“Please complete a quick survey to continue” – a scam trying to extort users' personal information
“Complete a quick survey to continue” warning message is a cyber scam,[1] used by cybercriminals to extort valuable information form its victims. If you continuously get redirected to a dubious website which asks you to “complete 1 of the offers to unlock the content” or similar, it is highly likely that your PC has been invaded by adware (ad-supported program).
You might be redirected to “Complete an offer to continue your download” domain by visiting a malicious website. However, adware causes these messages continuously appear and out of nowhere. The purpose of PUPs is to deliver various ads, pop-ups, banners, deals, offers to users while constantly disturbing their browsing sessions. However, these dubious apps are not useful in any way. Hence, users should hurry up the “Complete a quick survey to continue” removal.
The fake alert sounds extremely fishy. Firstly, the crooks ask users to perform the survey so they can go back to normal computer operation. Then, they thank the participant for the aid provided, which helps developers to create “perfect personal computer experience.” Scammers even promise that collected funding will be assigned to selected charities.
Finally, they finish with a weird “Actually do the survey otherwise I will delete system 32”. It comes out more like a treat, so you should realize that you are dealing with scammers (additionally, deleting system 32 is almost impossible). Thus, do not participate in these surveys as the message is a blatant lie.
If a user proceed with the survey, they might encounter the following messages:
- “Waiting for offer completion.. after successful participation of an offer above this page will unlock and restore normal access”
- “Please use real information”
- “We are validating your completion. This page will unlock once you have completed an offer or survey… return to the main page”
The primary goal “Complete a quick survey to continue” scam is to steal personal information[2] and either sell it to third-parties or use it for criminal purposes. That's why it asks users to enter personal data, which typically includes email, telephone number, ID number, address, social security number, etc.
Adware programs are not as perilous as malware (ransomware, spyware and similar). However, the presence of this type of threat cannot be ignored as it endangers victims' personal data and opens the door to other malicious cyber threats. Thus, ignore the fake message and proceed with “Please complete a quick offer to download” removal instead. The easiest way to eliminate the virus is by employing a robust security software (like FortectIntego) and performing a full computer scan.
You can easily infect your PC with PUPs while installing freeware or shareware
Typically, inexperienced computer users are unaware of adware distribution methods. Thus, its creators employ bundling tactic, which allows them to sneak in additional components into victims' computers without them noticing it. Typically, apps like video converters, PDF creators, media players hide unwanted programs within their installers.
To avoid undesired applications, you should never rush the installation process and read through instructions, Privacy Policy/EULA attentively. Afterward, make sure you choose Advanced, or Custom installation mode instead of Recommended/Default one as the latter will not let you deselect additional components.
Remove “Please complete a quick survey to continue” scam and do not risk your privacy anymore
Adware can be especially frustrating to deal with, as it disturbs browsing sessions on a regular basis. However, compromised browser performance is just one of many reasons for “Complete a quick survey to continue” removal. Research shows[3] that cybercrooks are trying to steal personal information and use it for illegal purposes.
Luckily, eliminating adware is not a very complicated task so anybody can perform it. All you have to do is select the method which appeals to you: manual or automatic.
Manual “Please complete a quick survey to continue” elimination should only be performed by individuals who possess a decent computer knowledge. Otherwise, they risk a re-infection of the virus immediately after a browser restart. If you think that this method is for you, check our guide below.
However, most users should download and install a reputable anti-malware software and remove “Please complete the survey” automatically. This method is fast and safe. Also, security program will protect you from future PUP or malware infections.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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