Unexpected Links

[Freckles]

Recently I've been finding links where they don't really belong.
Example is Sunday's Cat of the Day. Toward the bottom of the second paragraph, there are two words "apply mascara" in blue ink with a line under. If I clicked on that link, I might expect to see a closeup of a cat's eye. Instead there are other links about applying mascara. Not cat related at all.

line under mascara? Where did that come from?

[Karen]

That is not from us, and is not on our site. That is something that is part of your browser that is inserting those links in. There are viruses, infections and Trojans that can infect your system that will do this to any webpage you view, without your consent. Whatever put this on your system could have put any other software on your system, including software designed to steal banking information of other passwords.

Do run a virus/malware scan as soon as possible. What version of Windows and what browser are you using?

Perhaps you could have installed a toolbar or browser add-on that you knowingly gave permission to this, in which case you can try turning off any new browser app or toolbar you have installed.

[Freckles]

Windows 7 with Firefox.

Thanks, Karen

[Karen]

Hopefully someone who knows Windows 7 better will hopefully respond. But do you have another browser you could try, like Internet Explorer or Chrome?

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have windows 7 with internet explorer. I've found that if I've been doing a search for a certain item that then a link to it will be on another web page. It's usually on the right hand side on my e-mail and sometimes either on the top or bottom of other website pages. After reading this last night I clicked on Sunday's COTD and sure enough there was a link to windows 7 laptop computers. This is what I had been searching for previously.

[Karen]

Tracy, I'd run a virus scan, that is not something the Internet Explorer does unless there's some malware involved.

[Catty1]

www.malwarebytes.org (or dot com)

Make sure you don't install the trial version unless you are going to uninstall it right away. Uncheck the box that says 'run trial version'.

Run the full scan, not the quick one.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Tracy, I'd run a virus scan, that is not something the Internet Explorer does unless there's some malware involved.

It's not a virus. This is what I just found out: http://adinfo.aol.com/?pid=aol01&aid=aol01&cid=bestwlbaamay05&w=160&h=600. So then I was able to opt out here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/#completed.

I have malwarebytes but not the trial version. I also run superantispyware a lot and I keep it updated.

[Catty1]

I use Firefox and use the Adblock Plus add-on. Wonderful combo!

[Freckles]

My repair tech did a virus check, found a lot of them and fixed them up. When I brought my PC home, I still had problems with the hyperlinks. Tech recommended installing Chrome, which he did, and the problem was solved. I was a little worried when I read Tuesday's Dog of the Day, :D
But everything was OK.

[Karen]

Whew, good to hear! Glad everything is okay now!