"Your system is infected with (3) Viruses” when opening a Safari tab

Ashwat92 wrote:

Help with virus

Those are advertisements, not "virus scans", so... no, your iPhone doesn't have a virus.

These are either as pop-ups claiming “viruses” or “hackers” or other words chosen to scare, or this is a subscribed calendar you were offered and accepted and that’s filled with advertising spam.

In either of the cases discussed throughout this thread, there’s no hack, no hacker, no virus, only advertising.

If you saw a pop-up advertisement claiming to have "scanned" your iPhone, ignore the pop-up advertisement. The ad lied.

If you are getting calendar alerts, remove the advertising-filled subscribed calendar, tap or click for more info ➡️ Delete spam calendars and events on iPhone - Apple Support

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for some info on common scams ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

tryton225 wrote:

Virus

Those are advertisements, not "virus scans", so... no, your iPhone doesn't have a virus.

These are either as pop-ups claiming “viruses” or “hackers” or other words chosen to scare, or this is a subscribed calendar you were offered and accepted and that’s filled with advertising spam.

In either of the cases discussed throughout this thread, there’s no hack, no hacker, no virus, only advertising.

If you saw a pop-up advertisement claiming to have "scanned" your iPhone, ignore the pop-up advertisement. The ad lied.

If you are getting calendar alerts, remove the advertising-filled subscribed calendar, tap or click for more info ➡️ Delete spam calendars and events on iPhone - Apple Support

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for some info on common scams ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

EddyEnmanuel wrote:

Help with virus 😭😭😖

Those are advertisements, not "virus scans", so... no, your iPhone doesn't have a virus.

These are either as pop-ups claiming “viruses” or “hackers” or other words chosen to scare, or this is a subscribed calendar you were offered and accepted and that’s filled with advertising spam.

In either of the cases discussed throughout this thread, there’s no hack, no hacker, no virus, only advertising.

If you saw a pop-up advertisement claiming to have "scanned" your iPhone, ignore the pop-up advertisement. The ad lied.

If you are getting calendar alerts, remove the advertising-filled subscribed calendar, tap or click for more info ➡️ Delete spam calendars and events on iPhone - Apple Support

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for some info on common scams ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Marshmallow_Bunnii wrote:

my Device is infected with 3 viruses can you help me get rid of it I don’t know how long it has been in my system. Also help me as soon as possible.

Those are advertisements, not "virus scans", so... no, your iPhone doesn't have a virus. Or three. Or 42. Or whatever number the advertiser picked.

These are either as pop-ups claiming “viruses” or “hackers” or other words chosen to scare, or this is a subscribed calendar you were offered and accepted and that’s filled with advertising spam.

In either of the cases discussed throughout this thread, there’s no hack, no hacker, no virus, only advertising.

If you saw a pop-up advertisement claiming to have "scanned" your iPhone, ignore the pop-up advertisement. The ad lied.

If you are getting calendar alerts, remove the advertising-filled subscribed calendar, tap or click for more info ➡️ Delete spam calendars and events on iPhone - Apple Support

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for some info on common scams ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

mguney wrote:

Please advise on what to do for such virus.

Best,

That wasn’t a malware scan.

If a website could “scan” your iPhone or iPad, the miscreants would directly steal your information. Even installed apps can’t “scan”, much less from some random or some sketchy website. That’d be a security catastrophe, if a website could “scan”.

It was an advertisement.

And the advertiser lied about the “virus”, and—if this is one of the usual ads—about the need for add-on security apps.

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

There’s no “virus”, no “hack”, and nothing here for you to fix, no need to change passwords, nothing. It’s a sketchy advertisement. (This is 2022; most advertisements and an increasing hunk of what pretends to be “news” or “entertainment” is sketchy and selling something.)

J0H4NN4 wrote:

So I was on p000rn because my friend told me to go on it and something by said that my iPhone was infected with 22 virus’s and to download a app but I don’t know my Apple ID pass

That wasn’t a malware scan.

If a website could “scan” your iPhone or iPad, the miscreants would directly steal your information. Even installed apps can’t “scan”, much less from some random or some sketchy website. That’d be a security catastrophe, if a website could “scan”.

It was an advertisement.

And the advertiser lied about the “virus”, and—if this is one of the usual ads—about the need for add-on security apps.

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

There’s no “virus”, no “hack”, and nothing here for you to fix, no need to change passwords, no need to download an app, nothing. It’s a sketchy advertisement. (This is 2022; most advertisements and an increasing hunk of what pretends to be “news” or “entertainment” is increasingly sketchy, and usually selling something.)

anaelis176 wrote:

How do I fix the virus.

There’s nothing to fix, because there’s nothing wrong, because there’s no “virus”, because you saw an advertisement and not a virus scan, and the advertiser lied.

That wasn’t a malware scan.

It was an advertisement.

If a website could “scan” your iPhone or iPad, the miscreants would directly steal your information. Even installed apps can’t “scan” an iPhone or iPad, much less “scans” from some random sketchy website. That’d be a security catastrophe, if a website could access your device and “scan”.

What happened here? An advertiser lied.

And the advertiser lied about the “virus”, and—if this is one of the usual ads—about the need for add-on security apps—to cause a reaction: panic, fear, concern, and a need to do something!

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for info on some of the various scams:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

There’s no “virus”, no “hack”, and nothing here for you to fix, no need to change passwords, no need to download an app, no need for privacy-invasive add-on VPN client apps, nothing. It’s a sketchy advertisement. (This being 2022, most advertisements and an increasing hunk of what content pretends to be “news” or “entertainment” is increasingly sketchy, and is increasingly selling you something.)

mophieD88 wrote:

I received a message like this as well telling me to remove the virus or my phone and sim card could be damaged and all of my information & data could be lost.

There’s nothing to fix, nothing to be lost, nothing to be damaged, because there’s nothing wrong, because there’s no “virus”, because you saw an advertisement and not a virus scan, and the advertiser lied.

That wasn’t a malware scan.

It was an advertisement.

If a website could “scan” your iPhone or iPad, the miscreants would directly steal your information. Even installed apps can’t “scan” an iPhone or iPad, much less “scans” from some random sketchy website. That’d be a security catastrophe, if a website could access your device and “scan”.

What happened here? An advertiser lied.

And the advertiser lied about the “virus”, and—if this is one of the usual ads—about the need for add-on security apps—to cause a reaction: panic, fear, concern, and a need to do something!

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for info on some of the various scams:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

There’s no “virus”, no “hack”, and nothing here for you to fix, no need to change passwords, no need to download an app, no need for privacy-invasive add-on VPN client apps, nothing. It’s a sketchy advertisement. (This being 2022, most advertisements and an increasing hunk of what content pretends to be “news” or “entertainment” is increasingly sketchy, and is increasingly selling you something.)

Meld62 wrote:

Just received this same message on safari today at12:15 this afternoon

There’s nothing to fix, nothing to be lost, nothing to be damaged, because there’s nothing wrong, because there’s no “virus”, because you saw an advertisement and not a virus scan.

That was no malware scan.

It was an advertisement.

The advertiser lied.

If a website could “scan” your iPhone or iPad, the miscreants would directly steal your information. Even installed apps can’t “scan” an iPhone or iPad, much less “scans” from some random sketchy website. It would be a security catastrophe if a remote website could access your device and “scan” it.

What happened here? An advertiser lied.

And the advertiser lied about the “virus”, and—if this is one of the usual ads—about the need for add-on security apps—to cause a reaction: panic, fear, concern, and a need to do something! (read: Buy! Buy! Buy!)

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for info on some of the various scams:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

There’s no “virus”, no “hack”, and nothing here for you to fix, no need to change passwords, no need to download an app, no need for privacy-invasive add-on VPN client apps, nothing. It’s a sketchy advertisement.

This being 2022, these "you system is infected with (65535) viruses!!!" advertisements—and much of social media and of media content still pretends to be “news” or “entertainment”—are increasingly all seeking to sell you something.

575hartley wrote:

I got the same message.

If you saw some “virus scan” pop-up or “your Mac {or iPhone or iPad} is infected with (32767) viruses” pop-up, or other similar rubbish, the pop-up lied.

You weren’t scanned, websites and pop-ups cannot scan (if websites could scan, they’d have access to all your info, and could just upload it directly without the bogus “scanning” claim), and yes, some advertisers can and do lie.

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for more info from Apple on this and other scams:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Ky_B6cz wrote:

I have a virus on my MacBook Pro

No, you do not have a “virus” or a “hacker” here.

You absolutely do not.

Your Mac is fine.

You have an advertisement showing up from some website. An advertisement. An advertisement making wild, bogus, incorrect, and hilariously wrong claims. As too many advertisers do. You can choose to believe the utter rubbish that the advertiser is claiming in that advertisement, or you can do what most of us do and ignore the advertisement. Your choice.

Why is this advertisement rubbish? If a website could scan your Mac, they could upload everything they want. Malware scans are very intrusive. The scammers wouldn’t need to pretend to scan, they could directly swipe everything of value. Browsers very deliberately work hard to prevent local system access outside of very limited cases. Which is why the scammers are trying to scam you into giving them far more access—the scammers can’t easily get that access otherwise. Websites cannot scan your Max, iPhone, iPad, Windows, etc.

If Apple had detected Mac malware (your Mac already runs Apple anti-malware), the problem app would be removed using built-in anti-malware tools; in addition to the built-in Gatekeeper blocking unsigned apps and most sketchy apps from being added, XProtect and MRT and Notarization can identify and remove problem apps.

Apple doesn’t use these pop-ups, and doesn’t call you—not unless you initiated a call to Apple, and requested a callback.

But do feel free to call that telephone number and get scammed. Because by the time that call finished, your security and/or your finances are going to be in trouble.

Here are some of the many scams: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Oh, and here is how to take a screenshot on your Mac: Take a screenshot on your Mac - Apple Support

I’m re-posting the image with the contact info obscured:

Zebbiecarman wrote:

I just had that happen on my IPad. It said I had three virus too, but it wanted to scan my device. I turned it off and now I’m afraid to turn it back on.

If you saw a “virus scan” pop-up advertisement or “your iPad {or iPhone or Mac} is infected with (32767) viruses” pop-up advertisement, or some other similar rubbish advertisement, the pop-up advertisement lied.

You weren’t scanned, websites and pop-ups cannot scan, and yes, some advertisers can and do lie.

If websites could scan your local files and data, they wouldn't need to post these advertisements, they'd just upload and steal everything. But websites cannot access your data. Websites cannot scan your files. Web browsers go to some effort to prevent access, too. So the advertisers lie, and the advertisers use words like "virus" or "hacker", intended to scare you into doing what the advertiser wants.

Tap or click on the following blue-text link for more info from Apple on this and other scams:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Go use your iPad. It's fine.

abetzi wrote:

My system is infected with (3) Viruses” when opening a Safari tab.

You are reading an advertisement making false claims, while your iPhone has no viruses.

The advertiser is lying.

Nothing is wrong with your iPhone, either.

Not anything from this advertisement, and nothing was detected by this advertisement, and certainly nothing related to the bogus “scan” cartoon animations that many of these advertisements claim to perform.

These advertisements cannot scan your iPhone/iPad/Mac/Windows/whatever, and cannot detect malware, but they can lie.

And lie they do.

The advertisers all know and choose to use scary words, too. Virus! Hacker! Infected!

Please see the previous seventy-some pages for some other folks that have encountered advertisers that have lied.

Some of the other sorts of lies and scams you have or will encounter:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

KAISTORM wrote:

please fix this i dont want this to happen and dont want to spend money

Nothing wrong, nothing happened, no virus, nothing to spend money on.

You are reading an advertisement making false claims, while your iPhone has no viruses.

The advertiser is lying.

Nothing is wrong with your iPhone, either.

Not anything from this advertisement, and nothing was detected by this advertisement, and certainly nothing related to the bogus “scan” cartoon animations that many of these advertisements claim to perform.

These advertisements cannot scan your iPhone/iPad/Mac/Windows/whatever, and cannot detect malware, but they can lie.

And lie they do.

The advertisers all know and choose to use scary words, too. Virus! Hacker! Infected!

Please see the previous seventy-some pages for some other folks that have encountered advertisers that have lied.

Some of the other sorts of lies and scams you have or will encounter:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

AddisonKing wrote:

I need help to get rid of viruses on my phone. I Clicked on to a website I always use and ended up with 27 of them. Now I’m panicking because it said -If viruses are not removed immediately your contact list will be deleted- and stuff like that. I did try the app but I’m not paying to get rid of viruses so can anybody help. So if you do see this reply to it ASAP

You are reading an advertisement making false claims, while your iPhone has no viruses.

The advertiser is lying.

Nothing is wrong with your iPhone, either. No viruses. Not even one.

Not anything reported from this advertisement, and nothing was detected by this advertisement, and certainly nothing related to the bogus “scan” cartoon animations that many of these advertisements claim to perform.

These advertisements cannot scan your iPhone/iPad/Mac/Windows/whatever, and cannot detect malware, but they can lie.

And lie they do.

The advertisers all know and choose to use scary words, too. Virus! Hacker! Infected! Scary words work.

Please see the previous seventy-some pages for some other folks that have encountered advertisers that have lied.

Tap on the following blue-text link for some of the other common sorts of lies and scams that you will encounter:

… Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support