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Original poster

McAfee virus scam

30 replies

REignbow · 13/06/2022 17:05

For the last two weeks, when I’m reading a thread. I will get an alert from McAfee saying I have a virus.

l Use a tablet and this doesn’t occur on any other website etc that I look at.

I have signed out of MN and changed my password but it is still happening.

Has MN been hacked?

OP posts:
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8
saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/06/2022 00:52

KatyMumsnet · 20/06/2022 09:51

Hi, apologies for the delayed response.

We've done everything we can to prevent it from ever popping up on Mumsnet and it has been flagged to our external security provider as the screenshots on this thread do show another tab has opened.

You may have accidentally clicked on something that has installed malicious software on your device which is causing the advert to keep popping up while you are browsing.

You should run a malware check to see if your device has any malicious software installed on it - https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download

Also, check your browser to see if you have any suspicious plugins and remove them, here are some instructions:

  • Open Settings and select Safari.
  • Scroll down and tap on Extensions.
  • Choose the extension you would like to disable.
  • Tap the toggle next to it to disable the extension. Repeat for every extension you'd like to turn off.
We'd also suggest closing down all your tabs and clearing your browser cookies and cache, there are instructions in this article on how to do this - https://browserhow.com/how-to-clear-history-cookies-and-cache-from-safari-ios-ipados/

I’m really not sure what is missing in translation.

New tabs are not popping up!

The scammy pop up is happening in the same tab.

I have cleared my cache… there are no extensions running… this is only happening on your site. It is Mumsnet and mumsnet only that is causing this. Not me, not my browser, not my iPad,

MNHQ
KatyMumsnet · 21/06/2022 09:08

I can see in the screenshots that there are pop-ups and a new tab opening, apologies for not being clearer in my previous message. There are two possibilities - one is that it is a pop-up originating from Mumsnet and the other is that you've clicked on something that has installed malicious software on your device.

We’re doing everything we can on our side to locate and block this from our side. We have set up targeted and manual scanning to catch the issue. We have also added the malicious domain window-safe[.]com to our global block list. We will update you as soon as we know more.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/06/2022 13:23

@KatyMumsnet are you talking about the several tabs that are open in the screenshot? If you are I’ve clearly explained multiple times those weren’t opened by the scam ad. I opened them and they each contained a different thread that I was reading/bookmarking. If you look at the one with the history you can clearly see that on the same tab the ad took over.

Have you or your IT help never used safari on an IPad? I do appreciate you trying to fix this problem. But you’ll forgive me if I’m concerned that you are not understanding the symptoms that I have clearly spelled out.

  1. I am not accidentally clicking an ad
  2. the ad is overtaking the tab I am browsing.
  3. the ad is not opening a new tab
  4. i have cleared my history and cache
  5. the ad is still not opening a new tab
  6. the ad is a pop up in the same tab
  7. this is the only site that this is happening on.
Now I can say that the frequency of the ad has decreased over the past few days, but has not been eliminated
MNHQ
KatyMumsnet · 21/06/2022 14:12

We do understand the issue and as I said before we’re doing everything we can on our side to locate and block this from happening.

There is a new tab that has opened in your screenshot, so we're just covering all bases by asking you to check on your side in case there is anything else that is causing these pop-ups to continue. If you've run those checks then you can rule that out.

It's good that the frequency has decreased hopefully that means the measures we've put in place are working!

McAfee virus scam
saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/06/2022 23:37

@KatyMumsnet For the future, (And sanity of those looking for help) If you look at the drop down I marked up in one of my screenshots. You will see the history for the browser tab that I was actively on. It shows the thread address + those of the spam in the same tab. Ignore the other tabs… as I’ve said I routinely open new threads into separate tabs to read.

So far I think I’ve gone 2 days without the scammy ad, so I think it’s safe to say you adding the offending website to the blocked list worked. Maybe check with @REignbow whose thread I so rudely took over. Sorry Reignbow!

Thank you Katymumsnet for sticking with me … I don’t think it was easy on either of us, but we got there in the end 😁

McAfee virus scam
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