Pop-up fake virus warnings with example

In your case it shows Preferences instead of Settings. This is just because it is a different OS. The problem is the same though, and you have allowed a website to send you those Notifications. I don't remember on MacOS 12, but try Safari > Preferences > Websites > Notifications. Once you get there you will want to remove all of them.

If you have trouble navigating there, post a screenshot of where you are stuck and will be able to help you get there.

This thread is a reference to this User Tip by John Galt:

• Stop unwanted Notifications - Apple Community

You’re on a macOS version prior to macOS 13 Ventura, so you’ll see Preferences. Preferences was changed to Settings on macOS 13 and later, to better match what iOS and iPadOS uses.

The difference you’re noting is covered in the existing tip, too: “Go to Safari's Preferences (or Settings) menu > Websites > Notifications, and remove everything there...“

Those are website Notifications. The terminology can be understandably confusing because people generally use the word "popup" to describe just about anything unwanted unexpected or annoying.

Once you understand the terminology, the rest is easy. Stop unwanted Notifications - Apple Community describes what they are, how they came to be, and what to do about it if you do not want them — and I have no idea who would ever want that kind of harassment. It's one of the worldwide web consortium's more inexplicable ideas.

I have not, of course, clicked on any of these. I do recognize that they are click bait trying to prompt me to open something that actually WILL infect my computer.

To be completely technically accurate, merely clicking one of those Notifications will not do anything other than load a web page that will in turn attempt to convince you to download and install something (or call someone, or take some other actions that's going to result in misery). Loading those webpages is not harmful; neither is downloading something. Trouble can only occur as a result of actually installing something on your Mac, and that takes deliberate action and your consent.

Reading the terms and conditions associated with those things can be enlightening. As far as Mac malware goes, I have yet to come across a single example of something that doesn't do exactly what it says it's going to do, although they generally use arcane and intensely boring language in an effort to get you to stop reading and just give in to whatever it wants.

By the way I don't know which reply you're referring to. I don't recall replying to you, and I'm pretty good about remembering names. I just came across this Discussion by happenstance.