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computer virus pop-up message

There was a Comcast user scam of a pop-up message alerting me to call a number regarding a computer virus that will make my computer crash. Th messages keep beeping loud and I could not x out of it, so I clicked ok and exited whatever screen popped up.


Is there a virus on my computer? How can I find out or correct it? I have been having problems with one email account today. When I try to open an email, it freezes. Then, when I try to type an email the typing speed is so slow and freezes up sometimes cursor moving backwards. I do not know if this email provider is having tech issues today or if there is a virus affecting this older or less protected email provider.

MacBook, OS 10.10.3

Posted on Jul 30, 2015 1:35 PM

Reply
1 reply

Jul 30, 2015 6:38 PM in response to cnovice

Is there a virus on my computer?

No.

Don't use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product on a Mac. There is never a need for it, and relying on it for protection makes you more vulnerable to attack, not less.

It's a Web scam that only affects your browser, and only temporarily. There are several ways to recover.

1. If you're running Safari 8.0.7 or later and you see a dialog with the message “Don’t show more alerts from this webpage,” check the box and click OK.

2. If no other tabs or windows are open, or if you don't mind losing those tabs or windows, force quit Safari. Relaunch it by holding down the shift key and clicking its icon in the Dock.

The following steps may enable you to keep the state of other open tabs and windows.

3. Press the key combination command-W to close the tab or window. A huge box will pop up. Press the return key and both the box and the page will close. If that doesn't happen, continue.

4. Press and hold command-W. You may hear repeating alert sounds. While holding the keys, click the OK button in the popup. A different popup may appear, which you can cancel out of as usual.

5. From the Safari menu bar, select

Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Security

and uncheck the box marked Enable JavaScript. If the Preferences menu item is grayed out, go to Step 2.

After closing the malicious page, select from the menu bar

Safari Preferences... Privacy Remove All Website Data

to get rid of any cookies or other data left by the server. Open your Downloads folder and delete anything you don't recognize.

when I try to type an email the typing speed is so slow and freezes up sometimes cursor moving backwards

1. Open a message-editing window. Under the Edit menu, deselect all the options in the Spelling and Substitutions sub-menus. Test.

2. Some users with this problem report that they were advised by Apple Support to remove the Markup icon from the toolbar of the message-editing window. To do that, open a new message window, then select

View ▹ Customize Toolbar...

from the menu bar. Drag the Markup icon—which represents a portfolio case—down and out of the toolbar, then release it. Click Done.

3. Many problems with Mail are caused by iCloud Drive. If you use the service, open the iCloud preference pane, click Options... next to the iCloud Drive box, and in the sheet that opens, uncheck the box marked Mail. See whether there's an improvement.

computer virus pop-up message

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