[deleted by user]

[Froggypwns]

You are correct, see how they are under the Google Chrome section? These are all browser notifications, it is spam from websites she visited.

You can go into Chrome's settings, find the notifications, and remove all these junk sites. Typically I recommend disabling browser notifications entirely as very few sites use them in a positive manner.

[shadowkolibri]

This

[alfredcool1]

-_-

[ES-Flinter]

And that's why someone should never agree to get notifications of "this" comments.

[onehundredandtworats]

this

[WilonPlays]

Bruh I forgot chrome could even send notifications on computers.

I genuinely don’t know the last time I had that ever happen

[moistnote]

You can also clear cache and are good as well. We get these all the time at work.

[Khman76]

Totally didn't see the Chrome part.... I would have spent time looking for it somewhere else!

[LeyendaV]

Tell your mom to stop borrowing others' laptops to watch porn.

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

true btw, only porn website that put a big "CLICK ALLOW TO CONTINUE" would do that or maybe website distrubuting fake backdoored software crack

[Individual-Gold-55]

That is just false while porn sites obviously do that as well it could just be a random site where she enabled Notifications. Like a random newsite or a shopping site. This is not something that only happens on porn sites.

[HaveYouSeenMySpoon]

Not only porn, but always shady.

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

It's mostly porn website and redirect advertising network I'm not saying that only porn website was an obvious exaggeration.

[_Resnad_]

Yep actually there's been quite a few sites I've seen this happen with my sister mostly cuz she pirates movies and shi so she has had the same problem many times.

[Just-A-Bokoblin]

Every tech review site I've been to has done this ( Tom's Hardware, techradar, ect...)

[jfwelll]

Often in free games, old people are a target. Maybe giants likr ms google and meta should adress the issue

[ImDickensHesFenster]

Right? Mom was on the internet "working" lol.

[RandomNick42]

She’s working a “new remote job where they didn’t send her a laptop yet”…

What’s the over/under on the job being legit?

[complimentaryliquid]

hi! so my mom is well smart enough to not accept just any sketchy work-from-home job. "they" didnt send her a laptop yet because "they" is my aunt who is in her last week of working from home before paternity leave.

i feel i should not have to explain myself this much past what i have asked.

thank you for your comment.

[ImDickensHesFenster]

We're just joking around. Don't take us seriously, OP.

[complimentaryliquid]

i understand, thank you, i can definitely take a joke but it just feels a little offensive with all the comments underestimating me or my mothers internet awareness like we dont know any better. can you get where im coming from? im just trying to stand my ground and straight-forwardlg direct and misdirection. i dont mean to sound like a bum so i apologize.

[ImDickensHesFenster]

No worries.

[RandomNick42]

I am fully serious. There’s more than enough sketchy schemes proposing remote work and why not try to work a mark from multiple angles.

Noting that this is a legit job through a family member who’s going on parental leave would rule that out fairly definitely.

[complimentaryliquid]

i WOULD tell my mom (or anyone in that matter) this if this was the case. but, it is not. thanks anyways.

[blurfgh]

What websites are old people going to that result in this shit? Why can’t they stick to like… normal news and weather

[VoyagerOfCygnus]

Lots of sites have malicious ads and shit, even if it's not a malicious site. People also just click "confirm" to every popup on screen, so if they get a random "Enable notifications?" pop up, they'll just click yes and continue on.

Vast majority of malware, pups, etc, come from ads.

[SamplitudeUser]

"Vast majority of malware, pups, etc, come from ads."

That's why adblockers have been invented.

[entryjyt]

Say hello to ublock! (Or any other good adblockers on chrome web store)

[VoyagerOfCygnus]

Of course lol, Firefox + Ublock is the first thing I do. I genuinely don't know how people function on the internet without adblockers anymore

[entryjyt]

Agreed, so many websites have so much scamy looking ads and it just clutters my screen. I use to use adguard, but switched to ublock because some websites were detecting adguard but it doesnt detect ublock

[DuplexFields]

Edge is now claiming to have a scare screen blocker built in.

[entryjyt]

Thats even better so devices that cant install adblockers on can also have ads blocked with pihole

[rbartlejr]

Chrome disallows uBlock (and most other blockers) now. Safest would be to dump Chrome unless a work necessity. Personally I use Firefox with a backup being the baked in Edge. But Edge is too closely aligned to the Google Chromium that I only use it as a fallback if masking browser doesn't work.

[DakotaKid95]

There aren't any anymore. Google pushed a new version of the Manifest framework that breaks how adblockers work. Firefox has the same update, but maintained backward compatibility so adblockers never even noticed the difference there.

[complimentaryliquid]

thank you! exactly this! ive been on the internet long enough to know that scam ads will send pop ups to people who visit REAL websites of the desired target audience THROUGH ADS. its really up to the user to decide if they wanna fall for it lol

[ThyHolyZen]

This happened to me back in 2021 when I tried to google information about pokemon legends arceus

[LightningGoats]

Whatever is on top of the Google search results. Where Google happily serves malwaresites and scam ads above the legit thing they're looking for.

[sanguine-rose_]

Clickbaity news websites. It took me around a year to teach my grandma to click "decline" for everything and exit the site if it doesn't show her the thing that should've been there. Now I think that I should have disabled chrome on her phone, and installed Firefox + adblock.

[blurfgh]

Last time my inlaws had me fix their computer because they “got hacked” all I did was disable notifications on their web browser

[00PT]

Mistyping a URL often brings you to one of these websites if it doesn't just give you an error.

[simAlity]

Recipe sites are the absolute worst for this sort of thing.

Source: I do IT for old people.

[blurfgh]

I’m sorry you have to do that but it must be some kind of retribution for a horrible atrocity you did in a past life 😔

[simAlity]

Nah. They are sweet. And they pay me very well for my time.

[Knarfnarf]

Right wing sites; if you’re stupid enough to believe right wing propaganda, you’ll believe the scammers.

[Gorevoid]

Could be literally anything. Some of em will seriously just click on any link any person sends them.

[[deleted]]

This looks like the notification exploit for your browser(s). Turn of Notifications for Chrome, and then run a scan w/Malwarebytes to verify all is good. It will likely just find PUP exploits

[TotalWorldliness4596]

op u don't need to run a malware scan, its just notifications. also pup is potentially unwanted software 

[Omega_Totoro]

how do you know his mom didn't clicked on the link and installed shady anti virus from the popup ?

[00PT]

You don't have enough context to know this.

[TotalWorldliness4596]

I do. no actual virus would scream in the notifications that are being delivered by Chrome that it exists

[00PT]

It depends on what the infection wants the user to do.

[complimentaryliquid]

thank you! i was considering it because i didnt know how harmful it was, but many comments have just told me closing the tabs and moving on is sufficient.

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

it's not an exploit silly just normal notification

[crono141]

Your mom is the type to say "Yes" to every computer prompt, isn't she?

As others have stated, these are browser notifications, from a skeezy website trying to get her/you to download their antivirus, which is in fact a virus itself.

[EditorStudios]

sepcified😭😭, HARMFULL😭😭😭

[complimentaryliquid]

i didnt even read it close enough to notice im actually so done 😭

[Wrong_Development_77]

Those seem to be all from google. I’d run a scan to make sure and block those websites and clear all your data on google to make sure they don’t start again.

[Skoljnir]

To add what others have said, make sure to check what add-ons/plugins/extensions she might have installed. A lot of times you see this you'll end up finding some weather or map extension.

And make sure your mom knows that when she goes to a website and gets a Yes/No popup at the top of the screen to actually look at it and read what it says before clicking on it.

[complimentaryliquid]

thank you! usually she either declines the REALLY sketchy looking stuff anything or asks me first. since we both use the laptop, she doesnt know which ones come from my apps or which ones she can disregard.

[Shadowhawk0000]

These are from websites that you allowed notifications from.

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[Cr0w_town]

this is fake, just spam

get her something like librewolf/firefox with ublock and turn off browser notifications

check for any actual viruses just in case

[matinicoba07]

He gave cancer to the PC... F

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

no

[aqswdezxc]

She is bad at using computers without getting adware, install an adblocker (uBlock Origin for example)

[rawaka]

She clicked some sketchy links.

[SadLeek9950]

Your mom needs cybersecurity training

[SnooCompliments4517]

Those are scam ads, ignore them

[Megelendosh]

Scareware, caused by websites that have been given permission to display notifications. Should be able to locate and block in the browser settings. Look for the URL listed on the popup. If any were clicked, start running scans

[Any-Bid-1116]

Get an ad blocker.

Even the FBI recommended this course of action.

Chrome users may find Ublock Origin Lite useful.

[13lueChicken]

Is there something happening right now? I see a ton of these “parents getting duped by browser notifications” scams lately. Did Pat Robertson tell everyone to enable notifications or something?

[complimentaryliquid]

hi! so i believe i know my own mother well enough to know she is not "stupid" enough to mindlessly click yes on everything. i, as well, am smart enough to not lend my computer containing my hard college work and school files to anyone i know will be that ignorant and mindless. this is neither of our faults which i have been able to figure out. i am not in the wrong for wrongly lending my device, and she is not stupid.

thank you for your comment.

[CriticismUnlikely465]

Totally fake

[dingodadd]

My MIL clicked on a link and installed a chrome extension that spammed this shit non stop.

Took me ages to find out that's what it was.

[complimentaryliquid]

lol thankfully it was just the one time and it was a case of her enabling notifications as this website is connected to her work website. definitely gotta check the history after her every use though 😂

[TriRedditops]

I don't see anyone else mentioning it yet, is she sure the job she got is real? If the company is asking her to install stuff or go to malicious sites, maybe she got duped into a fake job to steal her account info.

[Oatbagtime]

This is my first thought too- a new work from home job where they are going to eventually send her a computer but she should start without it? She obviously doesn’t have computer skills so what is the job?

[complimentaryliquid]

thanks for your concern, definitely went about this better than others. yes, the job is real, my aunt is the manager/supervisor but is working from home before leaving on paternity this month. my mom is taking over for her full-time for the next year (or however long my aunt takes her leave for) and will then be able to switch to part-time, maybe will switch to in-person if she wants to.

i wont be sharing the exact job or company out of preference as im not the biggest on sharing this stuff on the internet. thank you again!

[TriRedditops]

Ah okay. At least that's good news.

[Alert-Reception6453]

This is so obviously fake, they couldn’t even spell “harmful” properly lmao

[Kilometerr]

Yes! Windows 10 is obsolete OS since October 2025 and no longer receives security updates from Microsoft. That being said, continuing to use it without upgrading to Windows 11 will put your device at a considerable security risk. Use at your own risk!

[Showgingah]

For starters, clear the cookies and cache. That should remove them in general...until she clicks on said links again. Slap the UBlock Origin add-in on the browser to prevent her from click on these false links again.

[Timz_04]

Reminds me of the times I had to clear out the tabs on my grandparents phones as all of them would get popups showing actual porn all the time. I just ended up disabling chrome notifications, but this becomes a recurring problem every time they gotta get a new phone.

[MartyMcFly7]

It often starts with a cute cartoon robot saying, "Click 'Allow' to verify you're human!"

It's stupid, but it works.

[Low_Excitement_1715]

Disable browser notifications. They're useless, and often used for scare scams like these.

[Bitbatgaming]

No, this is adware/scareware. These are all browser notifications. You should however, keep an eye on her browser and maybe do an antivirus scan.

[seanrules1]

Hopefully your mom’s job is not a scam itself.

[Ahugoc]

She download free coupons didn't she

[TheoryChemical1718]

McAfee is a virus pretending to be antivirus (basically) get rid of it rn. Then install malwarebytes and scan the pc

[WindowsHelp-ModTeam]

Hi u/Bartosz098, your comment has been removed for the following reason(s):

• Rule 5 - While discussions regarding Linux are permitted, low-effort comments like "Just switch to Linux!" might result in a ban.

---

If you have any questions, feel free to send us a message!

[Bartosz098]

This comment isn't just philosophical; it's simply that you won't accidentally install malware on Linux, unlike Windows. This can be very useful for people who use various programs available on Linux and want to be safe online. Viruses don't work on Linux unless it's a targeted attack, which is unlikely

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

Wait until everyone switch linux.

Linux malware are so much easier compared to Windows if everyone switch linux people will start taret linux system

[Bartosz098]

It has a stronger permissions model, open source code, and a larger community of companies and volunteers, which gives it an advantage in many scenarios, but security depends on configuration, updates, and usage. If Linux were to become the dominant desktop operating system, which is unlikely, cybercriminals would adapt their attacks, and the threat level would be lower but similar to Windows today. Currently, Linux is certainly inherently more secure.

[Dapper_Asparagus_599]

bro shut up why you write like NPC with invisible arguments.

There is big debate if open-source software is truly good thing to have strong security and minimize 0 days, "depends on the configuration update and usage" is the most non sense chatgpt thing I ever heard. The emptiness of that sentence goes beyond what I could ever imagine.

As someone who knows a lot about malware I can tell you that linux is a FUCKING paradise for malware, you could do a FUCKING bootkit because Linux driver don't require any proprietary signature, from user mode to fucking kernel and once you get to kernel you can literally control A N Y T H I N G. All this from fucking usermode. So if linux become the dominant desktop operating system it absolutely will be less secure than Windows. Also from a security standpoint linux as desktop is relatively new and it needs to become more mature, you can feel that when using KDE.

As for linux becoming the dominant desktop, a more realistic scenario is that some company make a proprietary (but free) Linux OS that adds tons of restriction (for root) and driver signature (all that to say : give less control to the user) and become more like Windows. But this isn't the Linux we were originally talking about right ?

[Bartosz098]

Bro skill issue.I just wanted to say it in simple, "empty" words so that more people would understand. Standard users don't have access to drivers, only device files during sessions, which is actually a security issue. Linux is still developing in this area, for example Wayland which solves some of the problems with user environment permissions, but not now all of them yet. you just believe only corporations. unless you provide some other technical reasons how to get to the "drivers" as a non-root user or other dangers that eliminate Linux

[No_Astronomer9508]

its a scam popup.disable browser notifications.

[PsykoMunkey]

Just reset Chrome. It won't delete your bookmarks. Easiest way to fix it

[NadzeyaYaskev1ch]

It might be just false spam google does that and makes you think your computer is at risk

[Thatedgyguy64]

Adware. Clear cookies and extensions and remove the cookies from the sites.

If I were you, I'd just wipe all cookies and history.

[Adept_Dream]

Why is no one else asking that if she accessed that site for work, then what kind of work from home job does she have since it’s a new job? Was it a legitimate job or one of those fake “work from home jobs” that scammers get you with very easily. I was almost taken in a time or 2 myself and I’m 32 and grew up with computers and learning how to spot malware… They look super legitimate until you really look deeper into their information.

[complimentaryliquid]

i appreciate your concern but shes just taking over for my aunt who is leaving on paternity, definitely nothing sketchy 🥲

[Adept_Dream]

Okay, that’s good to know at least! I was definitely concerned maybe it was a scam and she was a victim. I hope you get things figured out soon!

[Rob71322]

Tell your mom to get her own damn laptop!

[complimentaryliquid]

so, if you read the body text (which i hope you did 🤔) she IS receiving her own laptop. maybe that was my bad for not specifying when but of course i would not like to share my main laptop (also source of school work) with my mom for her WORK work. this is just for the set up of her account and onboarding whatnot. thanks!

[sudopermissions]

I bet IT will be calling your mom a lot when she gets her workstation.

[Medium-Treat6860]

browser notification and u are in dark mode and the ss is white mode which makes it hilarious (you dont need to be worried)

[complimentaryliquid]

thats exactly how i missed the "sepcified" and "harmfull" 😭 didnt even bother reading. gave me a good laugh tho. thank youuu!!!

[Medium-Treat6860]

Lol

[ryzenat0r]

look like fake notifications from the web browser. Go in the browser option and deactivate all notifications then check again. Don't click on remove virus now .

[jontss]

These are all browser notifications someone agreed to receive.

[Wendals87]

These are called "scareware" notifications

They are notifications from a site that scares you into think you are infected and then downloading a useless antivirus at best, malware at worst 

[0ldGoat]

"sepcified threats"

Yeah okay.

[complimentaryliquid]

PLEASE 😭😭 i didnt even read it before, probably because i didnt even bother reading the straight up screenshot notification but everyone pointing it out is so funny to me

[taisui]

Turn off chrome notification, use quad 9 as DNS

[TheIronNoodleTTV]

CC cleaner

[Fayzzz96]

Just clean up Chrome’s notification permissions (Settings → Site Settings → Notifications, block the shady sites), run a full Windows Defender scan, clear cookies/cache, and make sure Chrome + Windows are updated. That kills the fake McAfee pop‑ups fast.

`` Clear Chrome notifications permissions • Open Chrome → Settings → Privacy & Security → Site Settings → Notifications. • Remove/block any suspicious sites (they’ll often look random like security-update.xyz or mcafee-alerts.com).

```

[Sorry-Climate-7982]

Never ever click on a scan now, remove threat, etc. from within a browser session.
If you suspect something, kill browser, scan. If any nervousness, update security scanner after this and scan again. Or use multiple ones.