Ive just started getting a pop-up window - looks like from Mac Keeper - a scam?

[RobertLeming]

Hi, new here

Mac OS Sierra 10.12.2 - just upgraded to this version today. Upgraded to Sierra a month or so ago

MacBook Air 6,2

Using Chrome Version 55.0.2883.95 (64-bit)

___

Two new factors today:

• Just went to 1012.2
• Discovered my Epson Perfection V550 Photo Scanner was not working - 1st use since the switch to Sierra. Careless, went to www.epson-driver.com and clicked download. After, I started to get the pop up recommending a scan. Questions:

Questions?

Is this really Mac Keeper - the pop us has their avatar
Is Mac Keeper safe?
Do I want Mac Keeper?


If all of these are yes - I am guessing I should let it scan?

If any are no, how do I remove whatever is generating this pop-up?


Thanks!

 

[vansmith]

No, ignore the popup - it's just an ad for some questionable maintenance software.

Is the popup recurring? If so, try clearing your cache as a first step (Chrome > Clear Browsing Data... > make sure "Cached images and files" is checked and that the time period covers when this popup started happening).

 

[MacInWin]

Get Ghostery and just block everything. That stops popups and some malware that comes with them. No, you do NOT want MacKeeper. No, it is not legitimate. No, it is not safe.

IF you find malware on your system, get malwarebytes from malwarebytes.com and run it. That's about all the protection you'll need.

 

[RobertLeming]

was recurring

Just did Clear Browsing Data w Cached images and files [last 7 days, sufficient?]

If it recurs again, I'll post an update

Thanks! appreciate the advice

 

[harryb2448]

Did you follow Jake's idea and install Ghostery? It is so good I shall go to the trouble of providing a link for you. Did you ever have the dreaded Mackeeper on your computer?


https://www.ghostery.com/try-us/download-browser-extension/

 

[RobertLeming]

I got a scary message when I went to download Ghostery - I pulled out

I did download Malware Bytes which found Mac Keeper & removed it.

Thanks to all who jumped in to help: vansmith, MacInWin, harryb2448 - really appreciate it.

We will see, but I think I am good to go

Last thoughts?


Best!

 

[MacInWin]

The scary message was probably Gatekeeper warning you the application came from someplace other than Apple. IF you got it from that website, you can safely ignore that warning and go for it. Ghostery is my number one protection from crapola that shows up these days on the Internet.

 

[lclev]

Yes, add Ghostery as an extension to your browser. It works well.

Lisa

 

[harryb2448]

And yet again go for Ghostery. When you get tht message about being from an unrecognised developer, right click and it should open and install.

Not all developers want Apple grabbing a share of their hard earned or interfering in the way it was designed to run. Ghostery is designed to prevent ALL tracking and Apple wanted an amendment to this, so they pulled it from the App Store.


https://www.ghostery.com/try-us/download-browser-extension/

 

[Rod]

Same here, it might take a little while to tune it to your individual needs/likes, for example I "white list" this site but you can just go to Chrome Preferences > Extensions > scroll to the bottom and click "Get Extensions" and search on the resulting page for Ghostery and download the browser extension from there.
A page will open on the browser which will encourage you to register, you can do this, and options to set preferences. Start by blocking all and adjust it over time to suite yourself. For example you may need to unblock some trackers in the "Customer Interaction" section. A little purple box will popup telling you what is being blocked so you can tell if something is preventing an action you wish to use and you can unblock those specific trackers but many people find they can happily block all with no loss of function at all. If in doubt you can just switch off blocking on any page temporarily from the Ghostery icon on your browser tool bar.