Wholecoolposts.com ads (spam) - Free Guide
Wholecoolposts.com ads Removal Guide
What is Wholecoolposts.com ads?
Wholecoolposts.com is a bogus website that does not have any content to explore
Wholecoolposts.com is a deceptive site that tries to trick users into allowing pop-ups
Wholecoolposts.com uses social engineering to trick people into subscribing to push notifications. Users are told if they press the “Allow” button, they will be able to continue watching a video. In fact, that is not true. There is nothing else to explore on this page besides the deceptive message and a fake loading bar which is just a GIF.
When users subscribe to push notifications, nothing happens or they get redirected to another shady page. Push notifications may not start to show up immediately. Less IT-savvy individuals might not even know what they are and be very surprised once they start appearing.
The biggest problem with such pages is that the creators do not care about user privacy or security so they do not regulate the ads that start showing up on users' screens. They might even use insecure advertising networks that place ads leading to dangerous websites.
As a result, people might end up on scam pages that can trick them into providing personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),[1] and malware. You might even receive pop-up ads promoting adult websites so if you have other people using the affected device it is best to disable them immediately.
NAME | Wholecoolposts.com |
TYPE | Push notification spam; adware |
SYMPTOMS | Pop up ads start appearing in the corner of the screen sometimes even when the browser is closed |
DISTRIBUTION | Shady websites; deceptive ads; freeware installations |
DANGERS | Links embedded in the pop-ups can lead to dangerous websites where people might get tricked into providing their personal information or downloading PUPs and malware |
ELIMINATION | To disable push notifications go to your browser settings |
FURTHER STEPS | Use FortectIntego to clear your browsers and fix performance issues |
There are many websites that use very similar techniques to Wholecoolposts.com. Push notification spam pages have been increasing in numbers over the past few years as users spend more and more time online. The opportunity to generate revenue from users' clicks was not overlooked by individuals who want to take advantage of that.
That is why pages like News-boxuge.cc, Ideorganizatio.work and Robotzone.ru keep emerging every day. They are very easy to create. It does not require any hacking skills whatsoever. All the crooks have to do is come up with a convincing message and they can multiply these pages and spread them on the Internet.
Wholecoolposts.com may lead to dangerous scam websites
The removal process
1. Disable push notifications
If you have had enough of annoying pop-ups and do not want to see ads leading to questionable sites on your screen, you can disable Wholecoolposts.com permissions manually by going to your browser settings. Keep in mind that this might not work if you are infected by adware.[2] If removal from the browser will not work, you will have to access your programs section in the device and find it manually or scan your machine with professional security tools.
Google Chrome (desktop):
- Open 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 Sites section.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
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 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 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 click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
- Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
- Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
- Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.
MS Edge (Chromium):
- 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 on the window.
- Select Internet options and go to Privacy tab.
- In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
- Locate web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.
2. Clear your browsers
After successful removal, you need to take care of your browsers separately. With the help of cookies,[3] shady websites you visited could have collected data about your browsing activities. Fraudsters could have access to your IP address, browser version, geolocation, websites you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online.
This data can be sold to advertising networks or other third parties and used to target you with ads even more. There have also been instances when cookies were hijacked and used for malicious purposes. That is why security experts recommend cleaning your browsers regularly. You can do that automatically with a maintenance tool like FortectIntego.
3. Scan your machine with anti-malware tools
If the previous removal method did not work and you still experience symptoms like an increased amount of commercial content, banners, surveys, redirects you might have adware hiding in your system. These programs often infiltrate the systems as bundled software from freeware[4] distribution sites.
If you have installed any free software recently, there is a big chance some intruders got in unnoticed. Freeware distributors include additional programs in the installers to make a profit. Unfortunately, these are not useful apps. Instead, they can hijack your browsers and generate ads on your machine.
To avoid this from happening in the future, always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation method. If you choose “Automatic,” you do not have control over the process. Even though it can be a lengthy process, we suggest you read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use to find out what the application will be capable of and what data it will collect. The last step is to inspect the file list and untick the boxes next to any additional programs to prevent them from installing on your machine.
If you have no idea which app is responsible for such activities, you should deploy SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes professional security software that will perform a full system scan and eliminate it automatically. They can also prevent such infections in the future by warning you. Crooks often disguise adware as handy tools that you would not even suspect, so you might remove the wrong files. If you still prefer doing it yourself, here are step-by-step instructions for Windows and Mac:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
For macOS users:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- 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:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
How to prevent from getting adware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Chris Hoffman. PUPs Explained: What is a “Potentially Unwanted Program”?. Howtogeek. Technology Magazine.
- ^ Adware. Malwarebytes. Cybersecurity Basics.
- ^ What are Cookies?. Kaspersky. Home Security.
- ^ Tim Fisher. What Is Freeware?. Lifewire. Internet, Networking and Security Blog.