“Malwarebytes – Your PC Is Infected With 5 Viruses!” is a scam message that typically appears on internet browsers as a form of scareware. It is not a legitimate alert from the real Malwarebytes security software. Instead, it is designed to trick users into believing that their computer is infected with viruses in order to coerce them into downloading potentially harmful software or paying for unnecessary technical support services. The individuals or organizations behind these scam alerts often use the names and logos of well-known tech companies to lend credibility to their claims and to intimidate users into taking immediate action.
These scam alerts usually appear due to adware or potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) installed on the computer. These programs are often bundled with other software and thus get downloaded and installed without the user’s explicit knowledge. When these PUPs or adware are active, they can cause advertising pop-ups, banners, and redirects in the browser, leading to the display of such scam alerts. The best way to avoid these alerts is to ensure the computer is protected by genuine security software, to be mindful of what programs are installed, and to only download software from trusted sources.