Lost $150 to a fake antivirus pop-up on a truck stop Wi-Fi

I clicked a 'scan now' alert on a sketchy site and it locked my browser until I paid a 'fee'. What's the best way to spot these scams before you click?

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3 Comments

felixramirez6mo ago

Honestly just never click any pop-up that says your computer is infected, it's always fake.

4

uma6856mo ago

I used to think those warnings were just annoying ads. Getting my own laptop locked at a library last year taught me they're straight-up traps. Now if a site throws a scary pop-up, I just close the whole window.

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the_drew6mo ago

Yeah, those fake virus warnings got me good once too. Felt like a total genius for clicking it in a panic. Spent an hour convinced my whole life was hacked before my buddy told me to just restart the computer. Now I treat every pop-up like it's trying to sell me a timeshare.

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