Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam: how to spot it and what to do
"Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!" is a scam designed to look like a security alert from Google.
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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Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam: summary
| Distribution | Shady websites, rogue advertising networks, freeware installations |
|---|---|
| NAME | Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! |
| TYPE | Online scam; adware |
| SYMPTOMS | A fake message appears asking users to subscribe to shady services and download bogus apps because their system is supposedly infected |
| DANGERS | People can infect their machine with PUPs and be taken to dangerous pages |
| Name | Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! |
| 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 9 more facts
| Type | Phishing message |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | A phishing e-mail asking you to sign in |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Arrives as | |
| Pretends to be | Netflix |
| Claim | Your account needs urgent attention |
| Asks for | Your password |
| First seen | 16 May 2022 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What the Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam e-mail looks like
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
The Internet is full of scam pages just like "Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!"
We previously wrote about other scams such as "Windows Defender Security Center" and "You need to update your browser to view the content." They are rarely found through search results.
Most of the time, people stumble upon them while browsing through other shady websites. Pages that engage in illegal activities are unregulated so they are full of deceptive ads and sneaky redirects. Illegal streaming platforms, torrent websites, and peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms display fake "Download" and "Play" buttons that can redirect users to scam pages.
It is important to only visit pages that you know and trust. Never click "Allow" without fully understanding what permissions you are giving. There are also many legitimate streaming services to choose from, like Netflix or Hulu. They only require a small subscription fee and users can consume as much content as they want.
Another possibility is that the Chrome scam appeared without any user input. This can happen if your machine is infected by adware. It can cause an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects. Follow our removal guide below to get rid of any intruders.
How to tell the Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam e-mail is fake
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
- Eliminate the plugin via browser settings; performing a scan with anti-malware tools is recommended
- Use a maintenance tool like to fix any remaining damage and optimize the machine
Is Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam dangerous? What the senders want
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
"Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!" is a scam page that uses Google's branding to appear legitimate
"Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!" is a scam designed to look like a security alert from Google.
In reality, Google has nothing to do with this fraudulent campaign. It is entirely created by crooks to take advantage of less IT-savvy users. The page displays a fake message trying to convince users that their machine is infected by multiple malicious programs.
The page uses scare tactics to get users to take immediate action without thinking twice. It also specifically targets Chrome users which can make the message look more believable. By interacting with the scam site, users can put their machines in actual danger.
The page can start spamming users with annoying pop-up ads that appear even when the browser is closed. It can also trick people into providing personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), and even malware. Crooks may infect people with adware, browser hijackers, etc.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Stop the intrusive pop-ups
"Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!" scam was reported to cause push notification spam.
Crooks can use rogue advertising networks that place ads leading to dangerous websites. Do not interact with the ads and do not click on the embedded links. Because push notifications are subscription-based, you will have to disable them yourself:
Google Chrome (desktop):
Google Chrome (Android):
- Open 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).
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Check if your browser is hijacked
The scam site could have installed a bogus browser extension.
You may experience symptoms, like changed browser settings including the homepage, new tab address, and search engine. You can remove browser add-ons by going to your settings. Find the list of extensions installed in your browser and remove them one by one to see if you notice any changes. We show how to do that in the guide below:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- 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.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Clear cookies and cache
Websites and web-based applications can monitor users' activity and collect various data using cookies, like the IP address, geolocation, pages they visit, links they click on, and things they purchase online. Most sites use this information to personalize the user experience but it can also be used to make a profit.
That means your data can end up reaching advertising networks or other third parties. Security experts recommend clearing browsers regularly. You can use a maintenance tool like that can get rid of cookies and cache automatically. This powerful software can also fix various system errors, corrupted files, and registry issues, which is especially helpful after a virus infection.
What to do after the Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! 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 entered a password after clicking the link in the Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! Message, treat that account as known to the sender.
Open the provider's real site by typing its address yourself, not through any link in the e-mail, and change the password there. Choose a new one you have never used before, and change it on every other account that shared the old one.
Then use the option to sign out of all other sessions or devices, if the provider has one. This works the same in any browser on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
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
Two-step verification asks for a code from your phone or an authenticator app whenever someone signs in from a new device. A stolen password alone is then not enough to open the mailbox.
Turn it on in the security settings of the e-mail account first, then for the bank, shop and social accounts that send their reset links to that address.
While you are there, check the recovery e-mail and phone number and the forwarding rules, which attackers sometimes change to keep access. The settings pages look 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
Report the message instead of only deleting it. In Outlook choose Report > Report phishing, in Gmail the three-dot menu > Report phishing; the provider then blocks the same message for other people.
Do not reply and do not click anything else in it. On a work account, forward it to your IT team as an attachment first. Web mail and the mail apps on Windows 11 and Windows 10 offer the same options.
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 page that only asked for a password installs nothing, so most readers can skip this step. If the Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!
E-mail or the page it opened made you download or open a file, delete it and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10 open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes, so save your work first.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Eliminate potentially unwanted programs
If you completed all the previous steps but you still experience unwanted symptoms, there might be adware hiding in your machine.
Usually, it sneaks into the system from freeware distribution platforms. They include additional programs in the installers without clearly disclosing it.
It is best to use official web stores and developer websites whenever you want to install new software. You should also always choose the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation methods, 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 applications.
The program that is causing the erratic behavior could have any name or icon because crooks often disguise them as "handy" tools.
If manual removal is what you still prefer, we have instructions for Windows and Mac machines:
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
- 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.
Questions about Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! e-mail scam
Is Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! Really from Netflix?
No. It is sent by scammers who copy the name and look of Netflix. The sender address and the links do not belong to it, and the message asks for your password, which a real company does not request through an unexpected message.
If you want to be sure about your account, open the website or app of Netflix the way you normally do, not through the message, and look for notices there. Then delete the message and report it as phishing. If you already followed its instructions, use the steps in this guide for your case.
Is it true that your account needs urgent attention?
No. The claim that your account needs urgent attention is the hook of Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!, invented to give you a reason to act quickly.
Scammers pick a story that could plausibly apply to many people, so it may feel relevant to you, but nothing in the message is based on your real accounts or devices.
If the claim concerns a service you use, check it there directly, by opening the website or app yourself. You will find no such problem. Then delete the message and report it as phishing.
What happens if I do what Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! Asks?
The scammers get your password, and they use it quickly. Passwords are tried on the real service within minutes, cards are charged or added to phone wallets, remote access is used to open your bank, and crypto is moved on at once.
Documents surface later as accounts in your name. If you already did what the message asked, do not wait to see what happens; follow the steps in this guide for your case today. Speed matters more than anything else here.
Will Netflix refund me if I fell for Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!?
Netflix did not send the message and is not responsible for it, so a refund usually comes from your bank or card issuer, not from the brand. Call the bank first if you paid.
It still helps to tell the real company: they can secure your account, add notes for their fraud team and take down pages that use their name. Contact them through their official website or app only, never through the message or a search ad. Keep the message as evidence.
Should I reply or unsubscribe?
No. A reply confirms that your address is active and read, which leads to more scams. The unsubscribe link in a scam message is part of the scam and may lead to a phishing page. Mark the message as spam or phishing and delete it.
Block the sender if your mail app allows it, though scammers change addresses often. If the scam came by text message, do not reply STOP either. If it came through social media, use the platform's report function and block the account.
Can just reading Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! Harm my PC?
No. Reading the e-mail does nothing to the PC. The risk lies in what the message wants you to do: your password. Every one of those needs an action from you, such as a click, a typed password, a payment or a call.
If you stopped at reading, you are fine. Delete it and report it. If you are unsure whether you clicked something, check your browser history for the time you read the message, and act on what you find there.
How can I spot messages like Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! In future?
Check the sender's actual address, not only the name. Hover over links before clicking and compare the domain with the real one. Be suspicious of urgency, threats, prizes, unexpected invoices and requests for passwords, codes, card data or crypto.
Do not call phone numbers from unexpected messages; use the number on the official site or your card. When in doubt, go to the service directly through its app or a bookmark. Phishing protection and two-step verification limit the damage when a scam gets through.
How quickly do scammers use a phished password?
Often within minutes. Phishing kits send each password to the operators as soon as it is typed, and many test it automatically on the real service. Some kits also pass the two-step code through in real time.
That is why the first hour matters: change the password, end all sessions and check that the recovery details are still yours. If nothing has changed by then, you were probably fast enough, but keep watching for login alerts and password-reset e-mails for a few weeks.
How do I report Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware! To my mail provider?
Use the built-in button. In Outlook, select the message and choose Report > Report phishing. In Gmail, open the message, click the three-dot menu and choose Report phishing.
Scam text messages can be forwarded to your carrier's spam number, which is 7726 in the US and the UK.
On social networks, use the report option on the message or the profile. Reporting trains the filters that protect you and other users, and it takes a few seconds. Then delete the message.
Will Fortect remove Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!?
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 Your Chrome is severely damaged by 13 Malware!, 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
- Howtogeek: PUPs Explained: What is a "Potentially Unwanted Program"? (read October 7, 2026)
- Makeuseof: Why Should You Avoid Illegal Streaming Sites? (read October 7, 2026)
- Torrentfreak: Google Targets Fake 'Download' and 'Play' Buttons (read October 7, 2026)
- Helpnetsecurity: How does a rogue ad network function? (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams (read October 7, 2026)