Cleantraf.xyz ads (scam) - Free Instructions

Cleantraf.xyz ads Removal Guide

What is Cleantraf.xyz ads?

Cleantraf.xyz ads are misleading: don't give into the scam scheme

Cleantraf.xyz adsCleantraf.xyz ads attempt to imitate a security software scan process

Cleantraf.xyz is one of the websites you should stay away from, as it holds plenty of malicious content. Most users visit the site by accident, usually after clicking a link somewhere else or being taken by a malicious script.[1] They are then rather surprised by what they see – a security scan from McAfee.

Just a few moments later, people are presented with scan results that claim that several viruses have been doing and that the security software license has expired. Those who proceeds are sent to the software purchase page, where they would be asked to enter their personal information and install the software.

Just to be clear: everything on Cleantraf.xyz is fake, and it is a mere online scam that tries to sell software using phishing[2] messages. We recommend not interacting with any of the links or other page components, as you may install malware on your device or disclose your personal details. Instead, employ legitimate tools to check your device for adware[3] or other infections.

Name Cleantraf.xyz
Type Scam, fraud, phishing, redirect
Operation Claims that the subscription for security software has expired and that it needs to be immediately renewed to remove the allegedly found threats. Asks to download potentially malicious software and enable push notifications
Distribution Redirects from other malicious websites, adware
Risks Installation of PUPs or malware, sensitive information disclosure, financial losses
Removal Make sure you scan your system with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner – especially if you downloaded and installed software from a scam site
Other tips FortectIntego can help you when dealing with leftover adware files, for example, you can get rid of various browser trackers and fix system damage automatically

The website wants to show push notifications

Upon entry, users who do not have the push notification feature disabled would be asked if they would like to receive notifications from Cleantraf.xyz. While it is unlikely for many people to agree to this, the “Allow” button could be clicked accidentally, which would allow the site to deliver pop-up ads at any time directly to users' desktops.

These ads could incorporate plenty of misleading and deceptive statements, such as those which claim one has won a large sum of money or that the computer has been infected with viruses. In other words, the material shown within those ads would be fake as well. Clicking links like that may lead to various privacy and security issues, so we recommend refraining from doing that. Instead, to stop push notifications from Cleantraf.xyz, follow these steps:

Google Chrome

  1. Open the Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
  2. Scroll down and click on Advanced.
  3. Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
  4. Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
  5. Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.Stop notifications on Chrome PC 2

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
  2. Click on Privacy & Security section.
  3. Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click the Settings button next to it.
  4. In the SettingsNotification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
  5. Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.Stop notifications on Mozilla Firefox 2

Safari

  1. Click on Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
  3. Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.Stop notifications on Safari

MS Edge (Chromium)

  1. Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
  2. Select Site permissions.
  3. Go to Notifications on the right.
  4. Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
  5. Click on More actions and select Block.Stop notifications on Edge Chromium

How the scam works

As mentioned, users do not venture to malicious or fake websites intentionally but are rather redirected to them. This simple aspect is what works very well in conjunction with various online scams, as users are less likely to be attentive and are more prone to making mistakes. This is not an accident and is one of the most commonly used tactics by scammers, as it makes their schemes more successful.

That being said, users who already engage in risky behavior are more likely to encounter Cleantraf.xyz redirects and ads while browsing. Thus, we recommend you stay away from peer-to-peer networks, illegal video streaming platforms, and similar dangerous websites.

Once redirected, users are then immediately presented with what looks like pop-up windows from McAfee antivirus. Soon after, the results show up and claim that five viruses were found in the system. Users may also so further pop-ups that may look like Blue Screen of Death errors, although the messages have nothing to do with the official Microsoft warnings and errors. It reads:

WARNING

Your Windows 10 is infected with Viruses and other malicious applications. Viruses must be removed and system damage repaired.

It is necessary to run the Virus removal procedure immediately, please proceed.

**If you leave this site your computer will remain damaged and vulnerable**

Neither Microsoft nor McAfee has anything to do with the website or promoted messages – it is the work of scammers. While further links may redirect users to legitimate sources, it may not always be the case, and instead, users could be exposed to malicious websites where potentially unwanted programs or even malware would be recommended.

Cleantraf.xyz scamDespite using legitimate names, Cleantraf.xyz is a scam website that shouldn't be tursted

Make system checks

It is worth mentioning that users who encounter Cleantraf.xyz redirects might be infected with adware or another type of malware. Adware is a commonly encountered software that is often bundled with freeware and downloaded accidentally from third-party sources. Some people may also install adware after being tricked by a phishing message or a fake Flash Player update.

Therefore, if you have noticed that your system is showing a larger amount of ads and you encounter misleading or fake content online, you should definitely check your device for adware by scanning it with powerful anti-malware software, such as SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes. It will also ensure that more dangerous threats are not present in the system. Likewise, if you have downloaded software from a scam site, it is vital you get rid of it as soon as possible.

You can uninstall programs from Windows by accessing the Control Panel as follows:

  • Enter Control Panel into the Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  • Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 1
  • From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
  • Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  • If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  • Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are using a Mac, you need to move the unwanted application into the Trash as follows:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.

Finally, you should also eliminate unwanted browser extensions and clean browser caches accordingly. Adware is known to insert cookies and other trackers upon infiltration so that it can follow users' visited websites, clicked links, search queries, technical data, unique device identifiers, and similar information. To stop this, you should get rid of these items – they are stored locally on your computer. The easiest way of doing that is by employing FortectIntego, although we also provide a manual solution below.

Offer
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Compatible with Microsoft Windows Compatible with macOS
What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of Cleantraf.xyz ads. Follow these steps

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove. Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data. Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings. Reset Chrome 2

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove. Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Options.
  3. Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data…
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear. Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information. Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox. Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click on Uninstall at the bottom. Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear. Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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. Reset MS Edge

If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick Delete Advanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:

    Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose Advanced MS Edge reset 2

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove. Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now. Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset. Reset Chromium Edge

Delete from Safari

Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
  3. Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall. Remove extensions from Safari

Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Clear History…
  2. From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
  3. Confirm with Clear History. Clear cookies and website data from Safari

Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to Advanced tab.
  3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches. Reset Safari

How to prevent from getting adware

Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool

Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.

 

Lost your files? Use data recovery software

While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.

To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.

About the author
Jake Doevan
Jake Doevan - Computer technology expert

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