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What is CouponScanner?

CouponScanner is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) claiming to save time and money by enabling coupons, comparison shopping, and displaying discounts/special deals available on shopping websites. While this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, be aware that CouponScanner is categorized as adware.

The developers of this PUP employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs together with the chosen software) to install CouponScanner on Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome) without users' permission.

Following successful infiltration, CouponScanner generates intrusive online advertisements and tracks users' Internet browsing activity.

The intrusive advertisements generated by CouponScanner include coupon, pop-up, comparison shopping, and other similar ads. Clicking these advertisements is likely to cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

In addition, be aware that CouponScanner tracks various software and hardware information such as IP addresses (to determine geographic locations), browser types and versions, search queries entered, URLs visited, pages viewed, and other similar details that may be personally identifiable.

CouponScanner is similar to other rogue browser add-ons that use bundling as an installation method. For example: SoftCoup, Price Slayer, ContextTrue, and many others. Neither CouponScanner, nor any of these other browser plug-ins provide any real value for the user - their purpose is to generate income by the display of intrusive online ads.

The behavior of these PUPs may result in serious privacy issues or identity theft, and therefore, you are strongly advised to uninstall CouponScanner from your Internet browsers.

Research shows that CouponScanner installs via small programs called 'download clients' on freeware download websites such as download.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, etc. Download clients are used to monetize these websites' free services by offering installation of promoted '100% virus-free' browser plug-ins together with the chosen free software.

Thus, careless download and installation of freeware often leads to adware or malware infections. This situation can be prevented by closely inspecting each step of the free software download process and never accepting installation of any additional programs offered.

Furthermore, all software downloaded from the Internet should be installed using the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any hidden applications listed for installation and allow you to opt out. If you have already installed CouponScanner, read the following removal guide to eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.

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Quick menu:

• What is CouponScanner?
• STEP 1. Uninstall CouponScanner application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove CouponScanner ads from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove CouponScanner advertisements from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Ads by CouponScanner from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove CouponScanner extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

CouponScanner adware removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window, look for "CouponScanner", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program (which causes CouponScanner ads), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove CouponScanner adware from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "CouponScanner", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that CouponScanner ads can be caused by other adware. In the Manage Add-ons window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the couponscanner adware, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate: "CouponScanner", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that CouponScanner ads can be caused by other adware. In the "extensions" window of Google Chrome, remove all suspicious browser extensions.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the couponscanner adware, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions", in the opened window remove "CouponScanner". Note that CouponScanner ads can be generated by other adware. In the "Add-ons Manager" window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with couponscanner adware removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....

In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the couponscanner adware, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.

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