mac-virus.info pop up

Question

mac-virus.info pop up

When I am on safari, I am getting a pop up saying

From "mac-virus.info":

System Alert.

Your Computer is infected with a n adware or malware causing you to see this popup.

This may happen due to obsolete virus protections.

To fix, please call system support at 860-272-4101 immediately. Please ensure you do not restart your computer to prevent data loss.

Possibility of Data & Identity theft, if not fixed immediately.

Now, I have tried cleaning my computer (not well, I am not a computer genius) with Sophos and they did not detect any threat. When the ad pops up on Safari I am unable to change the webpage and end up having to restart safari. The pop up loos official but not quite right so I looked up the number and I found that it is a scam. How do I get rid of this pop up and whatever it is doing to my Computer/Safari?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Jul 11, 2015 6:52 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Sparkleberry

Level 5

6,131 points

Jul 11, 2015 6:54 AM in response to kimberly10606

Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 2

Jul 11, 2015 6:56 AM in response to Sparkleberry

I have tried this and my computer does not come up with there being any adware on my computer.

Reply

Answer 3

Jul 11, 2015 7:06 AM in response to kimberly10606

Now I have received this pop up and it would NOT let me close Safari until I forced quit.

Reply

Answer 4

Jul 11, 2015 7:09 AM in response to kimberly10606

Had you followed all those steps in that link before I posted it?

Because if not and the time stamps are correct, you did the steps in two minutes. I think it would take longer.

You might also see this thread

How do I remove Sophos Anti Virus from my iMac

See also this thread, two differing approaches

Pop up problems in Safari on OS X Yosemite!

Reply

Answer 5

Kurt Lang

Level 9

59,064 points

Jul 11, 2015 7:09 AM in response to kimberly10606

While some newer adware has been known to display these same kinds of scam popups, they're generally being caused by the page you visited.

Force quit Safari. Hold the shift down and relaunch it.

Reply

Answer 6

Jul 11, 2015 7:21 AM in response to Kurt Lang

I did follow the instructions before you posted the link. I have restarted Safari many times and it continues to pop up for the past week or two every two ish days. Of course it is from a site I visited or it would not be on my computer (I do try hard to stay on safe well known sites though). I have read that it is a Scam but I don't know how to get rid of it. None of my information (which I have checked on another device) has been changed (social media and bank). I just would like the pop up to go away and it stop messing with my internet.

Reply

Answer 7

Kurt Lang

Level 9

59,064 points

Jul 11, 2015 7:28 AM in response to kimberly10606

Just to be clear, when you say you've restarted Safari many times, did you hold the shift key? That tells Safari not to load any web pages from the previous session.

It isn't always enough to stay on known safe web sites. Besides creating their own bogus help sites, these people hack into web sites in order to place these scam popups to direct you there. So if it takes a while for the owner of the site to notice their site has been hacked, you'll keep seeing the popup until it's been fixed.

The only way to make them "go away" is to stop visiting the sites where they occur.

These idiots can't spell, either. It's adware, not adward.

Reply

Answer 8

Jul 11, 2015 7:36 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Yes... and I didn't need to hold the shift key just to restart Safari. I have quit it by force quitting, restarting my computer and right clicking Safari. I know staying on safe websites is not always enough but it is something. It also happens on different websites, not always the same one or I would not be dumb enough to continue trying to use that same website.

I did not notice that misspelling, thank you.

Reply

Answer 9

Kurt Lang

Level 9

59,064 points

Jul 11, 2015 8:21 AM in response to kimberly10606

Yes... and I didn't need to hold the shift key just to restart Safari.

No, not just for the sake of launching Safari. You hold the shift key while relaunching it so Safari doesn't reload the last web sites you were on, which would include the one with the JavaScript looped popup. Have you done that?

Reply

Answer 10

Eric Root

Level 10

684,189 points

Jul 12, 2015 7:43 AM in response to kimberly10606

Force quit Safari from the  menu and reopen with the shift key held down. If that doesn’t work, disconnect from the Internet, open Safari, and then reconnect to the Internet. See link for other suggestions.

Safari -Tech support scam pop-ups

Reply