MacBook Air might be hacked

joyfromelrose wrote:

i was on Pinterest and clicked on a recipe and I got the pop-up with all kinds of windows that warmed me that my computer is hacked and I should call the # that came up.

Lies from scammers, meant to frighten you into calling the criminals for "help." A common thread among many phone, e-mail, text message, and pop-up scams is to panic the intended victims so they will react immediately, without thinking straight.

See also:

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popup… - Apple Community

U.S. Federal Trade Commission – How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams

I did call but the person that answered wanted to get on my computer, so I hung up. I shut down my computer.

Good! They probably wanted to trick you into installing remote access software on your computer, to help them in ripping you off. Fortunately for you, you hung up before they could get you to compromise your computer security in that way.

It's not hacked. There was no need to call anyone. These things are very common scams.

You don't have to believe every popup, warning, demand, ransom note etc you encounter on the Internet.

Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages - Apple Community

Tundra999 wrote:

I have just started getting these pop-ups, every ca 5 minutes, for a few second, in the upper right-hand corner of my screen. Obviously fake: one said my (non-existence) gmail-account was hacked.

Looking around; I see people have advised to go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Notifications, but there are no unauthorised web-sites there.

It is very annoying; any suggestions?

Those sound like Web site notifications. The directions that people advised you to use for Safari are correct – although I would add, "Uncheck the 'Allow websites to ask permission to send notifications'" box.

Stop unwanted Notifications - Apple Community

By any chance, are you using other Web browsers? These Web notifications are a Web thing – not a Safari one, specifically. If you're using another Web browser, the idea of blocking them would be the same, but the controls that you used to block them might be different.

Tundra999 wrote:

No, I only use Safari, (Version 17.1.2 )

How can I get the Web notifications gone?

If it is those, follow the directions in that User Tip. (If they continue, it might be something else.)

I have just started getting these pop-ups, every ca 5 minutes, for a few second, in the upper right-hand corner of my screen. Obviously fake: one said my (non-existence) gmail-account was hacked.

Looking around; I see people have advised to go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Notifications, but there are no unauthorised web-sites there.

It is very annoying; any suggestions?

No, I only use Safari, (Version 17.1.2 )

How can I get the Web notifications gone?

?what User Tip?

Tundra999 wrote:

?what User Tip?

The one to which I posted a link.

Mea culpa.

I thought I had already done that, but then I had emptied out under "reader", not "notifications"(!)

<facepalm>

Thanks a lot for your patience with a dim-witted Mac air user!