What is the “McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” pop-up scam

“McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” pop-up is a scam that tries to convince you that your computer is infected with malware, specifically 5 viruses. The scam claims that your McAfee subscription has expired and that renewing it is necessary to remove the infections.

 

 

Scams falsely claiming users’ computers are infected with a virus are very common. Users get redirected to them all the time, whether because they browse high-risk websites or due to adware infection. Fake virus alerts aim to trick users into either calling fake tech support numbers or downloading a questionable program.

For this “McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” scam to pop up, users first need to be redirected to a specific website. The redirect is usually triggered when users visit and interact with high-risk websites. In rarer cases, an adware infection may be the trigger. When users get redirected to the site, several pop-ups appear on top of each other. The pop-ups are made to resemble McAfee virus alerts. The fake alerts imitate a scan for virus infections and then show that 5 viruses have been detected. An additional pop-up appears, claiming that “Your McAfee subscription has expired!”. The pop-up claims that to protect their computers, users need to renew their McAfee subscriptions.

Depending on which scam users encounter, the “McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” scam can either try to steal card details or trick them into downloading a program. If the scam wants card details, the pop-up will lead to a fake McAfee page where users will be asked to provide their details to supposedly buy a subscription. If the scam is to get users to install a different program, users would be redirected to a website that prompts a download. In the best-case scenario, the program would be a minor infection, worst case – some kind of malware.

It should be mentioned that virus alerts that appear in browsers are never legitimate. A browser is not capable of detecting malware infections. Users should only trust their anti-virus programs to get accurate information about whether malware is present.

What triggers redirects to “McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” pop-up scams?

There are several reasons why users may be redirected to sites displaying these scams. In most cases, it happens because users visit high-risk websites but do not have an ad blocker installed. Certain sites (e.g. those with pirated or pornographic content) trigger ads and redirects no matter what users interact with, and this often leads to scams being displayed. Installing an adblocking program is an easy fix for this issue.

If users have been redirected several times, adware is likely installed on the computer. Fortunately, it’s a pretty minor infection that will not cause serious issues. Infections like that usually install via free software bundling. They are attached to free software as extra offers, which are authorized to install alongside and do not require explicit permission from the user. The offers are technically optional but they need to be manually deselected to prevent their installations. However, this is difficult for many users because the offers are hidden in settings they don’t normally use.

If users want to prevent unwanted installations, they need to pay attention when installing free programs. Specifically, it’s necessary to opt for Advanced (Custom) settings instead of Default when given the option. While the installation window will recommend using Default settings, opting for them will lead to the installation of all added offers. If users opt for Advanced settings, all added offers will be made visible. Users will also have the option to deselect all offers they do not want.

It’s always recommended to deselect all added offers. No legitimate program will use software bundling to install because it’s a controversial installation method. It’s also very common for anti-virus programs to detect programs that use it as potential threats.

“McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” pop-up scam removal

To remove “McAfee – Your PC is infected with 5 viruses” pop-up scam from the screen, all users need to do is close the window. In case an adware infection is why users are redirected, it’s recommended to scan the computer with WiperSoft or another anti-virus program. And if users were tricked into providing their payment card details, they should contact their banks to cancel the cards immediately.