Do not trust fake "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" sites

What kind of scam is "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!"?

While browsing suspicious websites, our researchers discovered the "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" scam. It masquerades as iolo software warning the user of various serious threats on their devices.

It must be emphasized that the claims made by this scam are false, and it is not associated with the actual iolo or its parent organization – RealDefense LLC.

"iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" scam overview

When we visited a page promoting this scam, it ran a supposed system scan – a feat no website could perform. The fake scan "detects" eighteen threats on the visitor's device. The scheme further scares its victim by claiming that the viruses are likely to spy on their Internet activities and extract their log-in credentials and banking data. The scam urges the user to renew their anti-virus subscription.

It must be stressed that the information provided by this deceptive webpage is false, and this scam is in no way associated with iolo software – the all-in-one anti-virus, online privacy tool, system cleaner, and password manager.

At the time of research, this scheme operated as an affiliate link scam. It redirected to an official page of iolo software. Thus, scammers abuse a company's affiliate programs to acquire illegitimate commissions.

However, there are no guarantees that this scheme will continue to operate in this manner. It could redirect to a webpage disguised as the official site, thereby tricking users into purchasing a fake product or downloading/installing fraudulent software.

In many cases, scams that use virus-themed lures endorse fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers, or PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications). We have even found a few instances of such schemes proliferating malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, cryptominers, etc.).

In summary, by trusting a scam like "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" – users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	"iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Visitor's computer is infected with 18 viruses.
Disguise	iolo
Related Domains	eticlerp[.]xyz
Detection Names (eticlerp[.]xyz)	alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (eticlerp[.]xyz)	45.141.156.107
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

"McAfee - Computer Is At Risk Of Virus Infection", "WARNING: Antivirus Protection EXPIRED!", "McAfee - Subscription Payment Failed", and "TotalAV - Card Payment Has Failed!" are merely some of our latest articles on scams similar to "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!".

The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. While scams can differ greatly in appearance and utilized mechanisms, their end goal is the same – to generate revenue at victims' expense. Due to how prevalent scams are online and how well-disguised they can be – we strongly recommend being careful while browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam sites can be force-open immediately when a webpage that utilizes rogue advertising networks is accessed or when hosted content is interacted with (e.g., clicking buttons, text input fields, links, etc.).

Additionally, users can be redirected to deceptive pages via intrusive ads, mistyped URLs, or installed adware. Another promotional technique is spam, which includes emails, SMSes, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, and so on.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is paramount to online safety. Therefore, be wary of online content (e.g., websites, adverts, notifications, messages, etc.) making promises that sound too good to be true or warning of devastating threats. Pay attention to URLs and type them carefully.

Do not use websites offering pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually utilize rogue advertising networks. Do not permit suspect pages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or deny their requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Approach incoming mail with vigilance; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious messages. Download from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software (like adware) from infiltrating the device.

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 "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!" pop-up:

Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED!

Viruses found on this PC most likely track internet activity to collect banking details and login credentials.

Please renew subscription to keep your PC protected

Renew Antivirus Subscription

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

The appearance of "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 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 "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 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 that utilize pop-up windows. Their goal is to deceive users into performing specific actions, e.g., purchasing products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, providing sensitive information, sending money to scammers, etc.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Profit is the motivation behind developing pop-up scams. Cyber criminals can generate revenue by promoting content (e.g., sites, products, services, etc.), obtaining funds through deception, abusing/selling private data, and spreading malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are mainly promoted via websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements, spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited sites for deceptive and malicious content. Additionally, it can restrict all further access to webpages hosting content of this kind.

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