Hi i was on a website
but then a message pops
up that looks like it's
from settings where it
says i have 27 viruses and
i have to press something
to make them disappear
what should i do and is
it real
[Edited by Moderator]
iPhone 15, iOS 18
That message is almost certainly fake. It's a common scam designed to scare you into clicking on a link or downloading malicious software. Here's what I recommend:
1. Don't click on anything in the pop-up message. Avoid interacting with it entirely.
2. Close the browser tab where the message appeared. If the pop-up prevents you from closing the tab, force-close the browser.
3. Clear your browser history and website data:
4. Enable pop-up blocking
If you didn't click on the pop-up, your device should be fine. Apple doesn't send virus warnings through pop-ups, so any such message is fake.
Axel F.
That message is almost certainly fake. It's a common scam designed to scare you into clicking on a link or downloading malicious software. Here's what I recommend:
1. Don't click on anything in the pop-up message. Avoid interacting with it entirely.
2. Close the browser tab where the message appeared. If the pop-up prevents you from closing the tab, force-close the browser.
3. Clear your browser history and website data:
4. Enable pop-up blocking
If you didn't click on the pop-up, your device should be fine. Apple doesn't send virus warnings through pop-ups, so any such message is fake.
Axel F.
Anestasia123 wrote:
Okay but it seems like it was from settings and not malware (to niel)
When criminals send scam Web notifications to Macs, they very frequently include (unauthorized) copies of the System {Preferences/Settings} icons in their notifications, the better to fool the unwary.
See examples here:
Stop unwanted Notifications – Apple Community
If someone wanted to put up a scam message on your iPhone with a copy of the Settings icon, it would be very easy for them to do that. Anyone can take a screen capture – whether their purpose is legitimate (to write help documentation) or criminal (to make you think your iPhone was telling you about "viruses").
It's a scam. A message warning of malware will only be legitimate if it's in response to manually starting a scanner or uploading a file to a website.
(259559)
Okay but it seems like it was from settings and not malware (to niel)
Okay thank you so much Alex
I have done all the things
you recommended
You are welcome.
Axel F.
oh okay thank you very much
“Servant of cats” now I'm much
calmer
How do I handle a suspicious 'virus' alert on my iPhone?