Coupon Chaser ads: what it is and how to remove it
Coupon Chaser is a third-party advertising service that has been released by two companies named Innovative Apps and 215Apps. This adware usually comes in a bundle with other potentially unwanted programs such as Yontoo, Superfish, 1ClickDownloader, and FBPhotoZoom.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Coupon Chaser ads: summary
| Name | Coupon Chaser |
|---|---|
| Developer(S) | Innovative Apps, 215Apps |
| Bundled with | This app can come in a bundle with other third-party programs such as Superfish, Yontoo, FBPhotoZoom, 1ClickDownload, etc. |
| Main task | The main goal of this adware program is to provide various sales' offers while visiting popular e-shopping websites or social platforms |
| Location(s) | Once this adware settles on the computer system, it can fill the Windows Task Manager with questionable processes and include suspicious files in the C:\Program Files\ and C:\ProgramData sections |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 10 more facts
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Type | Adware extension |
| Symptoms | Redirects to an unknown domain |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | cnet.com |
| Ads shown as | Redirects through ad pages |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 18 June 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Coupon Chaser ads dangerous?
From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since
Coupon Chaser – an adware product that provides users with the latest sales offers and is created by Innovative Apps and 215Apps
Coupon Chaser is a third-party advertising service that has been released by two companies named Innovative Apps and 215Apps.
This adware usually comes in a bundle with other potentially unwanted programs such as Yontoo, Superfish, 1ClickDownloader, and FBPhotoZoom. It aims to display advertisements that sponsor the latest sales offers and give advice on how to get some products for a very low price.
The infection can appear on various social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and on e-shopping websites such as Amazon, AliExpress, eBay, Walmart, and inject the "See similar" feature on every product offer. If the user clicks that button, he/she will be provided with the article's culprit's ads.
If you are using a Windows computer, you might find some rogue processes running in the Task Manager and suspicious components hidden in the C:\Program Files\ and C:\ProgramData sections. Also, the adware copies its main file named Coupon Chase-bho.dll to the hard drive of the affected device.
Coupon Chaser is not a trustworthy application that you should leave lurking on your machine. Even though this program is most likely to appear on your Windows computer system, it can still approach you even if you are using a Mac device.
The adware infiltrates all types of web browser applications such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. The PUP fills these apps with questionable extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins that allow the adware to fulfill its functions such as advertising, redirecting, and collecting browsing-based details.
Once you are infected with Coupon Chaser virus, there is a big chance that you will experience intense advertising while using the web browser where the adware is installed in. This adware aims to load various sales offers and shopping deals that are likely to look very attractive and trick gullible users into spending their money on unneeded products.
Be careful with adware and its ads. If you are browsing on an e-shopping platform such as Walmart, AliExpress, eBay, or Amazon, you might be provided with such advertisements. The notifications that come from Coupon Chaser can decrease the speed and quality of your browsing process.
Later on, you might find yourself struggling to open certain websites, minimize and maximize windows, close pages. Additionally, this can affect your computer resources such as the CPU and start eating up energy and power.
Furthermore, adware can initiate redirecting sessions to affiliate domains. These places can also be filled with questionable content such as various surveys, scams, fake prize claims. If you receive any type of encouragement to provide personal information or credential data, do not do that as, otherwise, you might experience identity theft or monetary losses.
Another bad purpose of the PUP redirects might be to take you to potentially malicious locations. This way the hackers might be able to inject dangerous malware such as trojans or ransomware into your computer system. Afterward, you are likely to experience severe system/software damage, important data loss, overheated CPU, etc.
Remove Coupon Chaser before you land on such damaging directories. The adware program can be easily terminated with the help of automatic removal tools such as and . You should choose this type of process over the manual possibility if you are a less-experienced user or have been running into some problems related to time limits.
Adware can also aim to inject HTTP cookies, beacons, and pixels for tracking your browsing information. The PUP might record data such as pages visited, hyperlinks and ads clicked, saved bookmarks, your IP, geolocation. Then, the details might be passed on to other parties for income or used as a way of developing more advanced targeted advertising.
Since you know all about the annoying adware, this should be enough for you to want to perform Coupon Chaser removal. If you are infected with this PUP and have been looking forward to using manual instructions, you can find some steps at the end of this page. Also, try for repairing any compromised entries that the adware might have affected on your PC.
From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since
Freeware and shareware apps often hide adware in their extra attachments
Adware programs usually travel around as additional attachments of various freeware and shareware.
Therefore, it is possible to find such a program on your computer without downloading it. If you want to protect your computer from similar intruders, we can give you a couple of helpful tips on how you can do that.
First of all, avoid downloading unfamiliar programs from download websites such as cnet.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, and download.com. As you can imagine, free programs are usually supported by advertising or such applications have extra attachments by which unwanted products can easily slip into the computer system.
Secondly, if you are installing an unfamiliar freeware, it is recommended to read its end-user license agreement (EULA) part and the Privacy Policy. Thirdly, you should also follow the entire installation process in order to spot unwanted attachments by selecting Custom or Advanced installation of the freeware.
Finally, taking care of automatic protection is also an important thing to think of while seeking to prevent adware programs from entering your machine repeatedly. Afterward, keep the app regularly updated for its proper functionality.
From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Coupon Chaser
- If you have been dealing with this PUP lately, you can try to get rid of it by completing manual step-by-step guidelines or by using automatical software
- Try repairing any system compromisation with
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
cnet.com
How to remove Coupon Chaser ads
How to remove the Coupon Chaser extension
Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Coupon Chaser rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Coupon Chaser that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
To clean your Windows operating system from the adware and all the additional products that have been added, apply the below-provided guiding steps.
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.
Remove from Google Chrome
To terminate questionable extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins from your Google Chrome web browser, employing these steps might help.
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.
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.
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)
To eliminate all the signs related to adware, you have to perform the below-provided Mozilla Firefox cleaning process.
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.
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.
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.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since
Removing Coupon Chaser virus from your computer
Coupon Chaser virus should be removed after you find the program distracting you and interrupting your computing work.
There are specific tools that can help you to deal with this type of process, also known as antimalware software. According to Virusai.lt experts, using antivirus tools is the best way to get rid of all types of cyber threats.
Downloading and running automated products will make the removal process smoother and more efficient. This way you will be sure that you have not missed any suspicious products that were injected by the adware program. Also, the entire task will take no longer than 5-10 minutes and will require almost none of the user's effort.
However, you can also remove Coupon Chaser with the help of manual guiding steps. At the end of this article, we have included improved instructions on the termination process of this adware. Keep in mind that you need to clean not only your OS but also web browser apps such as Chrome, Firefox, Explorer, Edge, and Safari.
Questions about Coupon Chaser ads
cnet.com opens when I click links. What causes it?
When every click leads to cnet.com first, an extension or a script on the page is rewriting the links. If it happens only on one site, that site uses aggressive ads; close it and use another source. If it happens everywhere, open the browser in a private window, where extensions are normally off, and try again.
No redirect in the private window means one of your extensions is responsible: remove the ones you do not know. A redirect in the private window too means the cause is outside the extensions, such as a notification permission, a changed search setting or a program installed on the PC. The removal steps in this guide cover each of those.
Is it safe that my browser was redirected to cnet.com?
Landing on cnet.com does not infect the PC by itself. A browser does not run programs from a page without your action. The danger is in the pages that come next:
- some ask you to allow notifications
- some show fake virus warnings
- some offer downloads
- ask for card details
If you only saw those pages and closed them, nothing more is needed than removing whatever caused the redirect. If you allowed notifications, remove that permission.
If you downloaded a file, delete it unopened, or uninstall it if you ran it. If you typed a password or card number on one of the pages, change the password and call your bank.
Why does Coupon Chaser show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Coupon Chaser is an adware extension, and its operators are paid for every ad it displays and every click it gets. In this case the ads take the form of redirects through ad pages.
They are chosen by ad networks that accept almost any advertiser, which is why so many look like warnings or prizes. The ads are not a sign that your PC is broken or infected with something worse; they are a sign that something on it, or in the browser, has permission to advertise. Removing that permission or program stops them.
Do I have to clean every browser?
Yes, if you use more than one. We saw Coupon Chaser in Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and each browser keeps its own extensions, notification permissions and settings. Chrome and Edge share the same extension format, so one installer can add the same adware to both, while Firefox has its own add-ons.
Check every browser on the PC, including ones you rarely open. If you sync a browser with an account, clean it while signed in, so that the removal reaches your other computers rather than the adware returning from them.
How do I know the ads come from Coupon Chaser?
Look for redirects to cnet.com. That is the trace Coupon Chaser leaves, and it shows up as redirects through ad pages. Ads that appear on every site, including ones that never carried ads before, point to something on your PC or in the browser rather than to the sites themselves.
A quick test is a private window, where extensions are off by default: if the ads disappear there, an extension is responsible. If they appear even with the browser closed, the source is a notification permission or a program in Windows.
An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?
The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.
If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Coupon Chaser?
Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.
In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.
I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?
Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.
You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
Will Fortect remove Coupon Chaser?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Coupon Chaser, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Digital Trends: What is a CPU? (read October 6, 2026)
- Ryte: Tracking Pixel (read October 6, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai.lt (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)