Forum Discussion
Potential Virus on Grandma's Computer – Scans Show Nothing
My grandmother's computer keeps getting these pop-up ads claiming there are viruses and other urgent issues. I've seen the three pictured, plus a few other variations with fake Windows or McAfee logos. They show up randomly and she's worried she's infected.
I restarted into safe mode, ran the internal scans from Windows Security (quick scan and the offline deeper scan), and also did a full Malwarebytes scan. Everything came back clean—no threats found.
But the pop-ups just won't go away. I'm thinking it might be a browser notification scam or some adware that's slipping through, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyone dealt with something similar or know what else I should be checking?
3 Replies
You should also clear her browser's cache and cookies from the "All time" period to flush out any leftover junk from those scam sites.
The screenshots are browser notifications, not Windows Security alerts: each toast is labeled Mozilla Firefox and shows an unfamiliar domain, while Windows Security reports no actions needed. This strongly supports a website-notification scam rather than proof of infection. Do not select its buttons, call a number, install software, or grant remote access. In Firefox, open notification permissions, remove or block that domain and unrecognized sites, then clear that site’s data. Close suspicious tabs and remove unknown extensions. Update Windows and Firefox. Run one Windows Security Full scan; because Microsoft Defender Offline already returned clean, repeated scans will not remove a retained browser permission. Check installed apps and startup items for anything unfamiliar. If she entered credentials or payment information, or allowed remote control, disconnect the PC, remove remote-access software, change passwords from a clean device, and contact the bank. Microsoft documents that scam sites use fake pop-ups and fear tactics.
this is fake! this is from firefox. its only scam notifications.
don't worie. this is not a virus.
