Personal-scan.com ads: what it is and how to remove it
Personal-scan.com is one of many websites that attempts to imitate a known security vendor in order to make people click on affiliated links and purchase the software. People might encounter the malicious page at any point whenever they are browsing the web on Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, or another web browser.
Facts checked October 7, 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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Personal-scan.com ads: summary
| Name | Personal-scan.com |
|---|---|
| Type | Scam, ads, redirect |
| Infiltration | Redirects from other websites, pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications |
| Scam content | The scam is based on scaring users into believing that their systems are infected and that they need to remove those infections with promoted software |
| Dangers | Installation of PUPs or malware, sensitive information disclosure, financial losses |
| 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 |
| Symptoms | Notification spam from a website |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | personal-scan.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 2 August 2022 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What the Personal-scan.com ads ads look like
Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!
Is Personal-scan.com ads dangerous?
From our report of Aug 2022 · not reviewed since
Personal-scan.com shows fake virus infection messages
Personal-scan.com is one of many websites that attempts to imitate a known security vendor in order to make people click on affiliated links and purchase the software.
People might encounter the malicious page at any point whenever they are browsing the web on Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, or another web browser. Likely, the redirect happens when a malicious link somewhere else is clicked - torrents, illegal video streaming sites, and similar are likely to cause these.
In some other cases, users affected by adware could be forced to view phishing sites more often than not, especially if it is accompanied by an increased number of various advertisements. This aspect is rather important, and removing the unwanted software from the system could stop the persistent Personal-scan.com redirects for good.
From our report of Aug 2022 · not reviewed since
The scam message
In a brief few moments, they are presented with a seemingly harsh truth - their system is infected with several viruses!
Here's the full message is shown to people:
The message is designed to make people concerned, and the fact that the name of a well-known security provider is used can make them think that these results are legitimate. However, there is nothing legitimate about this message, and the reason it is shown to users is to make them panic and proceed with buying the license for the software.
Those who oblige are soon redirected to the page where software can be purchased. Each person who does this supports the scammers behind the fake Personal-scan.com site, as they receive a commission for every purchase. Likewise, links to purchasing software might not always be legitimate, and people might be instead directed into installing potentially unwanted or even malicious software on their systems.
It is worth noting that Personal-scan.com also attempts to make people enable push notifications - a request is seen right upon entering the site. If you have accidentally clicked the "Allow" button within the notification prompt, you are bound to receive intrusive pop-ups that would show at any time whenever the browser is running.
From our report of Aug 2022 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Personal-scan.com
- Soon after entering the website, users are often surprised by what they see: several windows are shown that looks like a system scan by McAfee, which is a reputable security vendor.
- 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.
- Interacting with the scam content is dangerous, as scammers may promote fake versions of antivirus software.
- Instead, use reputable tools for your system safety
- Third parties can employ cookies to continue tracking your online activities, so we recommended clearing browser caches and other leftover PUP files with
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
personal-scan.com
How to remove Personal-scan.com ads
How to stop Personal-scan.com notifications
Do this in every browser you use, and in every profile inside it: each keeps its own list of sites allowed to send notifications.
Nothing has to be uninstalled for the notifications themselves.
Which browser shows the ads?
Step 1: Remove personal-scan.com from Chrome's notification list
Chrome keeps a list of every site you once allowed to send notifications, and
personal-scan.comis on it. Pastechrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar, find personal-scan.com under Allowed to send notifications, open the three-dot menu next to it and pick Remove.Then click Add next to Not allowed to send notifications and type personal-scan.com, so the site cannot ask a second time. Repeat it in every Chrome profile you use on Windows 11 or Windows 10, since each profile has its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove personal-scan.com from Edge's notification list
Open Settings and more (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Remove
personal-scan.comfrom the Allowed list, then click Add site next to Not allowed to send notifications and enter it there.Edge is built into both Windows 11 and Windows 10, so check it even if you normally use another browser. If the notifications came with the Edge logo, this is the browser that holds the permission.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove personal-scan.com from Firefox's notification permissions
Open the menu (three lines) > Settings and click Permissions and data in the left list, then Notifications. Select
personal-scan.com, click Remove Website and confirm with Save Changes.In versions older than Firefox 152 the same list sits under Privacy & Security, behind a Settings button next to Notifications. Firefox shows these notifications only while it is running, on Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
If you only saw the notifications and clicked nothing, you can stop before this step. If a notification led you to download or run something, delete that file, then scan Windows.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and Scan now. The offline scan restarts the PC and takes about 15 minutes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
More removal instructions
For programs installed on the PC and older browsers. Open the one you need.
Removal of adware
The remediation process after encountering the Personal-scan.com scam website begins with an adware check.
The quickest and easiest way to ensure that your system is free from adware is by performing a full system scan with or security software, which would quickly and easily get rid of all malicious components at once.
While you can try to eliminate unwanted programs manually, automatic removal is simple and quick. Besides, uninstalling useful programs might do more harm than good. Nonetheless, after you are sure that your device is malware and adware free, you should promptly clean your browsers from cookies and other trackers.
MS Edge (Chromium)
Also, if you were forwarded to another malicious website and provided your personal information (such as any passwords, account details, or other details), you should be aware that your contact data could be passed on to cybercriminals. This means that you may receive more phishing emails or phone calls in the future, so be wary.
- 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.
- Click Menu and pick Options.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content, and press Clear.
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
- Click Safari > Clear History...
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
How to deal with unwanted push notifications from Personal-scan.com
Websites that tend to show misleading information about users' computer status often attempt to monetize in as many ways as possible.
Besides misleadingly wanting to sell software to users, they also ask them to enable push notifications as soon as they enter the website.
While most users would not engage with the request, some might click the "Allow" button accidentally, which would result in intrusive pop-ups showing up on users' desktops and showing inappropriate, misleading material and might even include malicious links. Interacting with these notifications is not recommended, as it may pose a danger to your security and safety.
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Open the Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
- Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
- Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
- Click on Privacy & Security section.
- Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click the Settings button next to it.
- In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the URL's drop-down menu.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
- Click on Safari > Preferences...
- Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
- Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.
- Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
- Select Site permissions.
- Go to Notifications on the right.
- Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
- Click on More actions and select Block.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
Questions about Personal-scan.com ads
Why do I get notifications from personal-scan.com when the browser is closed?
Chrome and Edge can keep a small part running in the background so that sites can deliver notifications, and Windows shows them in its notification area. That is why messages from personal-scan.com keep arriving with no browser window open.
The permission to send them was granted when someone clicked Allow on a prompt from that site, often disguised as a robot check or a video player. Closing the browser does not remove it; only the notification settings do.
Remove personal-scan.com from the allowed sites and the background messages stop. You can also stop the browser from running in the background in its system settings, but the permission is the real fix.
I clicked a notification from personal-scan.com. What should I do?
If you only opened the page and closed it, nothing else is needed besides removing the permission from personal-scan.com. If the page asked for card details, a phone number or a password and you entered them, act on that: call the bank to block the card, or change the password from another device.
If it offered a download, delete the file unopened, or uninstall it from Installed apps if you ran it, then run a full scan. If you called a number shown on the page, follow the steps for callers in this guide. Finally, remove the permission so that no more messages arrive.
Why does Personal-scan.com show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Personal-scan.com is a push-notification spam site, and its operators are paid for every ad it displays and every click it gets. In this case the ads take the form of desktop notifications.
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.
Is personal-scan.com safe to visit?
No. The site personal-scan.com exists to push visitors towards ads, and the pages it leads to include fake virus warnings, fake updates, prize scams and notification prompts. Visiting it once does not infect an up-to-date PC, but anything you click or download there is a gamble.
Do not enter personal details, do not allow notifications and do not call phone numbers it shows. If it opens by itself, close the tab and check the browser's extensions and notification permissions. Blocking the single domain helps little, because the operators register new names regularly.
Which browser is sending the personal-scan.com notifications?
Each notification shows the name of the browser and the site in its small print. In the cases we saw, the messages from personal-scan.com came through Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Permissions are stored per browser and per profile, so removing the site in one browser does not affect another.
If you use several Chrome or Edge profiles, check each one. If you sync the browser with an account, remove the permission while signed in, otherwise another computer may still hold it and keep receiving the same messages.
How do I know the ads come from Personal-scan.com?
Look for notifications from personal-scan.com. That is the trace Personal-scan.com leaves, and it shows up as desktop notifications. 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.
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.
Did clicking Allow install anything on my PC?
No. Allowing notifications stores a permission in the browser and nothing else. No file is downloaded and no program is added to Windows, which is also why antivirus scans find nothing. The risk comes later, from the notifications themselves: they lead to scam pages, fake updates and phishing forms.
Remove the permission in each browser where you allowed it. If you clicked a notification and downloaded something afterwards, delete that file and run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan.
Will Focus or Do not disturb stop the notifications?
Only for as long as it is on. Do not disturb in Windows 11 holds back notifications from all apps, including browsers, and releases them to the notification centre later. The site still has permission and the messages still arrive.
Use the browser's notification settings to remove the site instead: once its permission is gone, it cannot send anything, whatever Windows is set to. Keep Do not disturb for what it is meant for, such as meetings, presentations and quiet hours.
Will Fortect remove Personal-scan.com?
No program removes Personal-scan.com itself, because there is nothing on the PC to remove: the notifications come through a permission saved in the browser, and only the browser's settings take it away, as the steps above show.
What Fortect can do is check the rest of Windows. Its free scan looks for malware, unwanted programs and damaged system files, which is useful if you clicked the ads, downloaded something from the pages they opened, or are not sure what else changed on the PC.
If the scan finds nothing and the notifications stopped after you removed the permission, this problem is solved. Use Microsoft Defender as a second opinion whenever you have downloaded files from pages like these.
Sources
- Imperva: Phishing attacks (read October 7, 2026)
- Wikipedia: HTTP cookie (read October 7, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)