How to recognize scams like Your iPhone Was Hacked pop-up scam?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Your iPhone Was Hacked pop-up scam?
Websites like this one use scare tactics to trick visitors into installing questionable software. They display fake virus notifications claiming that a device is infected or hacked and encourage users to remove detected threats with some potentially unwanted application (PUA). These can never be trusted.
Your iPhone Was Hacked scam in detail
This particular scam website displays a fake iOS system notification claiming that an iPhone was hacked and encouraging visitors to scan the device for viruses. There is a high chance that this deceptive page wants users to install adware, a browser hijacker, or even some malicious application.
Users do not visit websites of this type on purpose. They get opened through other dubious pages, clicked untrustworthy advertisements or installed PUAs. It is worth mentioning that users rarely download and (or) install PUAs knowingly.
| Name | Your iPhone Was Hacked pop-up |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Fake Claim | iPhone was hacked |
| Symptoms | Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious 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. |
Scams like Your iPhone Was Hacked in general
The purpose of these websites is to promote questionable, potentially malicious applications. It is strongly recommended not to trust such pages and make sure that there are no apps designed to promote these pages installed on a device. Examples of other similar sites are landingpagesecure[.]com, promoland[.]space, and nicyaboyenan[.]com.
How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?
Users download or install PUAs through downloaders or installers that include optional downloads or installations, through fake installers, or by clicking untrustworthy advertisements. Downloaders and installers used to distribute PUAs have "Manual", "Custom", "Advanced", or other settings that can be used to decline unwanted offers.
Clicking on advertisements leads to unwanted downloads or installations when those ads are designed to run certain scripts. Usually, those ads appear on dubious sites. Fake installers are promoted on untrustworthy pages as well.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Download applications from trustworthy (official) websites and through direct links. Avoid finishing downloads or installations without checking downloaders or installers for unwanted applications. Do not trust (click) advertisements displayed on questionable sites.
If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Text in the fake system notification displayed on this scam site:
(1) Apple™: Your iPhone was hacked
Your iPhone is infected
Scan iPhone for viruses!
To enable pop-up blocking, fraudulent website warnings, and remove web browsing data in mobile Apple devices, follow these steps:
First, go to "Settings", and then scroll down to find and tap "Safari".
Check if the "Block Pop-ups" and "Fraudulent Website Warning" toggles are enabled. If not, enable them immediately. Then, scroll down and tap "Advanced".
Tap "Website Data" and then "Remove All Website Data".
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 Your iPhone Was Hacked scam?
- STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
Potentially unwanted applications removal:
Remove potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:
Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select "Applications". In the applications folder, look for "MPlayerX","NicePlayer", or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.
Remove adware-related files and folders
Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...
Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents/
In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/Application Support/
In the "Application Support" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, "MplayerX" or "NicePlayer", and move these folders to the Trash.
Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder:
In the "Go to Folder..." bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons/
In the "LaunchDaemons" folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example "com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist", "com.myppes.net-preferences.plist", "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist", "com.avickUpd.plist", etc., and move them to the Trash.
Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:
If you have followed all the steps correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure your system is not infected, run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file, double click combocleaner.dmg installer. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates its virus definition database and click the "Start Combo Scan" button.
Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide; otherwise, it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.
After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.
Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers
Remove malicious Safari extensions:
Open the Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".
In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for regular browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.
Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a pop-up scam?
Pop-up scam is basically a fake virus or other notification designed to trick a user into providing personal information (like credit card details), downloading files, installing potentially unwanted, or even malicious applications.
What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?
Scammers behind pop-up scams seek to spread malicious software or obtain information that could be used for illegal activities (for example, identity theft), or sold to third parties.
Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?
Pop-up scams are delivered by untrustworthy sites that users open unintentionally (for example, through pages that use questionable advertising networks), or they get opened by present potentially malicious application
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner is designed to scan every single website a user visits, and it is capable of detecting malicious ones (including pop-up scams). Therefore, a user is notified immediately, and access to that page is restricted.
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