Ironically, some malware presents itself as software
that will protect you from malware. You might be told: “Warning!
Your phone is infected with five viruses! Tap here to clean it.”
But what you’re actually seeing is just an ‘advert’ on a web page. It
knows nothing about your device, and every visitor sees the same fictitious
message.
Three ways to recognise these bogus warnings include:
- They convey a sense of disaster and urgency. Some play a recorded voice
saying your computer is infected. A genuine warning would not be so
dramatic.
- They give you a phone number to call. Real security software doesn’t do
this. It’s essentially the reverse of a scam
phone call.
- Because the warnings are really just web pages, they appear contained
within your browser. If you close the browser, the warning will disappear
with it.
No harm will have come from you seeing this hoax. You’d only be in danger
if you followed up on what it was suggesting, like installing an app or
calling a number. Otherwise, you can ignore it and carry on your day.
If you can’t get the warning to go away, try restarting your device, or
ask a friend to help.