Just lately I have been getting the following message whenever I go to my mailbox:

"Your browser is blocking Flash. You must have Flash 9.0 or higher installed and unblocked to run an openmail application. You can download and install the latest Flash Player here."

When I click on "here" it takes me to a "cleanup computer" site, not flash player. I tried to find an email address to tell them to stop doing this, but can't find one.I feel this is an invasion of my privacy and want it to stop. Any suggestions? Thank you very much.

I will move you to Glitches where the computer gurus hang out.

Ana

Make sure your anti-virus is up to date and run a scan. Then make sure you anti-spam is up to date and run a scan. Also clean out all your cookies with something like CCleaner. If you have Malwarebytes installed, update it and run a scan.

Sounds like you just need a good cleaning. This is not an invasion of your privacy, but an attempt to get you to buy something you don't need - clean it up and you'll be OK.

Laurette,

There's a discussion of this in the Google forums, a lot of complaints about the same thing.

Someone said the problem went away when he disabled Shockwave Flash. You might try it.

Gil.

Thank you both. I have updated spyware and just ran a scan. No threats.

How do you disable Shockwave Flash? Thanks.

P.S. I tried using IE instead of Firefox, and got the same thing.

Try cleaning cookies with CCleaner. If it happens in both browsers, clearing history in them might help, but there is probably something installed on your computer. The re-direct is more troubling that the Flash notification.

Draclvr: I installed latest version of Flashplayer (11). Rebooted, and still get same problem. BTW: (duh) what is redirect?

I think I'll call Adobe on Mon. and see if that helps.

Don't have ccleaner. Just search for it on net?

Thanks.

Redirect means that you click on something that says it will take you to a Flash Player update, but instead, you are taken to a place that wants to clean your computer and probably charge you money for nothing.

Download, install and run the free CCleaner here... CCleaner

Also, if you don't have Malwarebyte, download, update and run also. Malwarebytes Free

Adobe most likely has nothing to do with this popup.

I agree with Draclvr, looks like you got hit with a Malware, do as Draclvr's says regarding Malwarebytes and download it if you don't have it and run a Full Scan, if still nothing, then download SuperAntiSpyware the Free one, you can download from here:

http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing;pop

Good luck

Darn, I should have remembered to mention SuperAntiSpyware too. Thanks, Starcom!

I have Webroot (their top one). I've heard it's not good to use more than one spyware program?

Thanks to all.

downloaded and ran both Ccleaner and Malware program.

Malware came up with quite a few items (approx. 800), including some Trojans. I've been removing selected, but since can't remove unless each box is individually checked, it's taking some time. Will let you know if it works. So far, the message is still in my mailbox.

It's not good to use more than one antivirus, because most of them run in real time (i.e. - all the time) and conflict with each other. (There are a few exceptions that only scan on demand, but most antivirus run in real time these days.)

Anti-spyware programs may or may not run in real time. But if you have one that runs in real time, you can always pause it to run another one.


Which Malware program did you run and where did you get it?
Having 800 infections sounds suspiciously like your "Malware program" is something that falsely reports the number of infections in order to sell you something useless. It's not impossible that you have that many, but it's highly unlikely. Always download from reliable sources, not just anything that comes up on a Google search. It's also possible that whatever has infected you redirected your browser to another site when you tried to download.

I agree with Jenny about having 800 items. Did you download Malwarebytes from the link I gave you? Plus, in Malwarebytes, you can choose select all and delete them all at once.

Draclvr: I used the Malwarebytes site you gave me.
I didn't see a select all, but will look again. Thank you both. Also, a lot of the bad sites were duplicates, i.e., pup.my something.

Removed all malware, restarted my computer, and am still getting that box. Am thinking about going back to a previous date (system restore). Don't think that will undue what I got rid of, but just wanted to check. Let me know, and thanks again.

Wow, sounds like your computer had a lot of bad stuff on it. Step one was to get rid of all of it. I would try running Malwarebytes more than once. It sounds like you have a Pup.mywebsearch infection which can come back after you run Malwarebytes. What antivirus are you running?

Have you downloaded and run CCleaner yet?