P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz ads (scam) - Free Guide

What is P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz ads?

P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz sends fake security alerts about serious PC infections, such as Trojans

P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz can convince users that their PCs are in danger

P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz is a dubious site that tries to trick people into thinking that their computer is infected with multiple viruses. The page is designed to look like an alert from a well-known security software “McAfee.” It is clear that they have nothing to do with this fraudulent campaign. The full message reads as follows:

Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!

ACTION REQUIRED!

Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired!

Renew now to keep your pc protected.

If your PC is unprotected, it is at risk for viruses and other malware.

The website then proceeds to supposedly scan the computer and diagnose it. People are then rushed to renew the security software subscription. However, the page might actually make users download PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),^[1] or even malware.

The dangers of fake security alerts

Push notifications from P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz are made to look like security alerts from “McAfee.” They show that users are infected by various viruses, Trojans, ransomware. However, these messages are not real, and the links embedded in them may lead to suspicious sites.

Users may be tricked into providing their personal information, like phone numbers, email, credit card details, etc. This can result in spam calls, emails, monetary losses, or even identity theft. Because crooks often use rogue advertising networks,^[2] some people may also be redirected to adult and gambling websites so you should take care of this issue immediately, especially if there are other people using the affected machine.

P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz can show push notifications that look like messages from McAfee

Fix your browsers

1. Disable push notifications

To stop annoying virus alerts from P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz, you have to block the site permissions that allow it to show you push notifications. After removal is complete, we recommend using FortectIntego repair tool to care for your browsers. Almost every website you visit uses cookies^[3] to track your browsing activity, like the pages you visit, links you click on, and purchases you make.

If you have pop-ups appearing from questionable sources it most likely means that you were surfing through web pages you should not and clicked on dangerous links. Your browsing data might be exposed or sold to advertising networks that use it to target you with ads even more. But first, you have to stop the pop-up ads from appearing. You can do that by following our step-by-step guide:

Google Chrome (desktop):

1. Open 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.

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 Settings button next to it.
4. In the Settings – Notification 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.

MS Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge, and click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
2. Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
3. Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
4. Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.

2. Remove browser hijackers

Check if your browser is affected by a browser hijacker. Some of the symptoms may include changed settings (homepage, new tab address, and search engine), increased amount of commercial content, and unknown extensions added to the settings.

Web-based applications can automatically redirect users to scam sites, like P03try-c4t3g0ry.xyz. You should go to your browser settings and see if there are any plugins added. We recommend removing any apps one by one to see if you notice any changes.

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 the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

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.

Mozilla Firefox

• 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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.

Use anti-malware tools to scan your machine

If you disabled push notifications and checked the browser for extensions but still experience unwanted symptoms like unexpected redirects and an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, and banners you should scan your system for adware. It is mostly spread on freeware^[4] distribution sites.

Many people rush through the process and do not notice the bundled software. If you want to keep the risk of PUAs sneaking into your system to a minimum, follow these steps during the installation:

• Always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods
• Read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to find out how your data will be used, etc.
• Inspect the file list and uncheck the boxes next to unnecessary programs

We suggest using trusted professional security tools SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes for PUP removal. It should detect most suspicious apps and remove them successfully. Of course, you can also remove a PUP manually, but it is unknown which particular app could be causing annoying behavior, as crooks disguise them as “handy” tools. Manual uninstallation can also leave some traces of the program behind which could result in the renewal of the infection.

However, if you still do not want to use security tools and know which program is at fault, use the instructions below to help you uninstall it:

Windows 10/8:

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

Windows 7/XP:

1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Mac:

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)

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.