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Spyware News
  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Nov 2020

How to remove ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3)

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Julie Splinters · Anti-malware specialist

ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) is a scam that is not only after users' money but also login details

ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) scam

ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) is a fake alert that users might encounter on their Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, or another web browser. The message claims that the computer has been infected with the “Pornographic Spyware and riskware” and that sensitive information, such as credit card details or email account logins are being stolen. It is also said that if victims close down the page, their computers will be locked, and all access disabled. In order to resolve the situation, users are asked to call +1-844-279-2314 Toll-Free phone number (this can vary).

However, ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) is merely a tech support scam[1] that should never be trusted. Malicious actors create fake claims like this one to make users contact them so that more lies would be fed to them to make them pay for useless software or fake tech support services. If you encountered this message, we suggest you ignore it and check your system for infections, as redirects to scam sites might be caused by the adware.

Name ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3)
Type Phishing, tech support scam, fake alert
Claim The message says that malware was found on the computer, and that personal information is being stolen. To resolve the issues, crooks ask to call the provided phone number
Goal The main goal is to make users call the fake helpline and feed them more fake claims about their computer security so that money is paid
Distribution Users encounter the popup message on various malicious websites on the internet. In some cases, redirects to such sites might indicate adware infection
Related ERROR # 0x6a4-0xf9fx3999, Windows Error Code: DLL011150, ERROR 0xC004FC03
Elimination  If you did not download anything, you a are unlikely to be infected; however, we recommend checking the system with anti-malware or looking for adware programs manually
Further steps If you called the provided number and paid money, contact your bank immediately to revert these transactions. In case crooks infected your computer with malware, get rid of it and repair damaged system files with FortectIntego

It is important to note that ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) virus scam can be encountered on a variety of different URLs – these typically are long addresses that do not come from the official websites. The fact that such notification is coming from a particular web address should serve as a red flag – anything can be claimed on malicious sites.

Upon entry, users are greeted with an orange background and a large “Microsoft Important Warning” title. However, this message has nothing to do with Microsoft at all, as cybercriminals are only using the name of a well-known tech company to make users believe the lies. The full message reads as follows:

** Microsoft Important Warning **
ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3)
Please call us immediately at:
+1-844-279-2314 (Toll Free)
Do not ignore this critical warning message.
If you close this page, your computer access will be disabled to prevent further damage to our network.
Your computer has alerted us that it has been infected with a Pornographic Spyware and riskware. The following information is being stolen…

1.Facebook Logins
2.Credit Card Details
3.Email Account Logins
4.Photos stored on this computer

You must contact us immediately so that our expert engineers can walk you through the removal process over the phone to protect your identity and from any kind of identity theft or information loss.
Call Windows : +1-844-279-2314 (Toll Free)

As evident, crooks are using all sorts of social engineering[2] tricks in order to make visitors scared and oblige to the request to call the helpline. Besides stating that personal information is in danger due to virus infection, they also say that the web page should not be closed, or the computer will be automatically locked. Do not worry – malicious actors behind ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) scam are incapable of doing any of those things.

Besides the lengthy message, you might also see an ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) popup which asks you to provide your username and password. While it is not indicated what account this message refers to, never enter any sensitive information into this window, or your credentials might be stolen and used for various malicious purposes.

If you call fake tech support, they might use several approaches to extort money from you. For example, they might claim that they need to install anti-malware software to remove ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) virus or that they can connect to your computer remotely and fix everything. No matter what you do, never agree to pay for anything, and never allow fake technicians to access your machine – they might install malware on it or steal passwords or other details.

ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) virus

When it comes to ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) removal, all you have to do is just close down the web browser tab and never interact with the contents. While it is unlikely that your computer has any viruses in them just because you encountered this fake message, security experts advise scanning the device with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, or another security software to make sure. If something was found, we highly advise reverting the damage done by the virus with FortectIntego.

Keep in mind that adware might be causing redirects to various scam sites. These potentially unwanted programs can usually be also eliminated manually – we provided the instructions below.

Learn to recognize scams

Online fraud, also known as phishing, is one of the most common vectors that are used to steal login details of high-demand accounts (for example, Netflix). Also, malicious actors come up with fake error codes and other attributes that make users believe that their machines are infected with malware, and only the “official Microsoft support” can help.

When browsing the web and encountering a message like that, the first thing to do is not to panic. Always keep in mind that official warnings and notifications would never threaten you or scare you with consequences – such as virus infection, data deletion, or disablement of the computer. Nobody can do that (even authority), apart from malware, of course, and malicious programs are simply illegal.

Also, keep in mind that no official Microsoft alerts provide a contact number for information or other support. If you need help with the product, head to the official website of the app, and locate the number yourself. Never call a number provided on various websites that show up on your screen abruptly or after you clicked on some type of ad.

Experts[3] also recommend being extremely careful during the installation of free software downloaded from third-party sites. The installers often bundle several programs, which might result in the unintentional installation of adware or other junk. Always pick Advanced/Custom settings during the installation and remove all the ticks from pre-ticked boxes.

Finally, install a robust security program – it could help you prevent accessing malicious sites, including scam, spoofing,[4] phishing, and similar dangerous places on the internet.

Deal with ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) popup correctly

As mentioned above, ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) removal should be as easy as closing down the tab of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or another web browser you encountered the scam on. Keep in mind that everything that was said within the message is fake and should never be trusted.

You can remove ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3) virus scam from your web browser with just one click, however, you should also perform additional checks. As mentioned, redirects to scam websites might indicate adware infection, so you should check your system either manually or automatically. We recommend the latter (using security software), especially if you are not that familiar with all-things IT.

If you contacted cybercriminals behind ERROR # 0xuaO-0x156m(3), and especially if you allowed them to access your computer, you should immediately change passwords of all your accounts, as they might have been stolen. If you paid for fake services, you could likely reverse this transaction by contacting your local bank branch.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

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 Remove.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 Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.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 Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

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

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.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

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 the unwanted extension 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 Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

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 and Temporary cached files and pages, then click 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 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 suspicious extensions 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

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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