Remove “VirtualShield – Your PC Is Infected With 18 Viruses” Scam

The “VirtualShield – Your PC Is Infected With 18 Viruses” scam is a phishing and affiliate marketing fraud designed to scare users into believing their computer is infected. This fake alert is not associated with the real VirtualShield VPN product and uses deceptive tactics to exploit user trust. At the time of discovery, it redirected users to the legitimate VirtualShield site via an affiliate link, potentially generating commissions for scammers. However, this redirection can easily change to malicious destinations.

Scam Summary

Attribute	Details
Threat Name	VirtualShield – Your PC Is Infected With 18 Viruses
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Affiliate Fraud
Fake Claim	PC is infected with 18 viruses
Disguise	VirtualShield (unauthorized use of brand)
Detection Names	Yandex Safebrowsing (Phishing), alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious)
Associated Domains	onlinescuresoftware[.]xyz
Serving IP Address	188.166.82.58
Symptoms	Fake scan results, virus alerts, pop-up windows, system warning hoaxes
Distribution Methods	Rogue ads, compromised websites, pop-ups, adware, malvertising
Damage	Identity theft, privacy breach, monetary loss, malware infection
Danger Level	High

What Happens in This Scam?

Once users land on a website promoting this scam—often through pop-up ads or redirects from shady websites—a fake system scan runs, falsely detecting 18 viruses. The site then displays a frightening warning message, pressuring the user to “renew their antivirus subscription” to remove the supposed threats. This is pure deception; websites cannot run antivirus scans on your system. The goal here is either to generate affiliate revenue or redirect users to harmful downloads.

Text Shown in the Scam Pop-up

Your PC is infected with 18 viruses!

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED!

Viruses found on this PC most likely track internet activity to collect banking details and login credentials.

Please renew subscription to keep your PC protected.

Renew Antivirus Subscription

Unprotected PCs are 93% more vulnerable to suffer from malware.

This fear-inducing message is a classic case of social engineering. It pressures users into making impulsive decisions that could lead to malware infections, financial theft, or identity compromise.

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Why This Scam Is Dangerous

While some affiliate scams may direct to real software, that doesn’t mean they are harmless. These campaigns:

• Create unnecessary panic
• Condition users to click on suspicious links
• Open the door to future malware infections
• May redirect to fake clones of real websites
• Exploit trusted brand names to gain credibility

Moreover, scams like this often serve as the front door for installing Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs), adware, browser hijackers, or even more severe malware like ransomware and trojans.

Manual Adware Removal (Windows & Mac)

Step 1: Identify Suspicious Applications

For Windows Users

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Check the “Processes” tab for unfamiliar or suspicious programs consuming excessive CPU or memory.
3. If you find any, note their names and close them.
4. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
5. Locate the suspicious application, right-click it, and select “Uninstall.”

For Mac Users

1. Open Finder and navigate to Applications.
2. Look for any suspicious or unknown applications.
3. Drag them to the Trash, then right-click on the Trash and select Empty Trash.
4. Open System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items and remove any unrecognized startup programs.

Step 2: Remove Adware-Related Browser Extensions

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome and go to Menu (three dots in the top-right corner) > Extensions.
2. Locate suspicious extensions and click “Remove.”
3. Reset Chrome: Go to Settings > Reset settings > “Restore settings to their original defaults.”

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox and go to Menu (three lines in the top-right corner) > Add-ons and themes.
2. Locate and remove suspicious extensions.
3. Reset Firefox: Go to Help > More troubleshooting information > “Refresh Firefox.”

Safari (Mac)

1. Open Safari and go to Preferences > Extensions.
2. Locate and remove any unknown extensions.
3. Reset Safari: Go to History > “Clear History.”

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Edge and go to Menu (three dots in the top-right corner) > Extensions.
2. Remove suspicious extensions.
3. Reset Edge: Go to Settings > Reset settings > “Restore settings to their default values.”

Step 3: Delete Adware-Related Files and Folders

For Windows Users

1. Press Win + R, type %AppData%, and press Enter.
2. Look for suspicious folders and delete them.
3. Repeat for %LocalAppData%, %ProgramData%, and %Temp%.

For Mac Users

1. Open Finder, press Shift + Command + G, and enter ~/Library/Application Support/.
2. Locate and delete suspicious folders.
3. Repeat for ~/Library/LaunchAgents/, ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/, and ~/Library/Preferences/.

Step 4: Flush DNS Cache (Recommended)

For Windows Users

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.

For Mac Users

1. Open Terminal.
2. Type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press Enter.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer

Restart your device to complete the manual removal process.

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Automatic Adware Removal Using SpyHunter (Windows & Mac)

For a hassle-free and effective removal, use SpyHunter, a robust anti-malware tool designed to detect and remove adware efficiently.

Step 1: Download SpyHunter

Download SpyHunter from the official website: Click here to download SpyHunter.

Step 2: Install SpyHunter

Follow the installation instructions based on your operating system:

For Windows Users:

1. Open the downloaded .exe file.
2. Follow the on-screen installation instructions.
3. Launch SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware definitions.

For Mac Users:

1. Open the downloaded .dmg file.
2. Drag and drop SpyHunter into the Applications folder.
3. Launch SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware definitions.

Step 3: Perform a System Scan

1. Open SpyHunter.
2. Click on Start Scan.
3. Wait for the scan to complete.
4. Review the detected threats and click Fix Threats to remove adware.

Step 4: Restart Your Device

After SpyHunter removes the threats, restart your computer to finalize the process.

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For the most secure and effective removal, we recommend downloading and using SpyHunter: Download SpyHunter Here.

Stay safe and keep your system clean!

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Final Thoughts

"VirtualShield - Your PC Is Infected With 18 Viruses" is not just an annoying pop-up—it's a calculated scam. It exploits your fear of cyber threats to lure you into taking unsafe actions. Although it may sometimes link to a legitimate product, the deceptive method makes it untrustworthy and potentially harmful.

Avoid engaging with any alert claiming your device has been infected via a website scan. Remember, no website can scan your computer for viruses. If in doubt, always close the tab, avoid clicking on links, and run a legitimate antivirus scan manually using trusted software.