How to get rid of the notifications/adverts displayed by thefreeadv.com site

What kind of page is thefreeadv[.]com?

Thefreeadv[.]com is a rogue site that our researchers discovered while inspecting shady websites. It operates by promoting spam browser notifications through deception, and this page can also redirect visitors to others (likely harmful/malicious ones).

Users typically access webpages like thefreeadv[.]com through redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks.

Thefreeadv[.]com overview

The behavior of rogue pages might depend on the visitor's IP address/ geolocation. Hence, what users encounter on or through these websites may vary.

When we accessed thefreeadv[.]com, it presented us with fake CAPTCHA verification - "Click Allow if you are not a robot" - which is intended to lure visitors into enabling the site to deliver browser notifications. The displayed notifications/advertisements mainly promote online scams, untrustworthy/hazardous sites and software, and even malware.

Therefore, via thefreeadv[.]com and similar webpages - users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by thefreeadv.com
Threat Type	Push notifications ads, Unwanted ads, Pop-up ads
Detection Names	Quttera (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	54.85.34.92
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, false claims within visited websites, 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.

Browser notification spam in general

The Internet is rife with rogue websites, and we have analyzed thousands of such pages - placebonusextra[.]com, misticview[.]ru, and protectorofpower[.]xyz are just a couple examples of our newest finds.

Their browser notifications primarily endorse deceptive and malicious content. Note that any legitimate products advertised through these ads are highly unlikely to be promoted by their developers. Instead, this promotion is undertaken by scammers abusing the products' affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions.

How did thefreeadv[.]com gain permission to deliver spam notifications?

Sites cannot display browser notifications without user consent. Most rogue pages employ deception to trick visitors into giving permission; in the case of thefreeadv[.]com, it employs fake CAPTCHA verification.

Therefore, if you are receiving ads from thefreeadv[.]com - it means that you had accessed this website at some point and pressed "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or an analogous option presented on it.

How to prevent deceptive sites from delivering spam notifications?

To avoid receiving undesirable browser notifications, do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or similar options displayed by suspicious sites. Instead, we advise ignoring or denying notification delivery requests (i.e., selecting "Block", "Block Notifications", or similar).

Should a browser continuously force-open questionable websites without prompt, it might be due to adware installed onto it or the system. 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 the notifications/advertisements delivered by thefreeadv[.]com website:

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

Video showing how to eliminate ads delivered by thefreeadv[.]com using Combo Cleaner:

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 Ads by thefreeadv.com?
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why am I seeing ads (browser notifications) delivered by thefreeadv[.]com in the right lower corner of my desktop?

You have likely visited thefreeadv[.]com and permitted it to deliver browser notifications - as no website can display these ads without user consent.

I have clicked on notification ads, is my computer infected?

No, clicking on a notification will not initiate any malware download/installation processes. However, the websites and applications promoted through these advertisements can be untrustworthy/malicious and cause serious problems (including system infections).

Is thefreeadv[.]com a virus?

While thefreeadv[.]com is not categorized as a virus, it can promote virulent content. Rogue webpages often push online scams, fake/harmful software, and even malware.

Will Combo Cleaner remove thefreeadv[.]com ads automatically or manual steps are still required?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning devices and removing the permissions given to the thefreeadv[.]com webpage. Additionally, it can restrict all further access to this and other rogue, scam, and malicious sites. Therefore, extra steps will be unnecessary.

▼ Show Discussion