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

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]

Posted on Mar 20, 2018 9:38 AM

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Question marked as Apple recommended

It's spam. Read here > Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support


Your Mac is ok.

Posted on Mar 20, 2018 9:40 AM

1,207 replies

Jul 25, 2023 8:15 PM in response to Tucker1230

Tucker1230 wrote:

Help me with virus


Help you with an advertisement like this “you have (3) viruses” advertisement?


We all see these—and other advertisements—on the internet.


Advertisements are common, and some—such as this advertisement—are profitable for the advertiser.


Yes, this “you have (3) viruses” stuff is an advertisement, pretending to be something it’s not: a malware scan.


This advertiser also lied, as websites cannot scan your local storage. (If a website could scan, the sketchy folks responsible for this and other sketchy advertisements would just steal all our data. But websites can’t scan. So this advertiser lied.)


The advertiser would prefer you go buy some app you don’t need for a problem you don’t have, because that’s profitable for the advertiser.


Ignore the ad.


This ad is one of many sorts of scams, too: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Aug 2, 2023 9:26 PM in response to Sarai_mmm

Sarai_mmm wrote:

I need these viruses away from my phone


Help you with an advertisement like thise “you have (3) viruses” advertisement?


We all see these—and other advertisements—on the internet.


Advertisements are common, and some—such as this advertisement—are profitable for the advertiser.


Yes, this “you have (3) viruses” stuff is an advertisement, pretending to be something it’s not: a malware scan.


This advertiser also lied, as websites cannot scan your local storage. (If a website could scan, the sketchy folks responsible for this and other sketchy advertisements would just steal all our data. But websites can’t scan. So this advertiser lied.)


The advertiser would prefer you go buy some app you don’t need for a problem you don’t have, because that’s profitable for the advertiser.


Ignore the ad.


This ad is one of many sorts of scams, too: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Aug 8, 2023 8:38 AM in response to silas218

silas218 wrote:

It said I had one but my phone hasn’t be acting up


What indicated that? Some advertisement that included “you have (3) viruses” or other hilarity?


We all see these—and other advertisements—on the internet.


Advertisements are common, and some—such as this advertisement—are profitable for the advertiser.


Yes, this “you have (3) viruses” stuff is an advertisement, pretending to be something it’s not: a malware scan.


This advertiser also lied, as websites cannot scan your local storage. (If a website could scan, the sketchy folks responsible for this and other sketchy advertisements would just steal all our data. But websites can’t scan. So this advertiser lied.)


The advertiser would prefer you go buy some app you don’t need for a problem you don’t have, because that’s profitable for the advertiser.


Ignore the ad.


This ad is one of many sorts of scams, too: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Aug 10, 2023 9:54 PM in response to tieran177

tieran177 wrote:

please remove these


Remove what? Some advertisement that included “you have (3) viruses” or other such?


We all see these—and other advertisements—on the internet.


Advertisements are common, and some—such as this advertisement—are profitable for the advertiser.


Yes, this “you have (3) viruses” stuff is an advertisement, pretending to be something it’s not: a malware scan.


This advertiser also lied, as websites cannot scan your local storage. (If a website could scan, the sketchy folks responsible for this and other sketchy advertisements would just steal all our data. But websites can’t scan. So this advertiser lied.)


The advertiser would prefer you go buy some app you don’t need for a problem you don’t have, because that’s profitable for the advertiser.


Ignore the ad.


This ad is one of many sorts of scams, too: Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Aug 14, 2023 1:19 PM in response to makai225

makai225 wrote:

i need to delete all of my viruses off of my apple iphone


Easy. All done. All removed. Gone. Bye-bye! That was easy, wasn’t it? Wait, what, it was that easy? Yeah. That easy. yeah, the advertisement you’re reading—usually an advertisement for a product you don’t need, and that solves a problem you don’t have and that hasn’t existed for a decade or so— lied. Lied about the “virus scan”, too. Yes, lied. You don’t have any malware on your iPhone. Enjoy!


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


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

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