How to eliminate Popup ads

The first step is to check just one Safari setting is configured:

Settings > Apps > Safari > [General] Block Pop-Ups - set to ON

Next, unwanted content - such as pop-up Ads - can largely mitigated by installing a good Content and Ad-blocking product. One of the very best and most respected within the Apple App Store - designed specifically for iPad, iPhone and Mac - is 1Blocker for Safari.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/1blocker-for-safari/id1365531024

1Blocker is highly configurable. All processing takes place on your device - and contrary to potential expectations, Safari will run faster and more efficiently. 

Unwanted content is not simply filtered after download (a technique used by basic/inferior products), but instead undesirable embedded content blocked form download. A further benefit on metered services, such as cellular connections where you data may be capped or chargeable, this not only improves speed but also saves you money. 1Blocker has also introduced its “Firewall” functions - that are explicitly designed to block “trackers”. Being implemented at the network-layer, this additional protection works across all Apps.

Since Safari nor Apple's native operating system has any virus popups or ads of any kind, this would indicate the popup is coming from the webpage you are visiting. Also your device cannot get a virus and the message is simply a phishing one which typically comes from insecure websites that are poorly secured or host malicious ads.

Most likely it is not a pop-up; it is a web page designed to look like a pop-up: Dealing with Safari popups that won't go … - Apple Community

Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community

Also: Block pop-up ads and windows in Safari - Apple Support

bob.c wrote:

Thanks Lotus Pilot, for the info on 1Blocker. However after downloading it, the program goes into extensions, and I m unfamiliar with them--never used them. After following all the instructions, I have the icon on the screen but when my wife goes into her favorite website (Happy Color, a coloring book activity with beautiful pictures) a popup comes on an we can't get past it. I can't tell if the 1Blocker is actually on. Evidently it is not working, since the popups appears immediately. She is now using an older iPad and no popups yet.....

Any suggestions?

In this context, Safari Extensions are nothing to fear. This is merely the mechanism used by 1Blocker to integrate with Safari. 1Blocker merely creates a rule-set that is supplied to Safari. The Safari browser itself does all the processing - but uses the rule-set generated by 1Blocker.

These two links to 1Blocker's own online help should assist with setting-up and verifying that 1Blocker is active:

• setting-up-1blocker
• steps-to-ensure-1blocker-is-active

If a website seeming freezes when you attempt to access it for the first time, notwithstanding comments offered by Lawrence Finch, the page appearing to freeze is most commonly due to a cookie acceptance being blocked from view. The simple method to resolve this, while 1Blocker is active, is to simply temporarily turn-off blocking for the specific page...

From Safari and the current web page, tap the icon at the left of the address field to expose a menu. From the menu, select Turn Off Content Blockers:

You should now see the full page along with any cookie acceptance that you must acknowledge before you will be able to proceed.

Turning-off Content Blockers may appear counterintuitive given the purpose of the Blocker, however, this action is temporary - only disabling the blocker until the next page refresh, at which point Safari will resume processing its rule-set.