“But I thought Macs don’t get viruses?!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that over the years.
You’re trying to work on your goals and the last thing you want to be dealing with is some weird new problem that pulls you off-course.
We’ve had an increasing number of clients call about having their web browser taken over by annoying ads, pop-ups, and sketchy behavior.
While these things aren’t necessarily viruses, they look and act like viruses. They usually get in there if you download some necessary-sounding “video player” or “plugin”.
They can’t be installed without your okay in some way. You’d have to click “Install,” “Allow,” or else type your password for the Mac, so at some point you likely got tricked into installing them. Perhaps when you needed something for your work or you wanted to watch that video about the dogs trying to befriend cats. 😉
The unwelcome pop-ups and ads can be sneaky; they may ask you to call a toll-free number “for assistance on how to remove a potential virus.” When you call them, they want to charge you for remote support. Soooo… They want to charge you to remove the thing they themselves installed? Hmmm.
To protect yourself from this annoyance and prevent getting tricked into paying someone for remote support you don’t need, be careful and be aware. Treat the internet like a new city you’re exploring. I just spent some time in Mexico City so I have some fresh, personal experience with this. 😉
Would you drive into the sketchy part of town to buy your groceries from a no-name shop that has knock-off brands? Or would you go towards the shops and signs you know and trust that have a strong reputation? You can even ask friends who live in that area which shops have the best products before buying something new.
Your best weapon is knowledge. Keep your Mac tidy, install as little as possible, and only install stuff you need from reputable websites. If you’re unsure (or if you don’t want to think about it), just submit a callback request and we’ll help you on your schedule.
