How to Remove Google Prize Pop-up Ad Scam

Can’t Remove Google Prize ads? This page includes detailed ads by Google Prize Removal instructions!

Don’t get excited if a pop-up message congratulates you on winning a prize from Google. The alert is probably deceptive. There are various online scams which use the names of well-known and trusted organizations and companies. These schemes are created to lure you into unwanted actions. The Google Prize Pop-up Ad Scam is one such online trap. The scheme is simple. You get redirected to a legitimate-looking website. There, a fake message congratulates you on winning a valuable prize. All you have to do to claim the prize is to complete a short survey. Once you do it, however, you are asked to “sign in to your account.” Don’t do it! If you enter your credentials, the crooks will steal them. Do you think that ends well? Of course, it doesn’t! The possible consequences are terrifying. The crooks might sell the information on the black market, and/or use it against you. Exit the phishing website immediately! If it reappears, scan your computer for malware. Scams like the Google Prize Pop-up Ad one are usually run through adware parasites. Your computer might harbor a parasite! Make sure you clean your system. You don’t want to deal with adware. These parasites are not as dangerous as the Trojan horses, for example. Yet, they may steal sensitive information or further infect your computer. All security experts agree that there is no such a thing as a safe parasite. Do not test your luck. The Google Prize Pop-up Ad scam did not trick you, but with adware on board, there will be a next time, and may not be that lucky. Don’t risk it! Clean your computer for good!

How did I get infected with?

The Google Prize Pop-up Ad scam page appears courtesy of an adware. The parasite uses trickery to sneak into your system. It hides in software bundles, fake updates, and torrents. The parasite lurks in the shadows and waits for you to make a mistake. The thing is that this parasite cannot get installed without your permission. If you don’t pay attention to the fine print, however, you might install the adware unintentionally. Only your caution can prevent this scenario from unfolding. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Don’t visit shady websites. Download your software from reputable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” installation strategy. Most of the apps we download off the web come bundled with bonus programs. You can prevent the extras from installing only under the advanced/custom setup option. Under it, you would be able to deselect all unwanted programs. Make sure you know what you install. Read the terms and conditions before you agree to them. You can, of course, speed up this step by using an online EULA analyzer. Abort the installation if you detect anything suspicious.

Why is this dangerous?

The adware behind the Google Prize Pop-up Ad scam has no place on your system. It is an intrusive ad-generating parasite which not only ruins your browsing experience, but jeopardizes your privacy as well. The adware spies on you. It monitors your browsing-related data. Even the Incognito mode of your browser cannot hide you. The parasite records and analyzes your every online step. And when it deems it has enough information, it sends it. To whom? Well, to the unknown individuals who published it. You are dealing with criminals. These people use the data to target you with adverts, as well as sell access to it. Anyone willing to pay can use the parasite and its resources to target you. Numerous crooks do. They create irresistible adverts and force them on you. Yet, when you click, bad things happen. You risk ending up on phishing, scam, and infected websites. The Google Prize Pop-up Ad scam is not the only one out there. You might fall into a trap if you don’t take action against the adware. Do what’s best for you and your system’s well-being. Remove the adware immediately! The sooner it’s gone, the better!

How to Remove Google Prize virus

The Google Prize infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Google Prize infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Google Prize in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Google Prize startup location

STEP 3: Delete Google Prize traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Google Prize in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Google Prize startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Google Prize virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean Google Prize traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Google Prize by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Google Prize

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Google Prize, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove Google Prize argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Google Prize Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your system and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.