercising caution while browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam sites are primarily accessed via redirects generated by websites utilizing rogue advertising network, mistyped URLs, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware. Spam in general (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, social media posts, etc.) is used in the promotion of online scams.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

It is paramount to be vigilant while browsing since fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears legitimate and harmless.

We advise against using sites that are for pirated software/media or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks. We recommend paying attention to URLs and entering them with care.

To avoid receiving unwanted browser notifications – do not permit suspicious pages to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, deny or ignore notification delivery from such webpages (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

To prevent bundled/harmful software from infiltrating the system – download only from official/trustworthy sources and treat installation processes with care (e.g., read terms, explore possible options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of all supplementary apps, extensions, etc.).

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Text presented in "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" pop-up:

TotalAV Security

Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!

Scan results: TROJAN Zeus2021, spyware, adware detected.

- TROJAN found on this PC will most likely copy and delete all data from hard drives.

- Spyware will attempt to collect logins, passwords and banking details.

- Adware usually replaces search results with false and scammy websites.

It is highly recommended to use an antivirus immediately!

Proceed...

Unprotected PCs are 93% more vulnerable to suffer from malware.

The appearance of "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" pop-up scam (GIF):

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 "TotalAV Security - Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!" 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing specific actions. To elaborate, victims can be lured into downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, making monetary transactions, disclosing private information, and so forth.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are designed to generate revenue. Cyber criminals profit primarily by obtaining funds through deception, selling or abusing sensitive information, promoting content, and spreading malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are run on deceptive pages. Most users access them via redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, misspelled URLs, intrusive advertisements, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites. Should you enter a deceptive/malicious webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.

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