How to avoid "TotalAV - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites" and similar scams

What is "TotalAV - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites"?

We have inspected the site and concluded that it hosts a pop-up scam. These scams usually involve fake warnings/alerts or use other scare tactics to trick users into taking certain actions. None of the claims presented on these pages are true. It is best to close such pages and never visit them again.

"TotalAV - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites" in detail

At first, the page presents a fake warning claiming to be from Total AV (a legitimate security tool) and falsely stating that the system is at risk due to visiting compromised websites. It claims that the Windows 10 system is infected with viruses from illegal streaming and adult content sites. The warning pressures users to run a quick scan to remove potential threats.

After clicking the provided "RUN QUICK SCAN" button, the scam site initiates a fake scanning process. Once the scan is complete, another fake warning appears, claiming that the system is infected with seven critical viruses and that hackers may access banking and other sensitive information.

Also, it states that if this message is ignored, access to banking details might be at risk of being sold to 3rd parties. It encourages users to start TotalAV Antivirus Pro to eliminate all threats. This scam is operated by deceptive affiliates who aim to trick users into taking action.

Affiliates earn commissions each time someone falls for the scam and pays for the software product through their affiliate link. It is important to note that legitimate affiliate programs and companies do not own or control sites that use deception (e.g., scare tactics) to promote products or services.

Threat Summary:

Name	TotalAV - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites fake warning
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	The operating system is infected with multiple viruses
Disguise	Legitimate warning from Total AV
Related Domain	individos[.]click
Detection Names (individos[.]click)	Combo Cleaner (Malware), CRDF (Malicious), Fortinet (Phishing), G-Data (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.

Similar scams in general

There are numerous examples of scams that use deceptive tactics to trick users into believing their systems are at risk or some other issue has occurred. By imitating legitimate software or security tools, these scams aim to deceive users into purchasing unnecessary products or taking other actions.

It is crucial to remember that reputable companies do not rely on scare tactics to promote their products/services. Examples of similar scams are "Norton Subscription Payment Has Failed", "McAfee - Computer Is At Risk Of Virus Infection", and "McAfee - Subscription Payment Failed".

How did I open a scam website?

Users are often directed to these sites through links sent by scammers via email or through malicious ad networks commonly found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, and similar sources. Clicking untrustworthy notifications from deceptive pages, misleading ads, pop-ups, and fake buttons found on suspicious pages can also open scam websites.

Scammers also manipulate search engine results to push their fraudulent websites to the top, making them more likely to attract unsuspecting visitors. Generally, most users end up on these scam sites accidentally (they often get tricked into opening them).

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Always use trusted search engines like Google and double-check website URLs to ensure they are legitimate. Download apps from reputable sources, such as official app stores or verified websites. Do not allow shady web pages to show notifications, and avoid clicking ads, pop-ups, or links on suspicious websites.

Keep your apps and operating system up to date, and run regular security scans with a trusted antivirus program to ensure protection. 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 "TotalAV - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites" pop-up scam (GIF):

Text in the first warning:

Total AV
Warning: Virus Detected!
You recently visited compromised websites infected with viruses.

Therefore, Your System Windows 10.0 is currently at risk of a virus threat!
You recently visited compromised websites with illegal streaming and adult content, leading to virus infections!
To remove potential viruses, you must run an Antivirus scan immediately!

RUN QUICK SCAN

Screenshot of the second fake warning:

Text in the second warning:

Total AV

Your System Windows 10.0 is infected with critical (7) viruses!

Your personal data banking information and other sensitive information is at risk of being accessed by hackers.
If you ignore this message, access to your banking details might be at risk of being sold to 3rd parties.
Please start your TotalAV Antivirus Pro to eliminate all threats.

Start TotalAV Antivirus Pro

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 - You Recently Visited Compromised Websites fake warning?
• 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?

Scam like these often involve fake pop-up messages, such as bogus warnings or offers, that appear on deceptive websites.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

These scams usually aim to deceive users into disclosing sensitive information (e.g., credit card details or login credentials), trick them into transferring money to scammers or downloading and executing malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Users are often led to scam websites through links in emails, malicious ad networks, or deceptive notifications, ads, and pop-ups. Scammers also manipulate search engine results to rank fraudulent sites higher, increasing the chances of unsuspecting visitors clicking their links. Most users accidentally land on these scam sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can identify unsafe websites, including those that present fake pop-up warnings and other deceptive messages. If a site is deemed dangerous, the app will immediately notify you and block access to protect your device.

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