block pop ups

Click here and follow the instructions, or if there’s a type of adware not covered by them on the computer, these ones. If you'd rather not remove it manually, you can instead run Adware Medic; this link is a direct download.

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Use Adwaremadic:

http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php

Fast simple, reliable.

If no success, use these Apple support instructions as a secondary option:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

Ciao.

Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems

If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide, remove adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac, and AdwareMedic. If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXAV. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.) You might consider adding this Safari extensions: Adblock Plus 1.8.9.

Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.

The following comes from user stevejobsfan0123. I have made minor changes to adapt to this presentation.

Fix Some Browser Pop-ups That Take Over Safari.

Common pop-ups include a message saying the government has seized your computer and you must pay to have it released (often called "Moneypak"), or a phony message saying that your computer has been infected, and you need to call a tech support number (sometimes claiming to be Apple) to get it resolved. First, understand that these pop-ups are not caused by a virus and your computer has not been affected. This "hijack" is limited to your web browser. Also understand that these messages are scams, so do not pay any money, call the listed number, or provide any personal information. This article will outline the solution to dismiss the pop-up.

Quit Safari

Usually, these pop-ups will not go away by either clicking "OK" or "Cancel." Furthermore, several menus in the menu bar may become disabled and show in gray, including the option to quit Safari. You will likely have to force quit Safari. To do this, press Command + option + esc, select Safari, and press Force Quit.

Relaunch Safari

If you relaunch Safari, the page will reopen. To prevent this from happening, hold down the 'Shift' key while opening Safari. This will prevent windows from the last time Safari was running from reopening.

This will not work in all cases. The shift key must be held at the right time, and in some cases, even if done correctly, the window reappears. In these circumstances, after force quitting Safari, turn off Wi-Fi or disconnect Ethernet, depending on how you connect to the Internet. Then relaunch Safari normally. It will try to reload the malicious webpage, but without a connection, it won't be able to. Navigate away from that page by entering a different URL, i.e. www.apple.com, and trying to load it. Now you can reconnect to the Internet, and the page you entered will appear rather than the malicious one.

There is no need to download anything to solve this problem.

You may have installed one or more of the common types of ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it. It's been reported that some variants of the "VSearch" malware block access to the page. If that happens, start in safe mode by holding down the shift key at the startup chime, then try again.

Back up all data before making any changes.

One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those. If Safari crashes on launch, skip that step and come back to it after you've done everything else.

If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, ask for further instructions.

Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. It may have come from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.

Malware is also found on websites that traffic in pirated content such as video. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.

In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.

Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked

Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)

or

Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)

if it's not already checked.

I would suggest that you DO download AdwareMedic. It is a very quick download and when opened will run very quickly. Suggesting that a download is more complicated or will take longer than following the multistep procedure advocated by Linc Davis should be viewed as an erroneous inference. Note that this procedure has already been presented by others as a secondary option.

Unlike Linc Davis' narrowly focused suggestion, AdwareMedic is designed to identify numerous possible problem makers. Therefore it will not be only easier to use but the chances for a successful resolution are much improved. In addition, the complicated procedures advocated by Linc Davis, by comparison, invites the possibility of unnecessary errors and mistakes.

I also would like to point out that Adwaremedic has been advocated for use by Apple telephone support and many Apple genius bar technicians. They prefer the speed, efficiency and simplicity of Adwaremedic over the Apple support procedures that Linc Davis is advocating.

So keep it fast and simple, use AdwareMedic. If there is no success, then by all means try the cumbersome procedure posted by Linc Davis. But the chances are that you will not need to.

This post is not under copyright and can be used in part or whole without attribution.

Ciao.

I would suggest that you DON'T download unknown applications merely because strangers on a website tell you to. It is a very quick way to become infected with malware, as you've already discovered. Suggesting that adequate investigation of a download is less complicated or will not take longer than following Apple's instructions should be viewed as an erroneous inference. Note that this procedure has already been presented by others as a primary option.

Unlike a narrowly focused suggestion, following safe computing practices is designed to address the underlying behavioral problem that caused you to be infected in the first place. Therefore it will not be only easier to use but the chances for being reinfected later are much reduced. In addition, the complicated procedure of researching and running an unknown application, by comparison, invites the possibility of unnecessary errors and mistakes.

I also would like to point out that Apple's instructions have been advocated for use by Apple Support. They prefer the speed, efficiency and simplicity of those instructions over running any third-party software.

So keep it fast and simple, use Apple's procedure. If there is no success, then by all means post your results and some other way will be found to remove the adware. But the chances are that you will not need to.

Linc Davis wrote:

Unlike a narrowly focused suggestion, following safe computing practices is designed to address the underlying behavioral problem that caused you to be infected in the first place. Therefore it will not be only easier to use but the chances for being reinfected later are much reduced. In addition, the complicated procedure of researching and running an unknown application, by comparison, invites the possibility of unnecessary errors and mistakes.

This is hardly an unknown application which a search of these forums will prove. Coupled with the fact that you advocate the use of third party applications (which by your definition would also be unknown) in many other discussions begs the question, why there and not here? I have yet to see you to advise a poster to investigate whether the application is effective or not or if it will do harm to their system, Can you resolve this changeable and contradictory position? Can you think of a word that would describe such a set of inconsistent circumstances?

I also would like to point out that Apple's instructions have been advocated for use by Apple Support. They prefer the speed, efficiency and simplicity of those instructions over running any third-party software.

That statement is simply untrue in the respect that it fails to take into account the greater whole of Apple support. I was advised by Apple store genius bar technicians that Adwaremedic was by far the easier application to solve such problems as opposed to the Apple support article procedures. Similar views have been expressed to the author of Adwaremedic.

If there is anything inherently wrong with Adwaremedic, it should be clearly stated up front. You are simply bring up unsubstantiated conjecture that simply does not serve the best interest of the user. There is a total absence of any negative facts from you about Adwaremedic, rather the introduction of an unworkable premise that all third party applications must be scrutinized by the user prior to usage. Is Microsoft word, Adobe flash player and the like to be treated with suspicion? If one were to follow your stance, the App store would be totally unworkable.

Simply put, your opinions are not facts and are looking for a problem that does not exist.

Ciao.