Fake Flash Player Update POP-UP Scam (Mac)

What is "Fake Flash Player Update"?

"Fake Flash Player Update" is a scam used to trick people into downloading an unofficial (fake) Flash Player that is presented as the Adobe Flash Player (it uses a very similar logo). This scam is distributed through a deceptive and unofficial website.

Generally, people arrive at websites of this type due to adware-type, potentially unwanted apps (PUAs) installed on their systems. These installations are often caused unintentionally. Once installed, PUAs deliver annoying, unwanted advertisements and collect user-system information.

Scammers use this deceptive website to trick people into installing the latest Flash Player (supposedly, Adobe Flash Player). They attempt to make visitors believe that they do not have the latest version installed - having it installed will supposedly improve browsing performance.

In fact, this site has nothing do to with the official Flash Player and will not update the current installed version. Generally, websites of this type trick people into downloading and installing unwanted applications (adware and so on). Therefore, unofficial websites should not be used to update or download software.

People often arrive at these websites due to installed adware-type PUAs, which deliver advertisements that conceal underlying content of any visited website. They feed users with coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and so on. If clicked, these ads open dubious, potentially malicious websites, or run scripts designed to cause other unwanted downloads/installations.

Another downside of these PUAs is that they continually collect browsing-related, and other, data. They gather entered search queries, geo-locations, URLs of visited websites, IP addresses, and so on. They often target personal, sensitive data.

Developers share recorded information with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private data to generate revenue. Therefore, data-tracking apps can cause privacy, browsing safety issues, or even identity theft. Any adware-type or other unwanted apps should be uninstalled immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Fake Flash Player Update" virus
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus
Symptoms	Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

"10 Critical Security Patches For Mac Flash Player", "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS", and "Apple Support Alert" are other scams that are displayed on deceptive websites. These might be different in certain ways, however, the main purpose of these websites is to trick people into downloading and installing unwanted software that can later be used to generate revenue.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Most people are tricked into downloading or installing unwanted apps (adware-type programs and other similar apps) using the "bundling" method. Therefore, most users install/download PUAs together with some other software.

Software developers successfully trick people into causing unwanted installations/downloads by hiding information regarding bundled apps in "Advanced", "Custom" and other similar settings. Furthermore, many users fail to check the available settings or simply skip set-up steps. These are the most common reasons for unintentional installation/download of unwanted apps.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Download software from official websites and using direct links. Do not use peer-to-Peer networks such as torrent clients, eMule, third party downloaders/installers, unofficial websites, and so on. All installations and downloads should be performed carefully. Check available settings when downloading or installing software, especially if it is freeware.

Deselect all offers to install additional (potentially unwanted) apps and only then finish the process. Do not trust intrusive ads, especially if they are displayed on dubious websites. These often lead to untrustworthy websites such as gambling, pornography, adult dating, and so on. If you experience these ads or unwanted redirects, unwanted apps might be causing them.

In this case, check installed extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins on the browser and programs on the operating system. Remove any unwanted apps immediately. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented within this scam website:

Software update

Update your Flash Player
Install the latest Flash Player for better performance.

Update now
"Flash Player" is essential plugin for your browser that allows you to view everything from video to games and animation on the web. The version of "Flash Player" on your system might not include the latest security updates.

The version of this plug-in on your computer doesn't include the latest security updates. Flash cannot be used until you download an update.

 

Click "Download Flash Player"

Install updates and enjoy performances.

 

 

Flash Player Update
Install the latest version of Flash Player in order to continue watching.

Appearance of "Fake Flash Player Update" scam (GIF):

Other variants of "Fake Flash Player Update" pop-up scam websites:

Example 1:

Text presented within this site:

Flash Player update is available for your computer

 

Older versions of Flash Player are vulnerable to online threats, you'll want to make sure you're always using the most recent version. If you're not running the most recent version, you might see an error message instead of your content.

 

Flash Player supports several data formats, including XML, JSON, AMF, and SWF. Multimedia formats supported by the Flash Player include mp3, FLV, PNG, JPEG, GIF, and RTMP, among others.

 

Version Update: The newest version of Flash Player enables greater security and privacy controls with protected HTTPS Dynamic Streaming (HDS). Other features include webcam support, accelerated graphics rendering, multithread video decoding, and improved software for high-end performance.

Example 2:

Text presented within this site:

Software Update

 

New update is available for your computer.

 

Your OS might need Flash Player for HD Support.
Please update your Flash Player to continue.

 

Install Name Version Size
V Media Player Mac OS X 0.6M

 

Note: The version of your player on your system downs not include the latest updates.
To continue, download an updated version.

 

Installing takes under a minute - No restart is required.

Example 3:

Text presented within this site:

Your system is missing critical plugin updates.

 

If you will not update them you will encounter problems playing videos and flash content.

You need to:
Step 1: Push the download button and get the latest Flash Player version
Step 2: Run the file and finish the installation process.

Example 4:

Text presented within this site:

Flash Player

Storage Multimedia Playback Updates Advanced
Your Adobe Flash Player is out of date
Downloading new updates...
Updating takes a few seconds and no restart is needed after installation.
Flash Player
Update Download Flash...
Updates
Flash Player can automatically check for updates to help protect your computer. Not updating may leave this computer vulnerable to security threats.

Adobe Flash Player Update RECOMMENDED
Install latest version of Adobe Flash Player for better performance.
Download

Examples of fake Adobe Flash Player installers:

Appearance of a fake Apple website promoting a fake Flash Player installer:

Another variant of a Flash Player-themed pop-up scam:

Yet another variant of Flash Player-themed pop-up scam:

Text presented within:

RECOMMENDED×
Flash Player Update
Install latest version of Flash Player for better performance.
Download

Software update
Update your Flash Player

The version of this plug-in on your computer might not include the latest security updates. Flash might not work until you download an update.

Update now
"Flash Player" is an essential plugin for your browser that allows you to view everything from video to games and animation on the web. The version of “Flash Player" on your system might not include the latest security updates and might be blocked.

The version of this plug-in on your computer might not include the latest security updates. Flash might not work until you download an update.
>
Click "Download Flash"

>
Install updates and enjoy performances.
Update Download Flash...

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Fake Flash Player Update" virus?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

▼ Show Discussion