How to fix a Virus

(c) August Isley 2025

Somewhere along the way, you clicked a link in error. You may not have realized the button presenting itself hid a link. Sometimes, those pesky "Are you Human?" boxes are fake - especially if they are pop-ups rather than embedded on the website page. They easily by-pass your pop-up blockers because they pop-up on the website you are visiting, not on your own computer.

Suddenly, you are getting pop-ups and error warnings and all sorts of communications on your screen. For instance, you know you have a virus checker that is active and paid up, but you keep getting warnings from them to update or install now, or renew your subscription. Don't click on things that make your spidy-senses tingle. Realize that you have caught a virus.

You could take your computer to a professional and have them get rid of the intrusions, or you can do it yourself.

Here’s how to remove this incursion and stop the pop-ups:

1. Disable Suspicious Notifications in Your Browser

If you're using Microsoft Edge:

• Type edge://settings/content/notifications into the address bar.
• Under Allow, look for any suspicious sites (like trexoluma.co.in) and click the three dots next to them.
• Select Remove or Block.

If you're using Chrome:

• Go to chrome://settings/content/notifications.
• Do the same: remove or block anything unfamiliar.

2. Clear Browser Data

• Clear your cache, cookies, and site data to remove any lingering scripts.
• In Edge or Chrome: Settings → Privacy & Security → Clear browsing data.

3. Run a Full Malware Scan

Even if McAfee says you're clean, it’s wise to double-check:

• Use Microsoft Defender Offline Scan: Go to Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
• Or try a second-opinion scanner like Malwarebytes Free.

4. Avoid Clicking on the Pop-ups

Never interact with those alerts. If one appears, close your browser using Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), then reopen it without restoring the previous session.