Technical Fraud
Fake Antivirus Scams
Scareware that appears as a pop-up, claiming your computer is infected and pressuring you to buy useless or malicious "security" software.
How It Works
- While browsing, a pop-up window or a new tab appears, designed to look like a virus scan from a reputable antivirus company (e.g., Norton, McAfee).
- The fake scan shows numerous "infections" and "threats" on your computer.
- It prompts you to click a button to "Remove All Threats" or "Activate Protection."
- Clicking the button leads to a payment page for a fraudulent antivirus program. The software you buy is either completely ineffective or is actually malware itself.
Red Flags
- Virus alerts that appear within your web browser, not from your actual, installed antivirus software.
- High-pressure language and visuals intended to cause panic.
- The "scan" completes impossibly fast and always finds a large number of critical threats.
- Inability to close the pop-up or browser tab easily.
Prevention Tips
- Rely only on your trusted, installed antivirus software for security alerts.
- If you see a browser-based virus warning, do not click on it. Close the browser tab. If you can't, use Task Manager (or Force Quit on Mac) to close the entire browser.
- Keep your browser and a reputable ad-blocker up to date.
- Never provide credit card information to remove a "threat" identified by a pop-up.
Example Scenario
"A web page flashes red and displays a "System Scan Results" window that looks like a McAfee product, showing 15 infections and urging you to "Buy Now for Instant Protection!""