Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds POP-UP Scam

What kind of scam is "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds"?

While investigating dubious websites, our researchers discovered the "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" scam. The fake page offers a free system scan that supposedly finds multiple threats on the user's device. At the time of research, "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" operated as an affiliate scam.

Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds scam

"Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" scam overview

This scam bears the logo of Norton – it is an attempt to create an impression of legitimacy. The deceptive webpage offers a free system scan that will scan the visitor's computer in seconds. The "advanced scanning technology" is allegedly capable of detecting various severe threats.

After the "Start Scan Now" button is pressed, the page runs a fake system scan that detects several high-risk viruses. When the "Remove Threats" button is clicked, the user is redirected elsewhere.

It must be stressed that all the claims made by this scam are false, and it is not associated with the Norton AntiVirus or its developer – Gen Digital Inc. It is also worth mentioning that no website can perform system scans or detect issues on visitors' devices.

During our examination, "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" worked as an affiliate scam. It redirected to Norton's official website – thus, the scammers sought to abuse its affiliate program to obtain illegitimate commissions. Keep in mind that there are no guarantees that such scams will continue to redirect to sites of genuine products/services. Instead, users may be led to imitators or malicious webpages meant to distribute unwanted or harmful software.

Scams that use virus-themed lures often promote fake antivirus tools, PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications), adware, and browser hijackers. We have even discovered instances of these scams proliferating trojans, ransomware, and other malware.

To summarize, by trusting a scam like "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" – users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:
Name	"Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Free system scan that claims to detect severe threats on the visitor's computer.
Disguise	Norton AntiVirus
Related Domains	spostufeaseme[.]com
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Malware), CRDF (Malicious), ESET (Malware), Fortinet (Malware), G-Data (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	3.136.178.229
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible 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.

Similar scam examples

We have written about countless online scams; "VirtualShield - Your PC Is Infected With 18 Viruses", "AVG - Your Subscription Has Expired", "Security Center Total Protection", and "Viruses And Malware Files Have Been Detected" are just some examples of ones akin to "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds".

The Internet is rife with deceptive and dangerous content. Various lures are used to gain and abuse victims' trust, including claims about system infections, outdated subscriptions, critical updates, product promotions, giveaways, lotteries, surveys, shipping issues, and so on.

While the appearance of scams may differ, as can their modus operandi, the end goal is the same – to generate revenue at victims' expense. Therefore, we strongly advise exercising caution when browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

The most commonly used online scam promotion methods include: websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements (malvertising), spam (e.g., browser notifications, emails, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, SMSes, cold calls/ robocalls, etc.), mistyped URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to online safety. Therefore, be wary of sites, ads, and communications warning of serious dangers or making unbelievable promises. Do not use websites offering pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually use rogue advertising networks.

Take note of URLs and enter them carefully. Do not permit suspect pages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or deny their requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Approach incoming emails and other messages with care; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/verified sources and be attentive when installing (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software from infiltrating the system.

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

Text presented in "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" pop-up:

Norton

Scan Your Windows PC for Viruses in Seconds

Protect your computer from malware, spyware, and ransomware with our free advanced scanning technology.

Free Virus Scan

Detect and remove threats before they harm your system

Start Scan Now

No registration required 100% free scan No installation needed

The appearance of "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" pop-up scam (GIF):

Appearance of Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds scam (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.

Quick menu:

What is "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" pop-up?
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:

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 Windows.

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 Windows) - 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Basically, pop-up scams are deceptive messages designed to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, calling fake helplines, allowing scammers to access devices remotely, making monetary transactions, disclosing vulnerable information, and so forth.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

The purpose of pop-up scams is to generate revenue for scammers. Profit can be made by promoting content (e.g., websites, programs, products, services, etc.), acquiring funds through deception, selling/abusing private information, and proliferating malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams can be encountered through sites using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, browser notifications, PMs/DMs, SMSes, etc.), intrusive ads (malvertising), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan every website you visit and detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious pages. Therefore, should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.