How to remove Pushcollection.net ads

Pushcollection.net ads can be intrusive and annoying

Many users have reported that they have been bothered by suspicious Pushcollection.net pop-ups while using the computer. In most cases, people can't recall this website at all, and all they see is intrusive push notifications showing up on top of everything else running in the background, including the browser, other apps, or even games. This activity can not only be extremely annoying but also put one's security and privacy at risk.

So, what is Pushcollection.net, and why is it doing what it's doing? The truth is that the website is fake and only created to trick people into subscribing to notifications – it has no other purpose and incorporates no additional content. People usually end up on it while wandering around the world wide web, although this does not happen completely randomly.

In most cases, users get redirected to the site after they click a link or one an automatic script reroutes them. The activity is only common on high-risk websites that are deemed untrustworthy (torrents, illegal installers, porn, gambling, etc.). It is also possible that a potentially unwanted program installed on the system is causing these redirects. Adware^[1] is not usually installed on purpose, so many might not even know that it is installed on the device in the first place, so this aspect should definitely not be overlooked.

Once redirected, users are presented with two distinct elements of the page, including some type of image with a message that reinforces one another. The push notification prompt shows up at the corner and asks whether or not notifications should be enabled. If users pay more attention to the former, they are likely to get tricked by the Pushcollection.net scam.

The spam of ads does not immediately start, which makes the whole scheme much more deceptive. Users simply forget about what has happened and continue with their daily activities. Only sometime later do they discover that intrusive ads bring rather misleading messages and suspicious links. 

We do not recommend interacting with any of the links or websites, as this activity might lead to dire consequences, such as financial losses, personal data disclosure, or even malware infection. Instead, check the details below on how to proceed after being tricked by a scam and how to stop the intrusive pop-ups from showing up again.

Pushcollection.net scam explained

Many people don't really think much about the push notification feature because, according to findings by Mozilla,^[2] the prompts are usually ignored or even actively declined. Because of this, some users have little knowledge about how push notifications operate and what they are capable of doing. And this is precisely what the cybercriminals behind the scam are counting on.

Phishing^[3] and social engineering play major roles when it comes to online fraud. There are all sorts of schemes floating around the web, and while some of them might be less harmful than others, it doesn't change the fact that they are all engineered to make people do something they otherwise wouldn't.

As soon as users land on Pushcollection.net, they might be shown a variety of misleading messages. Here are a few examples:

• If you are 18+, tap Allow
• Click “Allow” if you are not a robot
• Can't play this video! Browser may block video autoplay… Click “Allow” to play the video
• Click “Allow” to win a prize and get it in our shop!
• Loading. Please tap ALLOW button to continue, etc.

As you can see, all of these were designed to trick people into believing that the “Allow” button within the prompt is dedicated for some other purpose than it actually is. For example, it implies that there is a video to be watched, and the only way to access it is to press the “Allow” button within the prompt.

Those who agree would not immediately realize what has happened, as there would be no further content to explore. Instead, they are likely to be redirected to a similar website (Venuedurin.xyz, Togranbulla.com, and Departurealtar.com are just a few examples) and asked to do the same thing.

The best option is to leave the page immediately and instead proceed with the steps we provide in the next section to remove the annoying notifications for good.

Remove the unwanted pop-ups for good

As soon as users encounter suspicious pop-ups while using the computer, they immediately see that something is wrong. The deceptive and even malicious nature of the ads just reinforces this feeling. Naturally, many people begin to scan their computers with security software, believing that it's a virus that is at fault.

Unfortunately, this does not help the situation in any way – the notifications continue to show up on the desktop at random times. This is because the feature itself is legitimate, it is just the permission that has been given to a website that is not trustworthy, and it can send anything at any time.

Luckily, this can be easily reverted and, as long as you didn't click on any suspicious links and explored the promoted websites, you should be safe (although you should perform additional checks we describe in the next section).

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.

Google Chrome (Android):

1. Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
2. Select Notifications.
3. Scroll down to the Sites section.
4. Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).

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 the 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.

Safari:

1. Click on Safari > Preferences…
2. Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
3. Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.

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.

MS Edge (Chromium):

1. Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
2. Select Site permissions.
3. Go to Notifications on the right.
4. Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
5. Click on More actions and select Block.

Internet Explorer:

1. Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right of the window.
2. Select Internet options and go to the Privacy tab.
3. In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
4. Locate web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.

Tips to stay secure online

As we explained above, security software would not remove push notifications from your screen, as it is the website that is sending these requests. The notification feature is simply used to manifest these requests, which results in user exposure to deceptive and potentially malicious content.

However, you should never dismiss the possibility that adware or another potentially unwanted program (or even malware) could be involved in the whole scheme. The main goal of adware is to push advertisements to users, regardless of content security. Therefore, those who are infected with adware or malware are more likely to encounter online scams and other malicious websites while browsing the web.

After you get rid of the annoying notifications, download and install SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, or another reputable security tool and perform a full system scan. It can immediately determine whether or not malicious components are present on your device and remove them all at once. Likewise, cleaning web browsers from cookies and other data is highly recommended for privacy and security reasons – check the guide below or use the FortectIntego maintenance application to do it automatically.