Avoid getting scammed by fake "Failed To Remove Viruses" websites

What kind of scam is "Failed To Remove Viruses"?

Our researchers found the "Failed To Remove Viruses" scam while investigating untrustworthy sites. It claims that high-risk viruses have been detected on the user's device. The scheme urges them to activate the anti-virus. Typically, scams of this kind are used to endorse unreliable and even harmful software.

"Failed To Remove Viruses" scam overview

When a scam promoting "Failed To Remove Viruses" is visited, it performs a system scan that detects eighteen viruses. Supposedly, these threats track Internet activity and collect usernames/passwords and banking details. The user has to activate the anti-virus to protect their computer.

It must be emphasized that all the claims made by this scheme are false. In fact, no site can detect the presence of these issues on visitors' devices. It must also be stressed that this scam is not associated with any genuine products or services.

In most cases, this kind of lure is utilized to trick users into downloading/installing a dubious or malicious piece of software like a fake anti-virus, browser hijacker, adware, PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application), trojan, ransomware, and so on.

In some instances, these scams redirect users to the official pages of legitimate products/services. Thus, scammers abuse the endorsed content's affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions. However, there are no guarantees that a scheme will continue to lead to such a webpage. Instead, users may be redirected to imitator pages that distribute hazardous software or operate as phishing scams.

In summary, victims of scams like "Failed To Remove Viruses" can experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Failed To Remove Viruses" pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Eighteen viruses detected on the website visitor's computer.
Related Domains	otirnalc[.]xyz
Detection Names (otirnalc[.]xyz)	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (otirnalc[.]xyz)	45.141.156.109
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

"Safety Warning", "iolo - Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!", and "McAfee - Computer Is At Risk Of Virus Infection" are just a few of our latest articles on schemes similar to "Failed To Remove Viruses".

The Internet is full of deceptive and malicious content. The appearance and modus operandi of online scams can differ significantly, yet their end goal is the same – to generate revenue at victims' expense.

Popular lures include system scans/ threat detections, software updates, shipping mishaps, lotteries, product promotions, giveaways, pre-sale events, etc.

Due to how prevalent this content is on the Web and how well-made it can be – we highly recommend being vigilant when browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are mainly promoted via websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

To expand upon some of these endorsement techniques, deceptive pages can be force-opened the moment a rogue site is accessed or when the content hosted on it is interacted with (e.g., buttons, text input fields, ads, redirects, etc.).

Social media spam can be facilitated through accounts stolen from real companies, organizations, celebrities, influencers, etc. Adware can display ads promoting scams or cause redirects to webpages hosting them.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to online safety. Therefore, be wary of websites/ads/notifications/messages warning of detected threats or making promises that sound too good to be true. Do not use websites offering pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these pages usually utilize rogue advertising networks.

Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Do not permit suspicious sites to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny such requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Treat incoming emails and other messages with care; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious mail.

Download only from official/verified channels and approach installations attentively (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous software 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 the "Failed To Remove Viruses" scam's pop-up window:

Failed to remove viruses (18) !

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED!

Viruses found on this PC track internet activity to collect banking details and login credentials at the moment.

Please activate Antivirus to keep your PC protected.

ACTIVATE ANTIVIRUS
Ignore*

*Your PC will become 100% vulnerable to threats, which will entail unpredictable consequences

The appearance of "Failed To Remove 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 "Failed To Remove 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 entice/scare users into carrying out specific actions. For example, victims can be lured into downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, calling fake helplines, sending money to scammers, disclosing sensitive information, and so forth.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. Profit can be made by endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), obtaining funds through deception, abusing/selling private information, and proliferating malware.

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

If you have disclosed your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you've revealed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans/photos, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

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

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to eliminate all kinds of threats. It is capable of scanning visited websites for rogue, deceptive, and malicious content. Additionally, Combo Cleaner can block all further access to such sites.

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