Walmart gift card popup

[gershomatl]

I have a moto g3 and I keep getting a walmart gift card (git.walmartgoog.online) pop and another popup about google draining my battery while I'm on random websites. I can't make the popups close out or go away. Does Malwarebytes detect and remove these things? If not, any suggestions on how to prevent?

[a_Mbam]

Hi Gershomatl,

Unfortunately this is caused by how the browsers are handling javascript and the redirections. Chrome and other browsers don't do a great job of preventing these redirects or pop-ups. This behavior is similar to ad pop-ups and redirections on your PC. Advertising affiliates have found this loop hole and have been exploiting it. If they get shutdown it’s only a temporary fix, cause they’ll be back with a new affiliate id.
 
The only way to block is to try a different browser, disable javascript or install Ad-block Plus. Ad-block Plus works only with Wifi and needs additional configuration, but works.
 
https://adblockplus.org/en/android-install
 
If you encounter these pop-ups again, back out of the using Android's back key.
 
Regards,
 
-Armando

[gershomatl]

Thanks, Armando!

 

[gershomatl]

Thanks, Armando! What additional configuration should I do on AdBlock plus?

 

[gindygoo]

Sorry to hijack, but this happens to me using chrome on my iPhone. Is it the same reasons @a_Mbam and is the advice the same? It's only started happening since the latest iOS update ??

Edited August 31, 2016 by gindygoo
To switch on subscribe, hopefully!

[a_Mbam]

Hi Gershomatl,

I would suggest using whatever default settings AdBlock Plus suggests. 

An alternative you can try is the Opera Browser, they've come out with built in ad blocking recently. 

  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opera.browser

Regards,

-Armando

[a_Mbam]

Hi Gindygoo,

Yes, this is the same behavior. They are necessarily device/OS specific in their delivery but the message could be tailored to the device.

Regards,

-Armando

[boomer57]

Android Nougat Settings Changes to eliminate the browser hijacking problem:

Open Android Settings, select in the Personal section: Google, then Ads, then set "Opt Out of Ads Personalizations" to True.  
   Next on the same page, tap the "Ads by Google" to open the https://www.google.com/ads/preferences/html/mobile-about.html page.
   On this page, find any link shown as "Ads Settings" and click on that hyperlink.
   This brings you to https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated?hl=en page.
   If you are not already logged into your google account, please do so at this time.
   Then on this page, there is a "Ads Personalization" setting, which you should set to True.
   This successfully eliminated my browser hijacking problem.

   If you still have a problem, try installing MalwareBytes free antivirus to run a scan of all the apps, and see if it finds any virus infestations.