What is the “Your Account Has Been Locked” scam? How does “Your Account Has Been Locked” scam work? How to remove “Your Account Has Been Locked” scam from your Mac?
A new scam message likely caused by a virus on your mac has been reported by many users. The scam’s primary purpose. The main idea of this scam is to get you to type in your login credentials for your Apple account, which is basically a phishing attack. Usually phishing pages can appear on your computer due to several different reasons, one of them being either adware ot other forms of malware that may have corrupted your Mac.
Threat Summary
| Name | |
| Type | Virus for Mac OS |
| Short Description | A phishing page likely caused by a browser redirect due to adware or a Trojan on your computer. |
| Symptoms | Aims to display a fake Mac virus message. The primary idea of this message is to convince victims to enter their username and password. |
| Distribution Method | Via various different types of viruses or adware. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss . |
Mac Virus – How Did I Get It and What Does It Do?
The primary idea of the Mac Virus is to convince victims to enter their information. To do this, it causes a browser redirection, whose main goal is to show the following message:
Text from image:
You account has been locked
It look like your account is outdate and request to update account
ownership information, so we can protect your account and im prove our
service to maintenance your privacy. To countinue using your account
again, we advice you to update the information before 24 hours or your
account will be permanently locked.
Account Venfication
Please verify your account as soon as possible follow intruction to
confirm your identity. Our team will disable your account in 24 hours.
Information Expired Account
Dear.
Your account has expired and we temporarily blocked your account.
To reopen your account and use it, renew identity to update your account,
click the https: app e d apple.co:r and follow the instruction.
We wait 3 days, if you do not respond, we will lock your account for the
next 2 years, renew your account. For Apple ID to be update to make your
account more Secure
Apple Support
This web page may have come to either one of the web browsers on your Mac and its main goal is to get you to click the “Account Verification” button. It may ask you to type in not only your username and password, but also other personal information as well, like your credit card details, for example.
Seeing this page, likely means that you may have an unwanted program installed on your Mac. Such unwanted software often finds its way on your computer by either being added to the installers of other programs or by being advertised as a legitimate program open for free download.
Once you download such unwanted program on your computer, the “Your Account Has Been Locked” redirects may not be your only program. The app may also show other ads such as:
- Pop-ups.
- Browser redirections.
- Banners.
- Highlighted text ads.
If you see redirects coming from “Your Account Has Been Locked” it I imperative that you know that this program is unwanted on your computer. It may not only show phishing pages, like “Your Account Has Been Locked”, but may also lead you via redirects to sites that are malicious and may infect your computer with malware.
Remove Your Account Has Been Locked Mac Virus
To remove Your Account Has Been Locked scam, you should eliminate the software that is causing it to appear. This way you will be able to get rid of the redirects on your browser without them coming back. There are two solutions to this – manual and automatic. If you know how to remove Your Account Has Been Locked manually and you have identified the program by yourself, then you can use the step by step manual underneath. However, If you want to remove Your Account Has Been Locked automatically and you feel unsure that you have fully removed it, we strongly advise you to download and run a scan using an advanced malware removal software. It will make sure to detect and remove all files created by Your Account Has Been Locked virus and stop such redirects in the future as well.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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About the Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific macOS issue.
How did we conduct the research on ?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of Mac threats, especially adware and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs).
Furthermore, the research behind the threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
References
1. macOS More Susceptible to Adware and PUPs than Windows
2. XLoader Malware-as-a-Service Now Available for macOS for Only $49
3. XCSSET Mac Malware Targets Apple’s M1-Based Macs and macOS 11
4. macOS Backdoor Malware Linked to OceanLotus Hackers
5. The State of Apple’s Privacy So Far in 2021
Preparation Phase:
Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:
- Backup your files in case the worst happens.
- Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
- Arm yourself with patience.
Step 1: Uninstall and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to :
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to . If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to . Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as . If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Remove – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
Remove an extension from Safari and reset it.
Remove a toolbar from Google Chrome
Remove a toolbar from Mozilla Firefox
Step 3: Scan for and remove files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as , the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Quick and Easy Mac Malware Video Removal Guide
Step 4: How to Make Your Mac Run Faster?
Mac machines maintain probably the fastest operating system out there. Still, Macs do become slow and sluggish sometimes. The video guide below examines all of the possible problems that may lead to your Mac being slower than usual as well as all of the steps that can help you to speed up your Mac.
FAQ
What is on your Mac?
The threat is probably a potentially unwanted app. There is also a chance it could be related to Mac malware. If so, such apps tend to slow your Mac down siginficantly and display advertisements. They could also use cookies and other trackers to obtain browsing information from the installed web browsers on your Mac.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your Mac to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your MacOS.
Can my Mac get a virus?
Yes. As much as any other device, Apple computers do get viruses. Apple devices may not be a frequent target by malware authors, but rest assured that the following Apple devices can become infected with a virus:
- iMac
- Mac Mini
- Macbook Air
- Macbook Pro
- iPhone
- iPad
What are the symptoms of on your Mac?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also most Mac threats in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your Mac may become slow and has poor performance in general.
Symtpom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Mac's Activity Monitor.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts reccomend that you check your Mac for viruses.
What types of Mac threats are there?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently infect your Mac can be the following types:
- Rogue Antivirus programs.
- Adware and hijackers.
- Trojan horses and other spyware.
- Ransomware and screen-lockers.
- Cryptocurrency miner malware.
What to do if I have a Mac virus, like ?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most Mac threats by firstly isolating them and then removing them. One reccomended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you. There are many Mac anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter for Mac is one of the reccomended Mac anti-malware apps, that can scan for free and detect any viruses, tracking cookies and unwanted adware apps plus take care of them quickly. This saves time for manual removal that you would otherwise have to do.
How to secure my passwords and other data from ?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your e-mail passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activiites with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these reccomendations, your network and Apple devices will become significantly more safe against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
More tips you can find on our MacOS Virus section, where you can also ask any questions and comment about your Mac problems.
