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Please tell me this is malware!

Hi everyone. You may see this post twice but sorry. I originally posted as anon but because of moderation I didn't want to wait. Here we go.

So. I research a lot of random questions and today I googled one. I clicked on a forum that was discussing the answer to my question and as I’m scrolling down at the replies my phone tab suddenly switches to teen pornography. At this moment my phone tells me that the ‘download’ had downloaded. ????? Wtf

I immediately panic. There were no links that I clicked. There were no adverts on the page or anything. In my panic I press the back button several times but I’m just tunnelling through adverts and then a pop up comes up telling me my phone is locked and that I need to pay a fee to unlock it.

Then, a police notication comes up telling me I've been viewing illegal material. I click back several times and eventually close it. Now I’m freaked out and ****ing terrified. I thought about calling the police and pleading my innocence (I even screenshotted it all) but I did a google search and the same thing has happened to other people.

As for the download file I didnt even wanna open it so I didnt. I just deleted it but I'm shitting bricks cause I would never do such a thing. I actually wanna cry right now lolIMG_20160409_174823.jpg
Attachment not found


Is it malware or legit? Again I dont know HOW THE HELL i got onto that porn site and now im so scared. HELP?

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Reply 1
Another thing: I’m scanning my phone for malware and NOTHING IS COMING UP!
I highly doubt that you have malware on your phone. Ads often do that on computers. I'm not sure about the Police warning. It looks legitimate but, again I don't know. If the police do happen to get in contact somehow, you have to explain the situation and I'm sure they can understand. That's really, really weird though. Avoid going to untrusted websites on Google to avoid ads.
Original post by Desteratio
Another thing: I’m scanning my phone for malware and NOTHING IS COMING UP!


You have not committed a criminal offence.

This is malware.

Child pornography and other, extreme content is not easily accessible. If you typed in child pornography in a search engine such as google, you will get a definition of it, legal articles about it, tv shows/documentraries about it: i.e. everything under the sun but actual child pornography (thank god!).

ISPs and search engines work tirelessly to filter out such horrific and illegal content from the results netted to the user.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Desteratio

Is it malware or legit?


Always check the language, spelling, phrasing and grammar. Is it good? Does it look as if it has been written by a native English speaker? This is the first thing to check. If the answer is "no" then ignore it, as government organisations tend to employ reasonably competent writers to produce these messages.

In this case, it is obviously malware.
Come on, use your common sense. Do you honestly think the police would contact you via a pop up? And ask you to pay money?


It's a well known scam.
Scareware, they say the police have caught you and hope you panic into buying them off
Reply 7
Original post by banterboy
Scareware, they say the police have caught you and hope you panic into buying them off


So it's not so much a phone issue but just the fact I was unfortunate enough to stumble upon this ‘scareware’?
Reply 8
I had a laptop malware similar something to do with Yorkshire police - saying that I needed to pay a fee in order to use my laptop. I did a simple system restore to resolve it and it was fine after that, but in your case i'm not sure as its a phone o.o
Have you tried taking the battery in and out, and sim card?
Reply 9
Original post by SophieSmall
Come on, use your common sense. Do you honestly think the police would contact you via a pop up? And ask you to pay money?


It's a well known scam.


I think I would’ve rathered look stupid than discard it as nothing.... But cheers I suppose.
Reply 10
Original post by Caver
I had a laptop malware similar something to do with Yorkshire police - saying that I needed to pay a fee in order to use my laptop. I did a simple system restore to resolve it and it was fine after that, but in your case i'm not sure as its a phone o.o
Have you tried taking the battery in and out, and sim card?


Not yet. Still trying to figure out how the hell it got there. Hopefullt a full system restore should do it?
Reply 11
Original post by Desteratio
Not yet. Still trying to figure out how the hell it got there. Hopefullt a full system restore should do it?


If it's malware then yes, well it worked for me :tongue:
Original post by Desteratio
So it's not so much a phone issue but just the fact I was unfortunate enough to stumble upon this ‘scareware’?


Probably, i've had it happen to me before
Original post by Caver
If it's malware then yes, well it worked for me :tongue:


Unless it continues to do stuff on his phone after he goes off it, it's most likely an advert, not a virus.
I've had those before. The police wouldn't send you a message through a pop up box. Relax.
Original post by Desteratio
Hi everyone. You may see this post twice but sorry. I originally posted as anon but because of moderation I didn't want to wait. Here we go.

So. I research a lot of random questions and today I googled one. I clicked on a forum that was discussing the answer to my question and as I’m scrolling down at the replies my phone tab suddenly switches to teen pornography. At this moment my phone tells me that the ‘download’ had downloaded. ????? Wtf

I immediately panic. There were no links that I clicked. There were no adverts on the page or anything. In my panic I press the back button several times but I’m just tunnelling through adverts and then a pop up comes up telling me my phone is locked and that I need to pay a fee to unlock it.

Then, a police notication comes up telling me I've been viewing illegal material. I click back several times and eventually close it. Now I’m freaked out and ****ing terrified. I thought about calling the police and pleading my innocence (I even screenshotted it all) but I did a google search and the same thing has happened to other people.

As for the download file I didnt even wanna open it so I didnt. I just deleted it but I'm shitting bricks cause I would never do such a thing. I actually wanna cry right now lolIMG_20160409_174823.jpg
Attachment not found


Is it malware or legit? Again I dont know HOW THE HELL i got onto that porn site and now im so scared. HELP?


i've had it before, calm dude, don't get a floppy because of it.
Its a Scam
Original post by thefatone
don't get a floppy because of it.


I've never come across an android device that could interface to a floppy disc.
Original post by Good bloke
I've never come across an android device that could interface to a floppy disc.


lol :colonhash:
Lol...Is New Zealand irrelevant?

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