Fake Google Antivirus Alert

Fake Google Antivirus Alert Image

Computer criminals have come up with a creative way of infecting their victims and delivering fake security software. While rogue security programs had been on the decrease since mid-2011, there's has been reports of a clever scam that has breathed new life into these kinds of malware infections. This scam takes the form of a fake Google Antivirus alert. Usually, this fake alert will appear for computer users that have been infected with a browser hijacker or that have clicked on a malicious link taking them to a fake version of the Google website. The Google Antivirus alert main goal is to take advantage of gullible computer users by convincing them to download malware disguised as a legitimate security program.

However, what makes the Google Antivirus alert scam so effective is the fact that Google is one of the most trusted companies providing online content. Because of this, most computer users will not think twice about following Google's recommendations or downloading software supposedly coming from Google. It is important to remember that the Google Antivirus alert is nothing more than a scam and that its appearance indicates that a probable malware infection is already on your computer system.

The Google Antivirus Alert Attempts to Convince Computer Users to Download Malware

The Google Antivirus alert scam is impressive in its simplicity. Basically, criminals have set up a website that is disguised as Google. However, the website appears grayed out in the background because of a fake alert which fills up the center of the screen. This Google Antivirus alert claims that the victim's computer system is infected with malware and that the victim will be blocked from all Google services unless they download Google's anti-virus. Of course, this is all a blatant lie. Google does not provide anti-virus tools, and even if they did, they would not force computer users to download it in this way.

The Google Antivirus alert scam is still relatively new, so there are several inconsistencies in the Google Antivirus alert message and in its fake version of the Google website (such as slight spelling mistakes and formatting inconsistencies). Even if the strange behavior supposedly coming from Google is not enough to tip you off, these should immediately alert you that something is not right about the Google Antivirus alert. If you find that the Google Antivirus alert appears on your computer system, ESG malware analysts strongly advise running full, thorough scans of your computer system with a reliable anti-virus application.