This message came up when I was opening a new window in the Safari browser and makes all sorts of threats if I don’t call Apple Support at 1-866-726-**** and follow Virus removal procedure immediately. I’m always wary of these things and just want to know if anyone else has run across this particular warning.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
It's spam. Read here > Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Your Mac is ok.
rush129 wrote:
I was on a website and it said my phone was infected with 22 viruses
Yeah, and they lied to you, too. If the scammers could access your device storage to the depth of access required to perform a malware scan—remote websites cannot access your storage—they’d just upload all your data and passwords and be done with it. They wouldn’t bother trying to scam you. If the scammers could actually do what their claims require, it’d be a catastrophe for all of us. And they can’t. But they can lie, and more than a few folks see the word VIRUS and panic.
Read this ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Ste_hfat wrote:
My iPhone got a virus
Unlikely. More likely that you did what the advertiser wanted. Which may well have been against your own interests.
tried everything but I can’t paid when I use a app to delete the virus
A "virus" is unlikely here, so there's nothing to delete, though I'm sure the advertiser was happy with the payment.
A website cannot scan your iPhone for malware. If that were possible, websites would just upload all your data and wouldn't bother with the "you have a virus!" advertisements.
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Wouldn't expect to see any payments here reimbursed, either. Not short of maybe reversing a credit card charge.
Grammymagee wrote:
I have received a similar message.
You and millions of others received this advertising message.
~Fifty pages of folks have posted here with no signs of slowing.
I have a screenshot of the ‘notification’. On 3/18/2021.
Print it out and frame it as the first virus scam advertisement you've gotten, then. Celebrate joining the viewing club! 😉 Or delete the copy of the advertisement. Your call. 🤪
But either way, it's still a scam.
his is at least the second time I have received this message.
Only twice? Give it time.
These advertisers are nothing if not persistent.
Scam calendar subscriptions are popular lately, too.
Today my phone is really slowed....not sure what to do next.
Ponder how well this "virus!" advertising works. The scammer planted the seed with that advertisement, and it has taken hold.
Now what (else) to do? Well, the advertiser would prefer you to send them money, or data. But realize that a website cannot scan your iPhone for malware. If that scan were possible, websites would just upload all your data and wouldn't bother with the "you have a virus!" advertisements and related scams.
So now it's time to learn a little more about how this and other scams target each of us:
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
lavanya245 wrote:
I am pop-ups that my phone has been hacked
The pop-up lied. Your iPhone is fine. Ignore the pop-up.
Here are some of the many sorts of scams, of which that pop-up was one.
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
derick281 wrote:
I was wonder if my phone has a virus
Here are some of the many sorts of scams, of which that pop-up was one.
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Queenpop wrote:
hi what do I have to do if I have had this
Learn more about how you and all of us get targeted for scams.
Otherwise, what to do? Well, nothing. Ignore the pop-up.
Here are some of the many sorts of scams, of which that pop-up was one.
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Layjah_huggins22 wrote:
My iPhone 7 says I have a virus on my phone and I’m wondering how to get it off
No virus. Scammer advertisement pop-up, or scammer advertisement calendar.
Your iPhone 7 itself is not telling you that it has a virus, you’ve either subscribed to a spammer’s calendar and are seeing those calendar notifications, or you’ve encountered the same lying pop-up advertisements discussed once or twice previously in this thread. Both are fine examples of the scammers’ art, too.
To fix either of these cases, click on the following blue-text link, and see either the Website Adverts and Pop-up Scams, "You're Infected With Viruses!" Scams or see the Spam Calendar Subscriptions—“Hacked!” and “Virus!” calendar alerts section—but in any case, no virus, just the usual junk on the internet: Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
august74 wrote:
It also says your system is infected
An advertiser lied to you. It happens. Some ads are scams.
Here are some of the many sorts of scams, which include pop-up and email "Virus!" and "Hacker!" messages.
Click here ➡️ Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
Click here ➡️ Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
august74 wrote:
It also says your system is infected
Of course it does.
Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages includes a description of this and other scams that can and will appear on any Internet-connected device that incorporates a display. That's a lot of devices, with literally billions of potential victims to exploit.
The scam artists behind their creation have no ability to "scan" anything. As the screenshots in that above User Tip illustrate, they don't even know what device they might appear on.
If running iOS 13 or earlier versions, check: Settings - Passwords & Accounts - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
If running iOS 14, check: Settings - Calendar - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
The Apple support article is below.
tlakeelmo wrote:
Is there a way to remove the popup? I am seeing this on my IPad and it just started on my phone.
If the pop-up is the spam-advertising pop-up that started off this fifty-three page thread, then disable pop-ups in Settings > Safari, and dismiss the pop-up. If the pop-up won't dismiss, then force-exit the Safari app (click or tap on the following blue-text link Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support), and then use Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data to clear the saved website data, and re-launch Safari.
If you are getting calendar alerts on an iPhone as I might guess, remove the subscribed calendar. Somewhere along the way, you were offered and accepted notifications from some website, and that subscribed you to a spammer's calendar. Click or tap on the following blue-text for info on how to unsubscribe to a calendar on an iPhone: Delete spam calendars and events on iPhone - Apple Support
If you're not on an iPhone or are getting some other message, you'll want to include a few more details.
pinky209 wrote:
How do I get rid of my virus
If you got a virus, see your doctor or other medical provider.
If you got a pop-up advertisement on an iPhone or iPad or Mac, well, the advertiser lied to you. Your iPhone is fine.
Click or tap on both the following blue-text links for more info on this and other common scams.
Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts… - Apple Community
As posted above:
If running iOS 13 or earlier versions, check: Settings - Passwords & Accounts - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
If running iOS 14, check: Settings - Calendar - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
The Apple support article is below.
As posted above:
If running iOS 13 or earlier versions, check: Settings - Passwords & Accounts - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
If running iOS 14, check: Settings - Calendar - Accounts - Any rogue entries here? If so, delete the rogue account.
The Apple support article is below.
Fairymagic37 wrote:
Me too! I was on my iPad looking for the “perfect face” template, and I clicked on the picture. Then it came up with what looked like apples website and said I have the Trojan Horse virus, I clicked scan now and it tried to make me pay. I am still worried, but I don’t know if it did anything
If a website could scan your iPad to the depth of access necessary for actually detecting malware, the crooks would just upload all of your data and all your passwords. Browsers intentionally and necessarily block that access.
So what happened?
The advertisement succeeded in hooking your attention and your interest and your fears, and lied to you.
And you then verified to the advertiser that you are willing to interact with scams.
If you didn’t install anything, you’re very likely just fine.
Though whatever can be determined about your identity here (remotely) may mean you’ll get more of this stuff for a while.
Some reading on the topic:
Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support
Scam Pop-ups, Scam Viruses, Scam Receipts, Scam Purchase
"Your system is infected with (3) Viruses” when opening a Safari tab
