Virus or Fraud???

[gpolcz@sbcglobal]

While trying to use "Safari/Google" a blue "Warning" showed up in center screen:
First, a "link" appears for "sentinelpowersafe" (I am not allowed to post the actual link in this "Warning" as I am a new member with only 1 post)

Warning! Your computer is at risk of malware attacks.
We recommend you to check your system immediately. Press OK to start the process now...

I'd been to chicken to press "OK" as I suspect fraud or a virus, but I'd found nothig on the intenet or Apple websight. Meanwhile I am "blocked" from using "Safaro/Google". Please help!!

 

[tweeter]

I sure wouldn't click anything! Try rebooting and see if it goes away.

 

[twerppoet]

It is called Scareware.

It is very unlikely that it can do anything to your iPad. Just choose a different Bookmark, type in a URL, or Google something to go elsewhere. Don't go back to that site. If it isn't intentionally malicious, then it's been compromised by someone who is.

If you want to avoid the page altogether, open the App Store, go the Featured page, scroll all the way to the bottom, and tap on iTunes Store Terms and Contitions...

This will open up Safari to Apple's site on the Terms and Conditions page.

Now, just to make sure you don't go there by accident again, tap on the double square icon, just to the right of the arrows. If the page you were at shows up as one of the bookmarks there, tap on the x to get rid of it.

If for some reason Safari is locked up and wont respond, try the following before using the App Store link.

When things start acting a bit weird, it's a good idea to completely shut the iPad off and restart. You should probably do this at least once a week (my unsupported opinion on frequency.)

Just hold down the power button for about three seconds. You'll get a power off slider. Go ahead and slide it off. Wait until the iPad completely shuts down and then restart it by holding down the power button for about three seconds again.

For more serious problems, when shutting it off doesn't work, you can do a soft reset. Hold down the power and home button until the Apple logo appears, about 10 to 15 seconds. Let go and wait for it to reboot. This will take a few minutes, so be patient.

 

[twerppoet]

BTW, whatever you do, don't revisit that page on a desktop computer, especially Windows. The iPad is almost certainly immune. Depending on your current virus protection and version of Windows, that machine may not be.

 

[concu88]

Nowadays lots of websites come with this warning message, best approach is to don't click anything they prompt to do and never visit the website again.