Protecttoday.space scam (Free Guide)
Protecttoday.space scam Removal Guide
What is Protecttoday.space scam?
Protecttoday.space is a misleading website that shows fake virus infection alerts
Protecttoday.space is a harmful website that you might encounter unexpectedly, often because links from other high-risk websites redirect you to it. This site uses the name McAfee extensively in its pop-up messages to appear legitimate, mimicking logos, window styles, and other features of the real McAfee software. However, everything about this site is fake, and the real aim of the cybercriminals behind it is to make money from advertising revenue.
To make the Protecttoday.space scam seem convincing, the fraudsters use scare tactics, claiming that your system is infected with multiple viruses that need immediate cleaning. Naturally, they quickly offer a “solution” and direct users to a page where they can purchase the anti-virus software.
Avoid visiting any other sites, accepting push notifications, and most importantly, never download any software from Protecttoday.space or any linked websites. If you have already done so, we suggest you follow the instructions below to check your system. It is advisable to perform an adware check even if you haven't interacted with the site.
Name | Protecttoday.space |
Type | Scam, phishing, redirect, adware |
Operation | Shows a pop-up that claims that trojans and other malware have been detected, then prompts users to purchase software to remove the allegedly found threats |
Distribution | Redirects from other websites, pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications |
Risks | Installation of potentially unwanted or malicious software, |
Removal | Check your system with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner security software to ensure no adware or malware is running in the background |
Other tips | Upon successful eradication of adware and other potentially unwanted programs, it is recommended to clear your browser of cookies and other tracking elements. The FortectIntego tool can do that for you automatically |
How scam website displaying fake virus alerts work
Cybercriminals often use fake virus alerts to frighten people into giving them money. Fear is a powerful emotion, and scammers find it easy to target those who are not very familiar with computers or the internet.
The main goal of these cybercriminals is to scare users into making quick decisions without realizing they are being tricked. Protecttoday.space uses this tactic by pretending to perform a system scan that shows alarming results in a pop-up window. You might see a message like this:
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.
This message is not unique and is shown to everyone who visits the scam page. The results are just a copy of the security vendor's anti-malware software window, a common trick used by many scam sites.
Those who follow the instructions are taken to a page where they can buy software. Each person who does this helps the scammers behind Protecttoday.space, earning them money for every transaction. The links to buy the software might not be genuine, and users could end up downloading unwanted or harmful malware onto their computers. Therefore, you should never download anything from these sites.
So, what now?
It's understandable why some people might be fooled into thinking their systems are infected, given that the name of a well-known security software provider is being used. However, there are many warning signs in this scheme, so it is important to pay close attention to what you see and how it is presented.
Similarly, you shouldn't worry that your system got infected just by visiting the Protecttoday.space site, as it is unlikely. If you haven't downloaded anything from this or any other malicious site, the only way malware could get into your device is if you have software with vulnerabilities installed. To reduce this risk, you should ensure that all your apps, including the operating system, have the latest security updates.
Even though the results from the fake scan at Protecttoday.space are completely made up, we highly recommend you follow the instructions below to clean your system from potential adware infections.
Checking the system
Even though everything claimed on Protecttoday.space is false, it doesn't mean your system is free from infections. For instance, adware can redirect you to phishing websites and show intrusive ads, so you should definitely check your device.
Adware is a type of program that often spreads through software bundles or other suspicious methods, allowing it to enter your system without you noticing. It can run processes in the background and display ads, redirects, and other unwanted activities.
Instead of trusting fake scan results or downloading unreliable software from these ads, we recommend using a reliable security tool – such as SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes – that can immediately detect and remove all malicious components on your system. Additionally, with a cleaning tool FortectIntego, you can quickly eliminate leftover files, such as cookies used for tracking, and clean your system to ensure optimal performance.
Pop-ups? You've likely enabled push notifications
Apart from overwhelming users with entirely inadequate information, Protecttoday.spacealso requests users to enable push notifications. Individuals who agree or accidentally click the “Allow” button will soon receive bothersome pop-ups that will pop up at various times.
These pop-ups will advertise get-rich-quick schemes, fake virus infection alerts, lottery scams, and similar phishing content. Disregard these notifications and block them through your browser settings – we will explain the process below.
Google Chrome
- Open the Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Scroll down and click on Advanced.
- 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.
Google Chrome (Android)
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Scroll down to the Sites section.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off position).
Mozilla Firefox
- 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 drop-down menu by the URL in question.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
Safari
- 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.
MS Edge
- 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.
Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right of the window.
- Select Internet options and go to the Privacy tab.
- In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
- Locate the web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.
How to prevent from getting adware
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 Private Internet Access 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 Private Internet Access 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. Data Recovery Pro 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.