MacCleaner Scam

FWIW, You can run Malwarebytes for free. You only pay if you want real time protection.

Do following and stop lamenting:

Stop Safari,

Start Safari while holding the shift key,

When started: Safari menu->History->Clear all history

Then Safari menu->Preferences->Advanced: check the lowest entry "Show develop menu...."

Then Safari menu->Develop->Empty Caches.

Then you will be rid of the scam.

PaulWhite wrote:

Surely there must be a way of cleaning out the various plist, launch daemons these criminals install without paying these parasites to do it.

There is, and it's simple. The solution follows the format of this Discussion, among others: Runaway Process - SearchBrowserSky.

If you need specific guidance for your particular circumstances though, please write back.

As long as there are gullible humans to feed upon, those parasites will always be among us. However, you never have to download or install anything, pay, or otherwise grow dependent upon any "sub-scammers". The free market is certain to create opportunists seeking to capitalize on the misery of others. It makes the world go 'round. The point is you don't have to play that game. Of course you can if you wish. It's up to you.

Read Effective defenses against malware and other threats, which can be summarized in the four words "think before you click."

PaulWhite wrote:

I have tried several adware cleaners including MalWareBytes and none of them seem to work.

Uninstall anything and everything you installed in an effort to eradicate whatever it was you installed to begin with.

I appreciate the advice here but surely there is a way of removing this adware stuff.

Once again, please refer to the Discussion I linked earlier. It serves to outline the general steps required to remove the adware stuff.

Do not download anything.

Do not install anything.

You don't need to.

If that does not describe the goal you sought to achieve in your original post, then please explain what it is.

I would be very surprised if the developers of this app were located in Germany. Please understand that there are many “Mac cleaners” out there. There is really no way to tell where your “macCleaner.dmg” file came from. The sad fact is that pretty much anyone can throw an ad up on the internet saying “Speed up your Mac with Mac Cleaner”. What you actually download is anyone’s guess.

Paul: my "method" was about passing by all the caches that Safari looks at with normal opening, and then making sure that they are all empty: that's normally where these scams hide. Opening with the shift key forces Safari not to read caches.

I hope that my "treatment" was enough to get rid of the scams.

Lex

Any concrete suggestions where to look?

For the third time: Refer to the Discussion I linked earlier.

The reason I have responded to you in that manner is that following instructions is a prerequisite for my continued interest in helping you fix your Mac. Repeating myself wastes my time and yours. If you can't follow instructions you won't be able to fix your Mac, and you will forever remain subservient to the "sub-scammers."

Best wishes.

Okay, so you get rid of one - there are another thousand scammers out there and they will continue to try as long as there are people who are scared enough/not savvy enough to simply ignore them. As long as the scammers are making money, they will continue to exist.

PaulWhite wrote:

Why shouldn't they be based in Germany. It certainly looks to me as though they may be. If so it would be a huge advantage because the German legal system would make it fairly simple to finish them off once and for ever.

OK then.

I never told you to use any such things. In fact I recommend you don’t.

Read the Discussion I referenced, and if you have questions return to this Discussion, and ask.

That is heavy overkill: in that folder are 44 folders and files (incl. the hidden ones). The caches as said above should be enough.

I sometimes delete the Safari folder in my home directory's Library folder (e.g. rm -rf ~/Library/Safari). This seems to clear all the cache and history etc. On relaunch Safari recreates this folder and sets up my previously saved bookmarks from iCloud.