How to get rid of fake McAfee virus pop-ups

Users on social media, particularly on Reddit, have reported receiving fake McAfee virus pop-ups, even when they don’t have McAfee installed on their device. The pop-ups often have a message, such as “McAfee critical virus alert” or “Renew McAfee subscription.” Browser warnings, as well as emails and notifications carrying these messages, are a scam. If you repeatedly encounter this issue, either the website you’re visiting has a malicious ad in its ad rotation or your device has been infected with adware.

If you’re curious about how to get rid of fake McAfee virus pop-ups, you should first check your device for viruses or malware that might spam you with malicious ads.

What is the McAfee virus pop-up scam?

The McAfee virus pop-up scam, also known as the McAfee critical virus alert, is scareware that leverages fear and panic to get you to act fast, download malicious files, or hastily enter valuable personal information.

Based on our research, the majority of the pop-ups appear to be fake renewal or technical support alerts. Messages explicitly warning about viruses are rarer, but they are all equally dangerous.

Clicking on the McAfee critical virus alert pop-up usually redirects you to a different site, pressuring you to purchase something unnecessary or enter your private information. These aggressive tactics make scareware a genuine threat.

This McAfee virus scam often uses the well-known McAfee logo, trying to trick people into thinking it's a legitimate notification from an antivirus provider. It will tell you it has found viruses on your computer or that there’s an issue with your subscription, forcing you to click the Scan button to remove these threats or call a fake number.

By clicking on such an ad, you might download a malicious app or file on your device. It can also redirect you to a fake website to enter personal credit card information under the guise of providing antivirus services. And if you call the provided number, you might be prompted to reveal personal information.

You should close the pop-up and continue with legitimate virus removal, like using top-performing antivirus software.

Name	McAfee virus pop-up or McAfee critical virus alert
Type	Scam, adware, scareware
Device	Most commonly found on Windows but can appear on macOS or Android
Symptoms	Annoying pop-ups and push notifications
Damage	Clicking the pop-up can trigger malware downloads or phishing attempts, but avoiding it usually prevents any damage

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Why does the McAfee virus warning keep popping up?

Malware can infect your device through various innocent-looking links and websites – even a single infected link might be enough to download malware. However, there are more reasons why a McAfee virus warning might keep popping up on your computer:

• Visiting a malicious site. Accidentally visiting a malicious site could be the reason you’re seeing fake McAfee notifications. These sites can also introduce browser hijackers and adware to your system, making it more likely that you’ll see pop-up ad scams.
• Malicious browser extensions. Adding a suspicious browser extension can trigger scam notifications. Be cautious of unknown or unverified extensions. Pay attention to its evaluation and the total number of downloads, since official extensions are more widely used.
• Forced redirects. While browsing legitimate websites that run many ads (such as Fandom Wiki, NexusMods, Krunker, or Kijiji), rogue ad networks can forcefully redirect you to a full-screen, malicious scam page that mimics a computer scan.
• Suspicious downloads. From pirated software to accidental downloads, anything you’re introducing to your computer from a less-than-legitimate source could contain malware and viruses. You’re more likely to see fake McAfee notifications if this is the case.
• Allowed notifications. Fake CAPTCHA or similar pesky pop-ups can trigger browser push notification features. This sends malicious notifications right to the desktop. They often mimic native Windows or Edge alerts, which creates a sense of urgency.
• Fake customer support. Ads sometimes show a customer support number, urging people to call. However, it’s just a scam to extract private information by posing as legitimate McAfee support.
• Local adware. During our research, we found that ads can show up even when the browser is closed. In these cases, the cause is often a local piece of bundled bloatware or malware, most notably a program (or extension) called "PC App Store" or "PCAPPSTORE."
• Advanced scams. In more dangerous cases, clicking on elements on the fake pop-up triggers a "ClickFix" prompt. This tries to trick the user into copying and pasting a malicious string directly into their device's PowerShell or Run dialog box to execute actual malware.

If you do have McAfee installed on your computer, carefully examine the ad for any spelling or grammar mistakes or unusual-looking logos. Inspect whether any suspicious web addresses or domains are attached to the ad. These are clear signs that it is not an official message from McAfee. If you’re not sure, close the pop-up and open McAfee on your device to check for real notifications.

How to stop the fake McAfee pop-ups

If you’ve been experiencing the McAfee pop-up scam, there are steps you can take to remove the root cause and prevent seeing these scam ads in the future. Keep reading for the full guide on getting rid of McAfee pop-up scams once and for all.

Method 1: clear and reset your browser

Clearing your browser's cache and resetting your browser might be enough to get rid of the fake McAfee virus pop-ups. All you need to do is follow these easy steps. For this example, I’m using Chrome:

1. Open your browser, click on the three dots to the right of your account avatar and then Delete browsing data

   

2. You’ll be prompted to select what categories of data you want to delete – you can select all or leave Auto-fill form data unchecked

   

3. Select All time for the time range if you’re not sure when you visited a malicious site or came into contact with the cause of the fake McAfee pop-ups
4. Click Delete data and allow your system to completely clear and reset this information
5. Now, it’s time to reset the browser itself, so click the three dots again and select Settings from the options

   

6. When brought to a new window with the Settings menu along the left-hand side, select Reset settings

   

7. Lastly, click on the banner that reads Restore settings to their original defaults and the Reset settings button to complete the action

   

8. Clear browser data on mobile devices as well: force-close the browser app, go to iOS or Android system settings, block pop-ups, and choose Clear History and Website Data to remove persistent redirect cookies
9. Now that your browser is reset and the stored data is cleared, you can move on to the next method in making sure the McAfee scam is removed from your system entirely

You can also go into your browser settings again (chrome://settings/content/notifications in Chrome or the Notifications tab in Safari, Firefox, and Edge) and review the allowed list of domains, removing any that seem suspicious or shady.

Method 2: remove any suspicious extensions or apps manually

Check for any suspicious extensions or apps on your system that might be causing the problem. These might have been added or downloaded without you even realizing it. Remove these manually – here’s how:

1. To see all your installed extensions, return to the three dots in your browser
2. Go to Extensions and click Manage Extensions
3. A new window will display all your installed extensions — click Remove for any you don’t recognize or that seem suspicious
4. Next, review the installed programs or apps on your device’s OS
5. If you find any programs you don’t recognize or find suspicious, click Uninstall or drag it to the trash if you’re using a Mac
6. If using a Mac, make sure to empty the trash once all the suspicious programs have been dragged there

Keep in mind that if you have local adware, it won’t be removed through a simple uninstall. You should run specialized secondary scanners, such as Malwarebytes, AdwCleaner, or Revo Uninstaller, to completely clear out any hidden applications.

Method 3: run an antivirus scan

If you’ve been seeing the McAfee pop-up scam, there’s a chance that malware or a virus has made its way to your device. This is especially true if you accidentally clicked on the pop-up or triggered an unknown download. A robust antivirus can still help you out.

1. Choose reliable, comprehensive antivirus software – I recommend Bitdefender, now $12.99/year, 78% OFF
2. Purchase your plan and download the software onto the device you’re concerned about
3. Install and set it up on your device
4. Once it’s installed, have it run a full antivirus scan of your system
5. When the scan completes, follow the software’s instructions to remove any detected threats
6. Set up a schedule of regular scans and enable any real-time protection features

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Step 4: enable an ad blocker

If you’re sure that your system is clean, you might still want to proactively protect your future browsing. The best tool for that is a reputable ad blocker, such as Total Adblock or uBlock Origin, that can stop rogue scripts from reaching your system in the first place. Here’s how to enable a pop-up blocker to keep you from encountering the McAfee scam or other phishing attempts in the future:

1. Choose a trusted ad blocker to protect your device – I recommend Total Adblock
2. Add your ad blocker’s browser extension to your browser
3. Download the ad blocker’s app on mobile devices and enable protection
4. Enjoy a safer and ad-free browsing experience

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Although an ad blocker doesn't fix your system if it's already infected with malware, it can help prevent infection by blocking fake pop-ups.

How to prevent fake pop-ups in the future

Simple preventative measures are the best way to protect your PC against malware. Here are easy habits you can adopt to keep your computer as safe as possible whenever it’s in use:

1. Only download legitimate software. Sometimes, a high software price tag is enough to send people to look for a pirated alternative. However, installing pirated or unknown-source programs can pose a significant threat to your system's security. Install only trustworthy software from legit websites – consider official programs and apps an investment in your digital security.
2. Check individual files. You can set up your antivirus to check any files you download from the internet for traces of malware. Many forms of malware are only executed after you open the infected file. Reliable antiviruses, like Bitdefender, have a functionality to scan individual files or folders.
3. Stay away from suspicious websites. These types of sites (torrenting, unauthorized streaming, and adult content, among others) can host all kinds of pop-up scams and phishing attempts. Visit only known web pages with legitimately looking URLs.
4. Close pop-ups carefully. If you do end up on a suspicious site and start experiencing pop-up scams, carefully close all threats you encounter. Be careful not to click anywhere on the ad except the X to close it.
5. Clear cache regularly. Clearing your cookies and cache is always a good idea, especially if you’ve just stumbled on a shady website. Make it a habit to clear your cache for proper maintenance.
6. Install available updates. Make sure you install new system or program updates whenever they’re available. These often contain new security patches to fix weaknesses discovered in previous versions.
7. Run regular system scans. Installing comprehensive antivirus software, like Bitdefender or Norton, is a great way to keep your system safe. You can set it up to run regular scans and enable real-time protection features.
8. Set up an ad blocker. Choose from the best ad blockers that can protect you from pop-ups, push notifications, and online trackers.
9. Stay calm. Pop-up scams rely on urgency and instilling fear and panic about your device or data to get you to act. Instead, stay calm, take a deep breath, close the threatening pop-up, and get reputable antivirus software.

Conclusion

The fake McAfee pop-up scam is a common phishing tactic – just remember to simply close the ad and avoid entering any personal information. To stop getting these infected pop-ups, take some time to reset your browser, remove suspicious apps, and run an antivirus system scan.

I recommend Bitdefender, as it offers both real-time protection to prevent malware and viruses from taking root and extensive detection and scanning features to ensure your system remains secure.

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