Reminderapp.store scam (fake) - Free Guide

What is Reminderapp.store scam?

Reminderapp.store tries to trick people into installing a PUP by showing a fake Apple Security message

Reminderapp.store uses a countdown to make users act without thining

Reminderapp.store is a deceptive site that tries to trick people into thinking that their device is infected with multiple viruses. It uses social engineering^[1] methods to scare people and get them to act without thinking. The full message that people see reads as follows:

Apple Security
Your {device_brand} {device_model} has been infected with 21 viruses after visiting an Adult website.

If the problem is not resolved immediately, viruses will damage your device, harm the SIM card and delete all your contacts. Here's what you need to do:

Step 1: Tap the button below and install Protection app from the AppStore!

Step 2: Open Clean & Protection App and run cleaning procedure!

As you can see, the primary targets of this phishing scam are the people who own iPhones. The site is designed to look like a legitimate alert from Apple Security. The site claims that viruses infected the machine after visiting an adult website. In fact, it may be that an adult page caused the scam to appear.

Usually, pages that engage in illegal activities or shady sites in general, are unregulated, they may use rogue advertising networks that place ads leading to dangerous websites that try to trick people into providing personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),^[2] or even malware.

The danger of potentially unwanted programs

The Reminderapp.store page, redirects users to the app store and encourages them to install “Device Protector.” It is unknown if the application is safe to use. It may be a PUP that has hijacking or adware^[3] capabilities. People may start experiencing an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects.

It is never a good idea to install apps when you are prompted by shady websites. If you want a system tool, you should look for it yourself and do your research – read the reviews, look at the ratings, and the number of users it has. It is best to choose those that have plenty of positive feedback and thousands of users.

Reminderapp.store promotes a suspicious application that should not be installed

Protect your privacy

You have probably noticed that almost every website you visit asks permission to use cookies.^[4] Generally, this is not a bad thing as it helps websites to personalize the user experience. However, it can cause a lot of issues if the page does not have strong security. Cookies can be hijacked and used for malicious purposes. Untrustworthy pages can also sell them to advertising networks and other third parties.

Cookies can store data like your IP address, geolocation, websites you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online. This is why it is important to clear your browsers regularly. The process can be automated with a maintenance tool like FortectIntego. It can delete all cookies and cache and also fix system damage, errors, and registry issues which is especially helpful after a virus infection.

Get rid of the fake security alert scam

The Reminderapp.store page could have appeared because your browser is hijacked, so you should check your device for malicious extensions. The site is also capable of displaying annoying push notifications. You can find a detailed removal guide below.

Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:

1. Click Safari > Preferences…
2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
3. Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.

Remove unwanted notifications:

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.

Reset Safari:

1. Click Safari > Preferences…
2. Go to Advanced tab.
3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.

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

Remove unwanted notifications:

1. Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on Advanced.
3. Locate 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.

Clear cache and web data:

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.

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.

Scan your device for adware

If the above method did not get rid of unwanted symptoms, there is a possibility that your device is infected by adware. Such programs can perform various tasks in the background, like generating pop-ups, banners, and redirects. Most often, users get infected by adware from freeware distribution platforms.

They include bundled software in the installers to make a profit. To avoid that, always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation method, read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The most important part is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to any unrelated files that you do not want to install.

Generally, PUAs are hard to remove because fraudsters disguise them as handy tools. We suggest using professional security software like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes that can scan your system and detect suspicious processes running in the machine. Besides, anti-malware tools can issue warnings if a file trying to enter your system seems suspicious. However, if you still want to do this yourself, here are the steps you need to follow:

Remove items from Applications folder:

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.