How to remove apps causing redirects to the wholecoolstories.com site?

What is wholecoolstories[.]com?

Wholecoolstories[.]com is a rogue site designed to present visitors with dubious content and/or redirect them to other untrustworthy/dangerous webpages. Users typically access such pages unintentionally; they get redirected to them by intrusive adverts or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

This software does not require express permission to infiltrate devices; hence, users may be unaware of its presence. PUAs operate by force-opening webpages, running intrusive advertisements, and gather browsing-related information.

The Internet is rife with websites like wholecoolstories[.]com; ddyuei.com, captcharesolver.com, captchareverse.com, and bruklo.com - are but a few examples.

The first thing wholecoolstories[.]com does when it is accessed - is checking the visitor's IP (Internet Protocol) address. The site learns users' geolocations in this manner.

This information is crucial to determining wholecoolstories[.]com further course of action. Therefore, whether visitors get redirected elsewhere and/or present them with questionable material - depends on their geolocations.

Furthermore, rogue webpages tend to use deceptive tactics (e.g., fake CAPTCHA verification, clickbait, etc.) to trick users into allowing their browser notifications. This is true of wholecoolstories[.]com as well; it states that its notifications must be enabled for users to continue watching online content - "Click the Allow button to subscribe to the push notifications and continue watching".

Potentially unwanted applications can have different harmful abilities, and these functions can be in varied combinations. For example, these apps can cause redirects and/or deliver intrusive ad campaigns.

Furthermore, most PUAs can track data. They record browsing activity (visited URLs, viewed webpages, searched queries, etc.) and collect vulnerable data extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations, and personally identifiable details). This sensitive information is then monetized by being shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

To summarize, the presence of unwanted software on devices can result in system infections, financial losses, serious privacy issues, and even identity theft. Therefore, it is crucial to remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	wholecoolstories.com pop-up
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Serving IP Address	139.45.197.161
Symptoms	Seeing advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing. Intrusive pop-up ads. Decreased Internet browsing speed.
Distribution Methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications (adware)
Damage	Decreased computer performance, browser tracking - privacy issues, possible additional malware infections.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

PUAs usually appear ordinary and innocuous. Users are lured into download/installation with a wide variety of functionalities. However, despite how "handy" the functions may sound - they are rarely operational.

Functionality and user safety are irrelevant, since the only aim of unwanted apps is to generate profit for the developers. Therefore, instead of delivering on any promises, PUAs can force-open unreliable and malicious sites, run intrusive advert campaigns, and collect private data.

How did adware install on my computer?

PUAs are distributed through download/installation setups of other programs. This false marketing method of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions - is termed "bundling".

Rushed download/installation processes (e.g., ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, etc.) - increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system. When clicked on, intrusive advertisements can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without user consent. Some of these applications can even have "official" promotional/download sites.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is advised to research software before download/installation and/or purchase. Additionally, only official and verified download sources must be used.

Untrustworthy download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, and other third-party downloaders - often offer deceptive and/or bundled content. Download and installation processes must be treated with care; that entails - reading terms, exploring all available options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, etc.

Intrusive adverts appear legitimate and ordinary; however, they redirect to highly questionable webpages (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and so on). In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this kind, the system must be checked and all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay.

If your computer is already infected with rogue applications, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Screenshots of browser notifications delivered by the wholecoolstories[.]com website:

Appearance of wholecoolstories[.]com website (GIF):

Instant automatic 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 malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner 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. 7 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 wholecoolstories.com pop-up?
• STEP 1. Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome
• STEP 2. Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome (Android)
• STEP 3. Remove spam notifications from Mozilla Firefox
• STEP 4. Remove spam notifications from Microsoft Edge
• STEP 5. Remove spam notifications from Safari (macOS)

Disable unwanted browser notifications:

Video showing how to disable web browser notifications:

Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome:

Click the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and select "Settings". In the opened window select "Privacy and security", then click on "Site Settings" and choose "Notifications".

In the "Allowed to send notifications" list search for websites that you want to stop receiving notifications from. Click on the three dots icon near the website URL and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Google Chrome (Android):

Tap the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and select "Settings". Scroll down, tap on "Site settings" and then "Notifications".

In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and tap on them one-by-one. Once the pop-up shows up, select either "Block" or "Remove" (if you tap "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Menu button (three bars) on the right upper corner of the screen. Select "Settings" and click on "Privacy & Security" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen. Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and click the "Settings" button next to "Notifications".

In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and block them using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove Website" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove Website" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Microsoft Edge:

Click the menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the Edge window and select "Settings". Click on "Cookies and site permissions" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen and select "Notifications".

Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL under "Allow" section and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again).

Remove spam notifications from Safari (macOS):

Click "Safari" button on the left upper corner of the screen and select "Preferences...". Select the "Websites" tab and then select "Notifications" section on the left pane.

Check for suspicious URLs and apply the "Deny" option using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)

How to avoid browser notification spam?

Internet users should be very skeptical when being asked to allow notifications. While this is a useful feature that allows you to receive timely news from websites you like, deceptive marketers frequently abuse it.

Only allow notifications from websites that you fully trust. For added security - use an anti-malware application with a real-time web browsing monitor to block shady websites that tries to trick you into allowing spam notifications. We recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

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