Vipcaptcha.live ads (fake) - Free Guide

What is Vipcaptcha.live ads?

Vipcaptcha.live is disguised to look like a human verification step to trick people into clicking “Allow”

Pop-up ads can lead people to dangerous sites

Vipcaptcha.live is disguised as a human verification step. The site was created by crooks to trick people into subscribing to push notifications. They can then make money through pay-per-click advertising. Users are told to press the “Allow” button to confirm that they are not robots.

However, there is no other content to explore on this site. Instead, people start getting spammed with annoying pop-up ads that may appear even when the browser is closed. The most worrying thing is that fraudsters can use rogue advertising networks that place ads leading to dangerous websites.

People can end up on shady sites that try to lure out personal information or trick them into downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),^[1] and even malware. It is best not to interact with these ads and to disable them as soon as possible. You can continue reading our guide to find detailed instructions.

Distribution methods

Fake sites, like Vipcaptcha.live are usually hidden on other shady sites that are unregulated. For example, pages that engage in illegal activities are full of deceptive ads and sneaky redirects. It is best to only visit pages that you know and trust. Do not click on random links and ads even if they seem to be promoting legitimate products or services.

There is also a possibility that the fake site appeared without any user input. This can happen if you are infected by adware.^[2] It is usually spread through freeware^[3] distribution platforms. They include bundled software in the installers and do not disclose it clearly.

We recommend using official web stores and developer websites whenever you want to install new software. Apps that get listed on official marketplaces have to go through an extensive review process. However, you should still do your research – read the reviews, look at the ratings, and the number of users.

Block push notifications

Because push notifications are based on a subscription model, users need to disable them manually. If you do not know how, here are the instructions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge:

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 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 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 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.

Cookies and cache

Almost all websites nowadays require you to accept cookie usage. Because you experienced pop-up spam caused by a fake site, there is a big chance you were browsing through questionable pages that could still be tracking your browsing activity.

Cookies can store data such as the websites you visit, links you click on, things you search for, and what you purchase online. It can later be sold to advertising networks or other third parties. We recommend using a repair tool like FortectIntego, which can automatically clear your browsers from cookies and cache, clear up space, fix corrupted files, system errors and optimize the performance of the device.

Clear cookies regularly to protect your privacy

Scan your system for adware

There may be a possibility that you are infected with adware and that is why you are constantly bombarded with ads. Because there is no way of knowing which specific app is causing this annoying behavior, we always suggest our readers use professional security tools like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes to scan their PCs.

Anti-malware tools can detect suspicious programs that are active in the background and eliminate them completely with all the related files. Manual removal may result in the renewal of infection as people often fail to eliminate all the related files and entries, however, if you still want to do this yourself, you can follow the guide below for Windows and Mac machines.

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.