The browser scam “5 Billionth Search” is tricking users into believing that they are selected as the winners of the 5 Billionth Search. Here is how harmful this scam is and how to remove it from your browser.
Encountering scams while surfing on internet isn’t an unusual thing now as scams have become common on almost all internet platforms. The latest scam to deceive internet users is a browser scam that tricks you to complete a survey in lure of a tech prize (Samsung Galaxy, MacBook Pro, iPhone).
Once you complete the survey, you will be asked to enter your important credentials including credit card details, email, and home address. You will also be compelled for unnecessary paid subscriptions.
Here is more about this false scheme and its major drawbacks.
What Is 5 Billionth Search Scam
The internet users are being directed to a malicious website unknowingly. Some of the users have reported that, they landed on this suspicious website after clicking on a malicious ad. This ad is being advertised by thousands of websites and hundreds of users are getting trapped by it.
If you have never encountered such a message, then here is how it looks,
“You’ve made the 5-billionth search.
Congratulations! You may be our next lucky winner!
Our last winner was Brad Jenkins from your city, who won a Samsung KU6179 Ultra HD TV on 14.05.2019 with his 5-billionth Search.
Every time the 5-billionth search is reached, we proclaim a winner and reset the counter.
You may choose one of three hidden prizes below. In addition, you will be entered in our Hall of Fame and receive a winner’s certificate.
Behind every blue cup is a prize. Click on a prize cup to uncover it.
For technical reasons, we are not allowed to keep your invitation open for more than 15 minutes. Choose one of the prizes below and follow the instructions on your screen.”
If you ever encounter this message, the first thing you should do is close the tab. Secondly, make sure not to provide any important credentials because you might get trapped.
You may also want to read about Royal Mail Text Scam
Is The 5 Billionth Search A Scam
If you are still thinking whether or not this is a scam, the answer is YES! The “5 Billionth Search” is a scam that is planning to rob you under fake promises. If this message pops up on your system more than once, then it means your PC is infected with a malware. To get rid of this, you have to scan your system or simply remove this program.
Not sure whether or not your system has a malicious program installed in it? Well, here are some signs that you have a malware in your system,
- You encounter advertisements in place where they should not appear.
- Your browser’s homepage is showing some changes that you haven’t made.
- The web pages you visit aren’t displaying properly.
- You get directed to unwanted websites.
- Browser popups with fake updates.
If you witness any of the above signs then it means, you have to remove the malicious program from your system.
How To Remove The ‘Google 5 Billionth Search’ Scam Virus
To remove the ‘Google 5 Billionth Search’ Scam from your system, follow the below steps:
- Look for malicious programs on your Windows
- Use any malware to scan your system.
- You can also use HitmanPro to scan for unwanted programs and malware.
- Reset your browser settings and look for any recently added extensions.
Bottom Line
Sometimes the users might not be able to get rid of this scam after even scanning the system. If the issue still prevails then we would suggest you to reach Windows Malware Removal Help & Support forum.