WowShortVideos.com e-mail scam: how to spot it and what to do
WowShortVideos.com is a scam website that you may encounter while browsing the internet on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser. The people behind this scam want to trick you into subscribing to push notifications so they can show intrusive ads directly on your desktop.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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WowShortVideos.com e-mail scam: summary
| Distribution | The activity can only be triggered when users click the "Allow" button in the notification prompt shown upon site entry |
|---|---|
| Damage | Push notifications may include false information and links to harmful websites. If you click on the ads, you might be infected with malware, give up your personal information, or lose money |
| Name | WowShortVideos.com |
| Type | Push notifications, ads, scam, phishing |
| Symptoms | Pop-ups may appear on your screen frequently – these advertisements are often filled with fraudulent, phishing, or other similar content |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 6 more facts
| Arrives as | |
|---|---|
| Pretends to be | Microsoft |
| Claim | Your account needs urgent attention |
| Asks for | Your password |
| First seen | 5 September 2022 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
How to tell the WowShortVideos.com e-mail scam e-mail is fake
From our report of Sep 2022 · not reviewed since
- Access browser settings to stop intrusive push notifications.
- After that, make sure that your system is not infected with adware or malware - scan it with
- Many times, potentially unwanted programs will leave residues in web browsers- like cookies that are used for tracing.
- You can get rid of them with or by following our manual guide
Is WowShortVideos.com e-mail scam dangerous? What the senders want
From our report of Sep 2022 · not reviewed since
WowShortVideos.com is a misleading website focusing on making users subscribe to push notifications
WowShortVideos.com is a scam website that you may encounter while browsing the internet on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser.
The people behind this scam want to trick you into subscribing to push notifications so they can show intrusive ads directly on your desktop.
The ads produced by WowShortVideos.com and other similar malicious websites can be both annoying and dangerous. These sites are known for pushing various scams, including fake promotions/lottery winnings, false virus infection messages, get-rich-quick schemes, and much more. We outline all the necessary details for both procedures below.
From our report of Sep 2022 · not reviewed since
How scammers use fake messages to fool users
Crooks develop numerous phony websites to run a fraudulent scheme and profit from illicitly-inserted advertising.
They are able to do so because of adware, malicious links, insecure advertising networks, or other techniques they use to distribute those sites around the web, forcing visitors to them.
The element of surprise is very powerful in these types of situations, making some users extremely vulnerable at the time. Looking at the messages used by crooks to fool them, it soon becomes clear why some people may not differentiate between a legitimate request and a fake now used by the WowShortVideos.com site:
These types of messages are by far not unique and are often employed by other similar push notification scam sites, including Jsweepus.buzz, Yokufu.com, Mscsmart.com, and many others.
Allowing push notifications from any of such sites would result in intrusive advertisements being shown without warning, directly on the desktop, making the activity extremely intrusive. Besides, the pop-ups may show fake links and lead to malware-laden websites, so it is strongly advised not to interact with them.
That being said, the push notifications themselves are not dangerous - they can't infect your system with malware or cause other damage, as long as you don't click on them. Removing them from your system is the best way of handling this issue, and we explain how to do that in detail below.
- Click Allow to watch the video
- Press "Allow" to verify, that you are not a robot
- If you are 18+, click Allow, etc.
- Click "Allow" to win a prize and get it in our shop!
- Your file is ready to download - press Allow to continue
From our report of Sep 2022 · not reviewed since
Adware redirects and illegal websites may be dangerous
Although most users try to avoid potentially harmful material on the internet, it does not always work out that way.
Most people are aware that email attachments may be used to distribute malware, so they avoid doing so (although malspam is still one of the most popular virus distribution methods today).
People, on the other hand, tend to forget all of the security precautions and methods they've previously heard about as soon as they want to get something illegal, such as copyrighted films or TV series, software that should otherwise be purchased - MS Office, Adobe apps, and similar popular software.
These websites can be extremely hazardous since they provide a great platform for cybercriminals to buy ad space and utilize fraudulent program installers to distribute malware or employ deceptive "Download" buttons to redirect visitors to other sites for money.
Redirects to WowShortVideos.com and similar websites could also be caused by adware installed on your system. Adware is a form of potentially unwanted software that spreads with free software or deceptive advertising, which frequently leads to unintentional installation. If you see an increased number of advertisements while browsing the web, make sure your device is clean.
Scanning the system with or security software is one of the most convenient and simple methods to do so.
What to do after the WowShortVideos.com e-mail
If you only received the message and clicked nothing, step 3 is all you need.
If you clicked the link or typed anything on the page it opened, do every step, starting with the password.
Step 1: Change the password you typed on the fake page
If you typed a password on the page the WowShortVideos.com message opened, assume the sender has it. Go to the real site by typing its address yourself and change the password there, choosing one you have never used.
Change it anywhere else the same password was used, and sign out all other sessions if the service offers it. Any browser on Windows 11 or Windows 10 will do, as long as you do not follow the e-mail's link.
Microsoft account, Security page (account.microsoft.com/security): Change password. Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Step 2: Turn on two-step verification
With two-step verification on, a stolen password alone no longer opens the account, because a sign-in from a new device also needs a code from your phone.
Switch it on for the e-mail account first, then for banking, shopping and social accounts that use that address.
Check the recovery phone, the recovery e-mail and any forwarding rules while you are in the settings, since attackers change them to come back. The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Microsoft account: Manage how I sign in, where two-step verification and the sign-in methods are. Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Step 3: Report the e-mail and delete it
Do not reply and do not click anything else in the message. In Outlook select the e-mail and choose Report > Report phishing; in Gmail open the three-dot menu next to Reply and pick Report phishing.
That trains the filter for everyone on the service, and the message goes to the junk folder. If the e-mail came to a work address, forward it to your IT team as an attachment first.
The steps are the same in the web mail and the mail apps on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web: Report > Report phishing. Full procedure with screenshots: Report a phishing e-mail
Step 4: Scan the PC if you opened a file from the message
A fake sign-in page only steals what you type, so most readers can skip this step. If the WowShortVideos.com e-mail made you download or open a file, delete it and scan the PC.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and then Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now. The offline scan restarts Windows 11 or Windows 10 and takes about 15 minutes.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
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 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
- 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, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Sep 2022 · not reviewed since
Removal of WowShortVideos.com ads
If you've already scanned your computer with a reliable anti-malware program, you should be safe.
Anti-virus software would not, however, eliminate the push notifications; to get rid of them, you must go to your browser's settings and then block access to the website you don't want to receive pop-ups from. The below instructions explain how to do just that:
Google Chrome (desktop)
Google Chrome (Android)
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Open the Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- 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.
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Questions about WowShortVideos.com e-mail scam
Could WowShortVideos.com be a genuine message?
We checked it, and it is not. Microsoft is only the costume. The message exists to get your password, and real companies handle that inside your account, after you sign in normally, not through links, attachments or phone numbers in a message you did not expect.
Scammers copy logos and footers perfectly, so the design proves nothing. The sender address, the link target and the request are the reliable signs, and all three point to a scam here. Delete it, and if you are worried, check your account directly.
Why does WowShortVideos.com say that your account needs urgent attention?
Because that story works. A problem that needs fixing, a deadline and a simple solution make people act before they check.
The claim that your account needs urgent attention is the same for everyone who received WowShortVideos.com; it was written once and sent in bulk. Nothing about your own situation triggered it.
If you are unsure, look at the real account or service the normal way, without using the message. The claim will not be there, which settles the question. Then report the message.
What does WowShortVideos.com want from me?
In the end, your password. Everything else in WowShortVideos.com, from the logo to the deadline, is there to get you to that point without stopping to think. Knowing the goal helps you judge your risk.
If you did not give it, you lost nothing and can delete the message. If you did, the steps in this guide are ordered by what you handed over:
- passwords first
- then card and bank details
- then documents and anything you installed
- ran
Act on the highest item on that list first.
How do I contact the real Microsoft?
Not through anything in WowShortVideos.com. Type the official website address into the browser yourself, use the app you already have, or use the phone number printed on your card, contract or a previous genuine invoice.
Search results can be risky too, because scammers buy ads for support numbers. Once you reach the real Microsoft, you can ask whether there is any problem with your account and report the scam message; many companies have a dedicated address for phishing reports on their security page.
Why did I receive WowShortVideos.com?
Scam messages go to millions of addresses and numbers collected from data breaches, public websites and simple guessing. Receiving WowShortVideos.com does not mean your PC is infected or that an account of yours was hacked.
If the message includes an old password of yours, it comes from a breach of some website; change that password wherever you still use it. Mark the message as spam or phishing so your provider blocks similar ones. Never reply to ask to be removed from the list: the sender treats a reply as proof that the address works.
I entered my password on the fake page. What should I do?
Change the password on the real site right away, through its own website or app, and sign out of all sessions.
If you use the same password anywhere else, change it there too. Turn on two-step verification with an authenticator app or a passkey. Check the account for changes:
- recovery e-mail
- phone number
- forwarding rules
- recently sent messages
If you can no longer sign in, use the provider's account recovery page. Tell your contacts if the account sent messages in your name.
Is it worth reporting a scam if I lost nothing?
Yes. Reports from people who did not fall for WowShortVideos.com are how blocklists, mail filters and hosting companies find new scam pages quickly, often before most recipients open the message. Reporting the message as phishing in your mail app is enough for most people.
If the message impersonates a company, its security or abuse team usually accepts forwarded copies too. Police reports matter mainly when money or documents were lost, but national fraud centres also collect reports without losses to spot campaigns.
I opened the message. Is my computer infected?
Opening and reading a message is safe in modern mail apps and browsers; images and text do not install anything by themselves. Your PC is at risk only if you opened an attachment, ran a downloaded file, or followed instructions to paste a command or install a program.
If you did none of that, delete the message and move on. If you did, disconnect from the internet and run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan. Do not reply to the sender or click links in the message later either.
Can I trick the scammers or waste their time?
Better not. Replying to WowShortVideos.com confirms that your address or number is live and puts it on lists that sell for more. Scammers who are teased sometimes switch to harassment or try to use any detail you reveal, such as your name, employer or location.
Playing along also risks a slip, like opening a link or a file they send. Report the message, block the sender and delete it. Your report does more damage to the operation than a conversation would.
Will Fortect remove WowShortVideos.com?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For WowShortVideos.com, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Malware (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: Recognize and report phishing (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Protect yourself from phishing (read October 7, 2026)
- NCSC: Phishing attacks, dealing with suspicious e-mails and messages (read October 7, 2026)