Security Center Total Protection POP-UP Scam

What kind of scam is "Security Center Total Protection"?

Our analysis of the site has shown that it is a fraudulent web page that uses fear tactics to promote a computer security solution. While such websites can promote legitimate products and services, their methods are not legitimate. Thus, users are advised to ignore them and close such sites if they land on them.

Security Center Total Protection scam

"Security Center Total Protection" scam in detail

This website runs a fake system scan and then displays a fraudulent warning. The fake warning claims that the user's PC is infected with five viruses and urges them to renew their protection to avoid further issues. It falsely asserts that the viruses are designed to track internet activity, collect banking details, and steal login credentials.

The message also claims that unprotected Macs are 95% more vulnerable to malware. The purpose of this deceptive website is to lure visitors into clicking an affiliate link that tracks the referral of a user to a specific website or product. When someone clicks the link and makes a purchase or completes other action, the affiliate earns a commission or referral fee.

During our inspection, we found that this website promotes Total AV, a legitimate security tool. However, the site may also promote other products or services. Regardless, it is not a trustworthy site, even if some of the content it promotes is legitimate. Users are advised to avoid websites that rely on deceptive tactics.

Threat Summary:
Name	Fake Security Center Total Protection warning
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	A computer is infected with multiple (5) viruses
Disguise	Legitimate security warning
Related Domain	check-windows-ai[.]xyz
Detection Names (check-windows-ai[.]xyz)	ESET (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.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this website employs deceptive tactics by running a fake system scan and displaying a fraudulent warning about viruses to pressure users into clicking an affiliate link. Users should avoid such websites, as they can be used to promote both legitimate and illegitimate products, often with the intent to profit through deception.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites are often promoted through notifications delivered by other unreliable sites, deceptive advertisements, pop-ups, and similar channels. Fake accounts on social media and fraudulent emails are also used to deceive users into opening scam sites. Sometimes, adware can deliver ads to promote scams.

Additionally, users can encounter unreliable web pages (including scams) while visiting torrent sites, illegal movie streaming pages, and similar platforms that use rogue advertising networks. Overall, users often end up visiting these pages unintentionally.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not click pop-ups, ads, or links from untrustworthy websites, and decline any notification requests from dubious sites. Exercise caution when receiving unexpected or suspicious emails, especially from unknown senders. Avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments within such emails.

Always download software from trusted sources or official app stores, and ensure that your operating system and applications are up to date. Regularly run security scans with reliable antivirus software to detect and address potential threats. 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 "Security Center Total Protection" pop-up scam (GIF):

Appearance of Security Center Total Protection scam

Text in the fake warning:

Security Center Total Protection

Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

Renew now to keep your PC protected.

Viruses found on this Mac most likely track internet activity to collect banking details and login credentials. Unprotected Macs are 93% more vulnerable to suffer from malware.

[Proceed...]

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:

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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.

Quick menu:

What is Fake Security Center Total Protection 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:

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?

It is a scam in which a fake warning, error message, offer, or similar content is presented to trick the user into performing actions that benefit scammers.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Typically, these scams are used to steal money or personal information. Sometimes, cybecriminals use them to distribute malware. Also, pop-up scams can be used to promote affiliate links.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scam websites are commonly promoted through misleading ads, pop-ups, fake social media accounts, and phishing emails. Adware and rogue advertising networks on torrent or illegal streaming sites can also direct users to these pages. Most often, users visit such sites unintentionally.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan every website visited by the user, detecting malicious or scam-related content. It alerts users to potential security threats and prevents access to untrustworthy or harmful pages.