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Any phone • Scams • 5–10 minutes

How to spot fake virus pop-ups

The golden ruleThe golden rule: if someone creates URGENCY and asks for MONEY or PERSONAL INFORMATION, stop. It is almost certainly a scam. A real company will never rush you, and it will wait while you check.
This guide is about fake virus pop-ups: scary warnings in your web browser that claim your phone has viruses. Take your time. Nothing in this guide can hurt your phone.

  1. Scam pop-ups: warnings that say your phone has viruses

    What they look like: Full-screen warnings like "Your iPhone has (3) viruses!" or "Your phone is hacked." Fake McAfee, Norton, or Apple warnings inside your web browser. Pop-ups with a phone number and words like "call this number for support."

    The truth: A website CANNOT scan your phone. No real security company warns you through a browser pop-up. These are ads designed to scare you. They are not real warnings, and there is never a real support phone number in a pop-up.

    What to do: Do NOT tap anything inside the pop-up, not even the X button. The X can be fake and start a download. Close the browser tab instead. On iPhone, open Safari, tap the tab switcher (the two overlapping squares), and swipe the bad tab away. On Samsung or Pixel, open Chrome, tap the tab counter (the square with a number), and swipe the bad tab away.

    If it keeps coming back: Clearing the browser’s saved data usually stops it for good. This site has a step-by-step guide for that: Pop-ups and unwanted ads for iPhone, for Google Pixel, and for Samsung Galaxy.

  2. The pause test: three questions to ask yourself

    Before you do ANYTHING a stranger asks: pause. Ask yourself three questions: Are they rushing me? Do they want money or personal information? Did I contact them, or did they contact me? If they rushed you, want money or info, and THEY contacted YOU, it is a scam. When in doubt, ask a family member or friend before doing anything. A real company will wait.

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