APPLE SUPPORT SCAM??

There are systems that blacklist such sites, so when you try to go there, you get a message that the site cannot be accessed. But the scammers know this. As soon as a site is blocked, they just open a new domain running the same scam. Typically, they open dozens of domain names, all with essentially the same interface.

A site can't magically load itself. Something you did sent you there. An email link. A compromised site that redireted you there. A benign looking site that intentionally sent you there.

What these scammers have been doing for a while is try to get you to install remote access software so they can login to your desktop. Then they pretend to find all kinds of "problems" by showing you normal system files and pronouncing they're a virus, or some other type of malware. They'll also show you Console logs (most of which means nothing to anyone), and claim it's evidence of having been hacked.

And then for the low, low price of $399 (or some other number pulled out of the air), they "fix" it all for you. If that isn't bad enough, if you pay it, the crooks now have your credit card number to use as they wish. And who knows what else they did while having remote access to your computer? Some will try to find personal information to bank accounts, or whatever looks juicy. For added fun, they'll turn remote login and screen sharing on so even after you close the remote access software, they can still watch whatever you're doing.

No one can determine that from outside your computer. These are ALWAYS a SCAM.

the web site you are visiting, Genius.bar-apple.com is not currently controlled by Apple, Inc. It appear to be in India. At this writing, Apple does not have a world-wide support center in India.

Never download or click on what they tell you to. Prevention is the best defense you have. They rely on people not knowing that a browser can’t identify problems on your system from some remote location.

As kahjot noted, it's mostly about using your head. I know what I wrote sounds scary, but a person still has to consent to installing the software before the crooks can do anything. Just talking to them on the phone can't compromise your Mac.

I'm not sure what malware Apple removed, but if anything, it would most likely have been adware. Harmless (so far), but greatly annoying.

For the most part, all you need to do to stay safe is be selective about where you go on the web, and in particular what you download.

Never:

1) Download anything from a P2P or file sharing site.

2) Download anything from a pirate site.

3) Believe any popup that says your computer is infected.

4) Believe any popup that says you need to download Flash/Java/codec from their site.

I reported that site to what appeared to be the Web site registry that controlled those IP addresses. Today I got an email from abuse@publicdomainregistry.com:

Hello,

Our team of investigators has confirmed the presence of fraudulent content on the following domain: bar-apple.com

In order to curtail the situation, we have suspended the domain.

Please contact us in case of any query.

Thanks and Regards,

Abuse Mitigation Team

Public Domain Registry

Ticket Details

Ticket ID: [#WIM-547-98272]

Status: Closed

To add. No, Apple can't do anything about these. This was just one of thousands of such scam web sites. The only way to avoid them is to never browse the web.