Safari-Alert ?scam?

I'm glad it worked for you, but I wouldn't want anyone else to download a scam when they've already been plagued with a pop-up scam.

You can see more discussions on CleanMyMac here: https://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?type=discussion&showAnsweredFirst=true &q=cleanmymac&sort=updatedDesc.

And here's a good particular one: Re: how to delete tuneupmymac (the title says tuneupmymac, but read MichelPM's comments about Cleanmymac).

When you say:

I Disconnected and tried to clean data before running my program, it did not help

How did you attempt to manually "clean data?"

I need to clarify, I didn't attempt to use download CleanMyMac, my scamdar went off as soon as I saw it. I couldn't get the window prompting me to download it to dismiss. There was an OK button which when clicked would simply re-prompt the message. It was a brutal cycle that I couldn't even open Safai Preferences, change windows, dismiss or hide, Safari 8.0 BTW was trapped by this malicious prompt to call for a solution.

Stephisa's suggestion:

But I managed to escape anyway by combining multiple techniques.

• First, quit Safari. To do this, press COMMAND, OPTION and ESC keys together to bring the Force Quit windows. Select Safari in the list and press the Force Quit button.
• Second: disconnect your mac COMPLETELY from the internet (WiFi, Ethernet cable, anything).
• Third: erase the following file ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db

  You can do this using

  • (a) a terminal windows that you can find under the utilities folder in the application folder.
    • Then type in the command rm ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db
  • (b) you can use the Finder window.
    • Go under <your home directory> and then select Go-->Go to Folder (in the menu bar)
    • Type in the following directory Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari and delete the Cache.db file.
• Four, restart Safari,
  • Then close ALL Safari windows except for the main window (keep only one Safari window).
  • In the Safari main windows, delete ALL tabs.
• Five, you can now restart your internet connection and continue browsing and have a normal life with ALL your money and pride intact.

Work perfectly for me, with a Shift+Open Safari I was able to beat the page prompt cycle and close the window out, but only after deleting the Cache.db file. Hope that clarifies.

I attempted to open safari without a connection hoping the message would not show up, but it still did, with the message there I could not oorn the menu tab which would allow me to select the "clear wedsite data" option. That was only available after the cleaning. There are probably 100 other ways to do it but seeing I had the program already, that's what I used. Don't but anything just to clean this off, deleting cache manually should work too.

Thanks Stephisa. I followed your instructions and it worked. I appreciate it

All, I just had this same situation happen on my wife's Airbook. Very frustrating but part of our world today. I did the following based on one of the posts below:

1. Closed out of Safart

2. Restarted Safari by holding the "shift" key down during the opening process.

3. Once open, I went to the Preferences portion of Safari and disabled JavaScript.

a. Did this by going to the Security portion of the Preferences and unchecked Enable Java Script

4. Went to the Downloads folder and selected all (cmd-A) and moved everything to the trash.

5. Emptied the trash.

6. Reopened Safari with no problem.

7. Tested it by going to a known secure site with no pop-up.

8. Opened Safari Preferences again and re-enabled JavaScript.

9. Back in business.

Message and lesson for my wife, remember when you go to any sites that do not look right, have multiple pop-ups that may interfere with clicking on what you want of in general just not having good internet security practices, one will obtain something that is not good. So to all my Mac family, we are not immune to issues that present a negative outcome. I suspect this is because of the popularity of Mac and that we do have a very good and robust system. So persons want to exploit those challenges. Good luck and good surfing..

This is a scam. They use different phone numbers but it is still the scam people.

Tonight I got so fed up with them, I called, played along for a while, and then gave them a piece of my mind, telling them they were low life scammers and that they should get real jobs instead of p!ss!ng people off.

Yes you are correct this is a scam. This and the other adwares are scams especially when it relates to this situation. I finally had to take the course of going into various areas of the computer manually and get rid of the darn thing. I never did get an answer on the phone thank goodness.

Thanks for your post and again, I agree it is a worthless SCAM!!

Yesterday I was on my MACBook Pro when all of a sudden it locked up and I got the "window" that some people are talking about. It is a scam and this company was the one who froze my Safari and then wanted $$$ to unfreeze it. The number did not look correct to me for Apple so I would not let them do anything especially that I am sure they were about to ask to for my Credit Card number. I called Apple and they helped me unlock Safari and and then sure that my Computer was not infected with a malware.

My daughter had this problem tonight. She had removed Avast off her Air (13" Mid 2012 model(1.8Ghz I5)) not knowing what it was.

She is running Yosemite 10.10.1

The pop up window basically locks you out of changing any settings in Safari. The only option that seems to be available is to close it or call them.

So I did the following:

Using a flash drive I installed Avast back onto the machine and began a Full System Scan. With Avast running in the background I did the following:

Closed Safari (I was able to just use Command + Q)

Disconnected from the wifi

While holding the 'shift' key, I click the Safari icon in the dock to relaunch it

Once that opened I was able to was able to get into the Preferences

In the Privacy Tab I removed all the websites data twice. As it came right back the first time. The second time it was removed.

It also disables the pop up blocker, which I turned back on in the Security Tab.

Once I did these steps I was able to get it to stop.

What a pain in the butt.

Thanks for the help stevejobsfan0123

So I had two clients with this issue today.

First, I believe it is the result of a page asking to install a 'media player'

Next, It doesn't seem to actually install software, it's just that the browser window is still open, and you can't close it.

With that in mind, I followed the steps outlined to get back to the "Clear History.." dialog, and _only_ checked "Close all Safari Windows". This seems to have cleared the issue.

FYI

From the U.S. Federal Trade Commission:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/court-tells-tech-support-scammers-pay

Hello,

Perhaps this may help. In my home we also had this experience. After determining it was a SCAM I did the following:

clear history and website data

- remove extensions

- close safari

- open Finder / click on GO in menu bar

- click on COMPUTER

- click on MAC HD

- click on LIBRARY

- empty CACHES, LAUNCH AGENTS, LAUNCH DAMAONS

- click on GO again

- hold down OPTION key

- click on LIBRARY

- move SAFARI folder to desktop

- open PREFERENCES folder

- move com.apple.safari.plists to trash

- RESTART

- move SAFARI folder to trash

- empty trash

- hold down left SHIFT key when opening SAFARI the first time

- Reset Homepage

Hopefully this will help. It has worked fine since I've done this. Good luck

worked like a charm

thanks

I had Mac-alerts.com on safari. I followed how to remove unwanted adware for Mac Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support .

Went to the store. they told me to call apple care. called apple care and the tech did what i already did and then asked me to use adware searcher.

keep searching for a while and could not find a solution for it. Then i called a friend of mine. he told me to do this. download this free adware remover tool Adwaremedic http://www.adwaremedic.com/AdwareMedic.dmg

Search for the files in a sec and removed them. Asked me to reboot. and the problems is solved. never had it again.

I did take it off after that because the program keep popping up for donations when i start my Mac. but after i removed it. All good.

Give it a try .

Have a nice one.

Sam