Ads by Shopping Optimizer

What is Shopping Optimizer?

Shopping Optimizer is a deceptive browser extension claiming to save time and money while shopping online. Claims to provide coupons, display special deals/discounts available on various online stores, and enable comparison shopping and other similar functionality, often trick users into believing that Shopping Optimizer is legitimate.

Be aware, however, that this add-on often infiltrates systems without users’ permission. Furthermore, it continually tracks Internet browsing activity and generates intrusive online advertisements. For these reasons, it is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and adware.

This PUP records IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar browsing-related information. This data may seem insignificant, however, it may contain personally identifiable details that the developers of Shopping Optimizer share with third parties to generate revenue.

Thus, the presence of an information tracking app can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. In addition, Shopping Optimizer employs a 'virtual layer' to generate pop-up, interstitial, search, banner and text-link ads.

There is a high probability that these displayed advertisements will lead to malicious sites - clicking them is risky and might cause further adware or malware infections. Furthermore, none originate from users' visited websites. By concealing underlying web content, they significantly diminish the Internet browsing experience.

If you are concerned with your privacy and Internet browsing safety, uninstall Shopping Optimizer immediately.

There are dozens of other potentially unwanted programs almost identical to Shopping Optimizer. iDeals, Savepath Deals, and PriceFountain are just some examples from a long list. All claim to legitimately enhance the Internet browsing experience, however, none provide users with any real value.

Apps such as Shopping Optimizer are designed to generate revenue for the developers by delivering intrusive advertisements and continually recording personally identifiable data.

How did Shopping Optimizer install on my computer?

Shopping Optimizer is distributed using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' - stealth installation of potentially unwanted programs with regular software/apps. For this reason, many users install this application inadvertently. Research shows that many users do not express enough caution when downloading and installing software.

Thus, developers intentionally conceal rogue applications within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings. By rushing the download and installation processes, and skipping most/all steps, users often inadvertently install malicious applications.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

This situation can be prevented by taking two simple steps. Firstly, never rush when downloading and installing software - perform these processes using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings and closely analyze each step. Secondly, opt-out of all bundled applications and decline offers to download or install additional applications, since it is highly probable that bundled apps will be malicious.

Deceptive free software installer distributing Faster Web adware:

Shopping Optimizer generating intrusive online ads (marked as 'Ads by Shopping Optimizer'):

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Quick menu:

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

Shopping Optimizer 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 any recently-installed suspicious applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes Shopping Optimizer ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove Shopping Optimizer 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 "Shopping Optimizer", select this entry and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the faster web 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 "Extensions". Locate "iDeals Shopping Optimizer - Never Miss A Deal", select this entry and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the faster web 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 plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove "Shopping Optimizer".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with faster web 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 faster web 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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