How to remove “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up scam

What is “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up scam

We Have Detected A Trojan Virus pop-up scam is a deceptive warning that appears on Mac systems, often luring users into believing their devices are infected with harmful malware. This pop-up typically surfaces due to the presence of potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that infiltrate a user’s system without consent, usually bundled with free software or through misleading online ads. Once displayed, the message encourages users to download dubious software, such as MacKeeper, which is itself classified as a PUP. Ignoring this scam can lead to numerous consequences, including exposure to intrusive advertisements, unwanted redirects to malicious websites, and significant privacy concerns as these rogue applications often track users’ online activities and personal information. As a result, users may unknowingly compromise their sensitive data, leading to potential identity theft or other cybercrimes. Ultimately, the best approach to tackle this issue is to remain vigilant, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and ensure that antivirus software is in place to detect and remove these threats. In summary, “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” is a classic example of social engineering designed to exploit users’ fears and prompt them into taking harmful actions that can jeopardize their digital security.

Why do I see “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up continuously?

The “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” message that appears in browsers on Mac is primarily a scam designed to deceive users into believing their systems are infected with malware. This pop-up typically originates from potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that infiltrate the system through deceptive marketing techniques, such as bundled software installations or misleading ads. These rogue applications not only generate intrusive ads but also redirect users to malicious websites, all while harvesting sensitive information that can lead to privacy violations. The underlying goal of this scam is to frighten users into downloading unnecessary software, often recommending dubious programs like MacKeeper, which are themselves classified as PUPs. Users should remain vigilant and avoid engaging with these messages, as they are intended to exploit fear for financial gain. To mitigate the risk, it’s crucial to regularly scan your Mac with reputable antivirus software and remain cautious during software installations.

Remove “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up manually for free

Remove suspicious applications from MacOS

To start removing “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up you should uninstall unwanted programs from Applications in MacOS. Malware can be present by different names. It should uninstall correctly, however, we recommend you to use CleanMyMac to clean leftover items after uninstalling. Here are instructions for Mac.

Remove suspicious applications from Mac:

1. In the Finder sidebar, click Applications.
2. Find unknown or suspicious applications.
3. Drag icons of suspicious applications from the Applications folder to the Trash (located at the end of the Dock).
4. Then choose Finder > Empty Trash.

Cannot uninstall apps related to “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” in MacOS

If you can’t uninstall suspicious apps from MacOS using instructions above, or it keeps coming back, you can use free AppCleaner for Mac to remove all residual data and libraries. Follow instructions below:

1. Download free AppCleaner.
2. Drag suspicious applications from Applications folder to AppCleaner window.
3. Choose files and folders you want to remove along with suspicious applications.
4. Click Delete button.

Disable push notifications from suspicious websites in browsers in MacOS

Remove suspicious websites, allowed to show push-notifications in Safari

1. Open Safari, and in the top menu click Safari, choose Preferences.
2. In the Preferences window, click on Websites tab.
3. On the left side, choose Notifications. You will see the list of websites and their settings for showing notifications.
4. Find suspicious ones in the list and click Remove button.

Remove suspicious websites, allowed to show push-notifications in Google Chrome

1. Go to Google Chrome settings, by clicking 3-dots icon in the top-right corner and choosing Settings.
2. On the left side choose Privacy and security menu.
3. Under opened Privacy and security tab, choose Site Settings.
4. Scroll down to Permissions section and click on Notifications (with the bell icon).
5. Go to the bottom list of sites named Allowed to send notifications.
6. Find suspicious ones in the list and click 3-dots icon near it. Click Remove button to delete the website permission.

Remove suspicious websites, allowed to show push-notifications in Mozilla Firefox

1. Go to Mozilla Firefox options, by clicking 3-bars icon in the top-right corner and choosing Settings.
2. On the left panel choose Privacy & Security menu.
3. Scroll down to Permissions section.
4. Near Notifications click Settings… button.
5. Find suspicious ones in the list and click Remove Website to remove it.
6. Click Save Changes button to confirm the action.

Remove malicious add-ons from your browsers

Uninstalling apps related to “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” from Applications often does not bring the desired effect. It sometimes has a browser extension and it may still be active in Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Here are instructions on how to remove “”We Have Detected A Trojan Virus related extensions from your browsers manually.

Safari:

1. Start Safari on your Mac, click Safari to open drop-down menu and choose Preferences
2. Click Extensions tab.
3. Find suspicious extension.
4. Click Uninstall button to remove it.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://extensions.
3. Find suspicious or unwanted extension.
4. Click the Remove button to remove them.
5. Also remove other suspicious extensions from the list.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:addons.
3. Find suspicious or unwanted extension.
4. Click three-dots icon near it and choose Remove in the menu.
5. In opened dialog window click Remove button to confirm the action.
6. Remove all suspicious extensions from the list.

How to block ads and pop-ups, like “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus”

Malicious push-notifications, in most cases, are caused by a program installed on your PC or an add-on installed in browsers. However, sometimes it can appear on a clean computer when visiting a malicious website, using an advertising script. Also, apps that generate “We Have Detected A Trojan Virus” pop-up are themselves installed from other pop-ups. To protect your Mac and browsers from phishing websites, pop-up ads, banners, malicious scripts it is recommended to use AdGuard. Download free trial here:

Download AdGuard for Mac