Did you receive a suspicious security alert or a pop-up message warning that your device is infected with a virus while browsing on Google Chrome on your phone?
Although these can be alarming and create unnecessary panic, they are just fake?
Disguised as genuine alerts from Google Chrome, these virus warnings can trick you into downloading malicious software on your Android phone or giving away personal information, and whatnot.
But, the question is how do you identify and get rid of them? Worry not, we will help you out. Let’s get into it.
How to Identify Fake Google Chrome Virus Warning on Android Phone
Among many other tactics used by cybercriminals and scammers, fake virus warnings on users’ phones have been too common these days, especially when they browse the internet.
But it’s quite easy to identify these fake warnings.
First thing first, if you do not have antivirus on the phone, it’s clear that the alert is fake. Moreover, even if you have one, only trust the warnings in the application.
Any kind of warning on the web page or browser then is always fake.
Here are a few things you can look for to better identify these fake warnings:
- Urgent Messages: Messages that appear to be alarming like – urgent action is needed, your device is infected with malware or viruses are fake. These are written to create panic for the user so they immediately tap and take prompt action.
- Untriggered Pop-ups: Genuine pop-ups occur when you have tapped on something. If the warning has appeared without you tapping anywhere then it’s fake.
- Downloads: It’s fake if they are triggering you to download something not initiated by you.
- Incorrect URL: Sometimes scammers make URLs that are similar to legitimate sites. So always look for mismatching URLs.
- Grammatical Mistakes: It’s common for fake warnings to have grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or inconsistent formatting. Do read properly and try to find them out.
- Personal Information: If your personal or sensitive information is asked then the pop-up is unsafe.
- Overuse of Punctuation and Capital Letters: An unprofessional tone like too many exclamation marks or capital words is used by fake pop-ups.
- Unusually Appearing- Fake pop-ups block your entire page and restrict you from closing them.
Also Read: Remove Fake Virus Warning from Microsoft Edge
What to Do When Fake Google Chrome Virus Warning Appears on Android Phone?
Here’s what you can do to deal with fake virus alerts on Google Chrome:
Quick Answer
If the warning appears as a pop-up, close it immediately by tapping on the X icon present on it or using the back button on your phone. Download a reputed antivirus app from the Google Play Store and scan the device using it to check for potential malware and viruses.
Step 1: Force Stop Chrome and Clear Cache
Force stop the app and clear the app’s cache data to remove any potentially harmful content that may have triggered the fake virus warning pop-up.
1. Long press the Chrome browser icon in the app drawer, tap on i in the pop-up, and then on Force stop.
2. Now tap on Storage, and then on Clear cache.
Step 2: Block Pop-Up Notifications and Configure Other Site Settings
You do not want these pop-ups to reappear once again right? You can turn these off from within the Chrome app itself.
1. Open Chrome and tap on the three dots icon at the top-right corner.
2. Choose Settings from the context menu, scroll down, and tap on Site settings.
3. Tap on Pop-ups and redirects and then turn off the toggle for Pop-ups and redirects.
4. Now, go back and tap on Intrusive ads from the Site settings menu.
5. Turn off the toggle for Intrusive ads.
6. Now go back, tap on Automatic downloads, and turn on the toggle so that it will Ask first before downloading anything on the device.
Step 3: Turn off Notifications
If you notice any suspicious site that sends you such fake virus warnings on Chrome, you can disable receiving notifications from that website.
1. In Google Chrome, tap the three dots icon at the top-right corner, and select Settings from the context menu.
2. Tap on Notifications, followed by Notification categories.
3. Scroll down to the Sites section and turn off the toggle for those suspected websites.
4. If you’re unsure about any of it, you can simply turn off the toggle for Allow notifications.
Also Read: Fix Your System Is Heavily Damaged By Four Virus
How to Fix Unsafe Website Warning in Chrome on Android
In order to fix such warnings in Chrome on Android, make sure that the app is always using a secure connection.
1. Open Chrome, tap the three dots icon on the top right corner, and select Settings from the context menu.
2. Tap on Privacy and security, scroll down to the Security section, and turn the toggle off for Always use secure connections.
How to Check for Fake Google Security Alerts on Phone
If you want to identify whether an alert is real or fake, here’s how:
1. Open Settings on your phone, scroll down and tap on Google
2. Tap on Manage your Google Account.
3. In the Security tab, tap on Recent security activity.
If it says that No security activity or alerts in the last 28 days, it means that the pop-up was fake.
Also Read: 4 Ways to Remove Congratulations You Won Virus on Android
How to Check If a Link is Safe on Android
Before you tap on any link or the one given in the virus warning pop-up in Google Chrome on your Android phone, it is important to identify whether the website is safe or unsafe to avoid falling victim to phishing scams, malware, or other security threats.
Here’s how you can do that:
Method 1: Use a Link Checker Tool
You can use different link checker tools to check if a link is safe on Android. Some tools are URLVoid, Norton SafeWeb, Google Transparency Report, and Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal.
Simply copy and paste the link into the app to perform a scan and get the report.
Method 2: Check if the URL Uses HTTPS
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is a secure version of HTTP that provides additional security for data transmitted over the Internet.
So, always look for the “https://” prefix in the URL as this indicates that the website has a valid SSL/TLS certificate and is generally safe and secure.
Method 3: Look for Legit Contact Information
If you’re visiting a website then always look for the contact information like if they are providing a real number, email, or address. Most fraud sites generally don’t contain these types of information.
Method 4: Examine Google Reviews
You can check the Google reviews of any site that you find suspicious.
However, these reviews can’t be solely relied upon. Some reviews can be fake, so make sure to check the profiles of the reviewers also.
Also Read: How to Fix Apple Virus Warning Message
Method 5: Check the Domain Age and Ownership
You can check a website’s background to identify if it’s safe. WHOIS search can be used to know the owner, registration date, and other information about the website and company. Scam websites generally hide these kinds of information.
Note: Many legit websites and companies can also hide this information to comply with laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GPPR).
Method 6: Utilize a Backlink Analysis Tool
A backlink is a type of URL that leads from one website to another.
If a website has many backlinks then there are slight chances that it can be fake. You can check a website’s backlink using the Ahrefs site checker tool.
In conclusion, a fake virus warning on Google Chrome on your Android phone can cause panic. But if you know how to deal with them, you can protect your device from security threats.
We hope our guide was helpful. If you have any queries or suggestions for us, drop them in the comments box below and stay tuned to TechCult for more informative blogs.