Constant redirects to ad sites

[Sheather]

Since November, every time I load the forum and click something I am redirected to an ad page, or rather one of a few dozen different pages, and my browser also says it is blocking pop-ups. If I hit the FinchForum in my favorites menu again, then I can click through the forum normally, but as soon as I leave the sit and come back the ad redirects return. I thought it was malware but I have done 3 scans with three different programs and none has been detected on my device, and it's an issue only on the FinchForum. Anyone else experiencing this?

[lovezebs]

Sheather

So far nothing like that. Even the timing has improved for me.

[Fernando]

No. I have ABP ad-blocker and it works as it should.

[debbie276]

Never had an ad issue. I thought this was a paid site, not freebie, so I didn't think ads would be a thing.

[Sheather]

Well unfortunately, it's getting to the point I am having a hard time using the site. Just clicking this thread I had to go back and load the site four times before it stopped redirecting me to different pages.

[debbie276]

I've been on this site for many many years and have never seen an ad.
Unfortunately I think your computer may have picked up something. Hope you can find a cure.
As malware. The term adware is frequently used to describe a form of malware (malicious software) which presents unwanted advertisements to the user of a computer. The advertisements produced by adware are sometimes in the form of a pop-up or sometimes in an "unclosable window"
Good luck

[Dave]

Sheather, as mentioned, I think you have some malware that has found its way to your computer.

Look through this: https://support.google.com/chrome/answe ... ktop&hl=en

Which browser are you using? i.e. Chrome, or Firefox, or Edge or ? You might be able to do a search on Google or Bing regarding your browser and unwanted ads and what to do about them. You shouldn't have to buy anything to fix this problem.

[SherLar]

Not for this site, but once I downloaded for a mapquest type of a site, had pop ups and hidden pages like CRAZY. I have also been told that Obama had made it illegal for many of the pop ups to bypass your safe guards and that Trump made it legal for these companies to hi-jack your computer. However, that is hearsay and I have not researched anything. Sorry to hear of all the issue. Very frustrating.
sherri

[hanabi]

Sheather

I also think you have malware; the symptoms you describe are typical of malware. Which browser are you using?

Have you added any "addons" or "plugins" to your browser? Sometimes a spammer will purchase an "already in use" add-on from the original owner and then modify the code to automatically redirect users' browsers to various sites. Because addons are automatically updated the user will sometimes never know the addon has been "hijacked".

I'd temporarily disable all add-ons/plugins in your browser and see if the redirection stops. If redirection stops you've probably got a hijacked add-on. If it still continues you probably have malware outside your browser, i.e., in the operating system somewhere.

Cheers.

Best of luck tracking it down.

[Sheather]

Firefox. I haven't made any changes, I have run Malwarebytes and multiple antivirus which come back clean. This is the only web page out of a few dozen I frequent with this issue. It started I think when the forum changed ownership, though it must be coincidental if I am the only one affected.

[debbie276]

I have also been told that Obama had made it illegal for many of the pop ups to bypass your safe guards and that Trump made it legal for these companies to hi-jack your computer.

Yea, I'm 99.9% sure that's not true

[hanabi]

Sheather

I have run Malwarebytes and multiple antivirus which come back clean.

If I am correct Malwarebytes and certainly antivirus software will not detect a hijacked browser app. But if you definitely have no add-ons in FireFox then that can't be the problem I guess. But just in case you want to check for add-ons:

1. Click the menu button and choose Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will open.
2. In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions or Themes panel.

If you find any add-ons in there you can easily temporarily disable them to see if the hijacking ceases.

Also, if you hover your mouse cursor over several forum links, are the link URLs all forum links like "www.finchforum.com" or are they something else? I think you can see a link's URL at the bottom left or right of your browser window when you hover the mouse cursor over a link.

Another test would be to use another browser and see if you have the same problem (try Internet Explorer or Safari, etc.). If they work correctly then it is probably not an add-on problem.

Cheers.

[Babs _Owner]

Sheather

Dylan, as others have mentioned, there are no ads and no code that would cause your computer to redirect to another site. The site is completely paid for by me alone and doesn't contain links to malicious software. I would never do that, nor would I have to the knowledge to do so. I am using the exact same hosting company Crystal used before the roll-out. We just had to buy our own space and mirror it to our "rented space".

I kept the site going as a labor of love for the community and only for that reason.

I would do a system restore to take you back to a date before this started happening, or wipe your operating system if your software isn't flushing the problem out.

[Sheather]

I did a system restore a few days ago, and the redirects for this site continue. The urls are what they should be, but no matter what I click, the first click when I load the page redirects to ******.com, and then that changes in another second or two to various things like software updates and free video sites. Sometimes I reload the page and it repeats, but usually it only does it once, then there are no more issues for as long as I browse the forum until I click out. The redirect occurs again when I load the forum again.

It's just weird it's only this website, not any others.

[Sheather]

Whatever the issue, enabling the adblocker ad-on has stopped it.