See a Fake Computer Virus Alert? Here’s What You Can Do!

Warning! Your PC May Be Infected!!, YOUR PC IS AT RISK, VIRUS FOUND! Start Scan Now These are some examples of fake virus alerts that appear on a PC out of nowhere. We all have seen at least one of these prompts on our PC and agree they are quite frustrating! 

When you are working on your PC and suddenly get a fake virus alert, you must understand that your PC is infected. Not with what the alert claims but with the infectious adware triggering the fake alert. Fake virus notifications are one of the most common ways a hacker tries to trick a user.

These are highly deceptive tactics that hackers use from across the globe to mislead a user into downloading malware to resolve the danger that the prompt claims. Usually, these pop-ups appear when you use a browser and visit a website with bugs and adware. However, sometimes, these prompts are true when they come from your security software.

So which is a fake alert, and which one is true? What can be done to avoid these fake alerts on your computer? This is exactly what we will discuss in this post, so read it until the end!

Why Do These Fake Virus Alerts Exist? How do they Work

These alerts exist to create a sense of urgency in a user. Data has taken over every prized possession of a human being. Everyone is scared of losing their favorite pictures, personal files, and documents; hence, everything concerning the same automatically becomes a high-priority notification for them. 

Taking advantage of a user’s instincts, attackers push these allegedly high-priority notifications that are fake. So that a user clicks on them and downloads the malware they want to push, it is a great marketing tactic used by several PC cleaning applications, but they do have a limited scope. 

On the other hand, for a hacker who wants to get into your PC, these notifications offer an easy way in.

What to Do When You Spot a Fake Virus Warning Message

Knowing how harmful a fake virus message can be for your PC, you must ensure you spot when you avoid it and do not fall into the trap. Having said that, simply avoiding or clicking on Not Now or No Thanks never means that the issue is resolved. It only means that you avoided the situation once. It may return later. 

To try and fix the issue permanently and ensure that you never see a fake computer virus prank again on your PC, follow the given instructions  – 

1. Do not click on the prompt at any cost

Any engagement with a fake computer virus alert can be risky for you. Even if you are clicking on NO for the prompt, you are interacting with the prompt, which means the purpose of the hacker is met. Instead of interacting with the prompt, simply use the cross that you may find to close it. 

2. Close the tab from where you get the prompt

Sometimes, these fake alerts are associated with a particular popup or a website where it appears. As soon as you get a notification of a fake warning, you should check all the open tabs on your browser to find out if any tabs have been redirected to a website you did not open on purpose. Close that tab instantly to stop the effect of the fake virus infection

3. Lookup the error code that pops up

If you have a security program in place, the possibility of the virus alert being real can’t be overlooked.  However, the chances of the alert being fake are much higher, considering you are connected to the internet. This is why, if the prompt you have received has an error code about which it is warning you or has a name in the error field, simply run a quick Google search. This way, you will help ensure the prompt is real or fake.

(Note – Hackers have mastered copying the original UI for common antivirus programs like Norton or McAfee. Hence if you have any of those, make sure you run a quick search before treating the prompt as genuine)

4. Uninstall newly installed applications

If you have recently started getting such notifications on your PC, chances are that you have installed a 3rd party application that is under the impact of a hacker. This means the app you have installed is also not safe for you; hence, you should uninstall it immediately. 

The easiest way to do this is by heading to the Programs list in the control panel (use the command Control appwiz.cpl in the Run (Win+R) search) and uninstalling the application that you have recently installed. 

5. Get rid of fake alerts with an antivirus

After avoiding the outcomes of a fake virus warning, you should look forward to getting rid of it for good. The best way to do this is to use a reliable antivirus program. We recommend you download T9 Antivirus for this task, as it has real-time protection shields and offers highly secure parameters to protect your PC from such prompts.

The tool even offers an integrated shortcut to enable an Ad blocker on your browser, making it even better to avoid such fake alerts. 

Stay Safe From Such Fake Alerts!

Fake alerts are designed to fool a user and take advantage of beginners. Make sure you stay alert and educate yourself enough to avoid such issues. If you have been facing fake virus alerts one after another, apply the above preventive measures and stay away from them.  Feel free to reach out if you have any other doubts about the approaches shared!

Thanks for reading, good luck!

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