# Changing links? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 23, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555 "2015-10-23T17:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/21 "2015-10-23T20:48:33Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Wouldn’t be surprised if you have a browser hijacker > > Paste the link you end up at on the Wal Mart site. A hijacker might take all retail links and send you to Wal Mart using their affiliate code and then get money if you buy. [http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bear-Creek-Country-Kitchens-Darn-Good-Chili-Soup-Mix-9.80-oz/10448688?u1=ig44r9yri00004p60009i&oid=365179.1&wmlspartner=je6NUbpObpQ&sourceid=27391189661485442855&affillinktype=10&veh=aff](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bear-Creek-Country-Kitchens-Darn-Good-Chili-Soup-Mix-9.80-oz/10448688?u1=ig44r9yri00004p60009i&oid=365179.1&wmlspartner=je6NUbpObpQ&sourceid=27391189661485442855&affillinktype=10&veh=aff) ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/22 "2015-10-23T20:48:43Z")
You probably have a hijacker installed on your browser (a form of virus). It’s a program that will automatically redirect your web requests to another site. Have you tried the link with other browsers? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/23 "2015-10-23T20:52:34Z")
I found this on the Symantec site: > [@](#): > > **I get redirected to different websites or see pop-ups on my Mac** > > Select Preferences: On the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious plug-ins. If you find any suspicious extension in the list, click Uninstall to remove it. I did that, and the only extension I have is AdBlock Plus 1.9.3. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/24 "2015-10-23T20:54:20Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Have you tried the link with other browsers? I just tried it with Firefox, and the link is correct. So now: How do I fix it? ETA: Since this is not a board problem and is instead an apparent infection, perhaps this should be moved to General Questions for answers on how to remove the hijacker. . ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/25 "2015-10-23T21:10:54Z")
I downloaded Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Macs. It found some malware and I clicked to delete them. A restart was required, which happened when I clicked on the button. My open windows were not closed, and reappeared when the computer restarted. I went to the thread and the link was Amazon on mouseover, but was redirected to Walmart when I clicked on it. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/26 "2015-10-23T21:28:14Z")
**Moderator Action** Moving thread from About This Message Board to General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bonaventure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Bonaventure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonaventure)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/27 "2015-10-23T21:34:36Z")
I’m having the same issue. When I click on this link, I see an Amazon link, and if I click on it, I go to Amazon. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18799610#post18799610](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18799610#post18799610) But, if I’m looking at it in its native thread, it shows up momentarily as an Amazon link but then changes to a Walmart link. I’m on an iPhone. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/28 "2015-10-23T21:37:07Z")
> [@Bonaventure](#): > > But, if I’m looking at it in its native thread, it shows up momentarily as an Amazon link but then changes to a Walmart link. I clicked on the thread link, and saw exactly this. ---
**Author:** ![Bonaventure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Bonaventure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonaventure)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/29 "2015-10-23T21:43:27Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I clicked on the thread link, and saw exactly this. So do we have the same virus or is something up with the SDMB? I’m on an IPhone. Are you on a Mac? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/30 "2015-10-23T21:44:21Z")
I saw, and it went to, the Amazon link. If I totally disable NoScript, I see and it goes to, Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/31 "2015-10-23T21:46:01Z")
> [@Bonaventure](#): > > So do we have the same virus or is something up with the SDMB? > > I’m on an IPhone. Are you on a Mac? I’m on a Mac. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/32 "2015-10-23T22:00:42Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I saw, and it went to, the Amazon link. If I totally disable NoScript, I see and it goes to, Walmart. Looks like it’s viglink at fault. I enabled each script in turn and that’s the one behind the redirect. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/33 "2015-10-23T22:08:02Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Looks like it’s viglink at fault. > > I enabled each script in turn and that’s the one behind the redirect. I searched for viglink in Macintosh HD and didn’t find it. How can I (we) fix this? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/34 "2015-10-23T22:17:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I searched for viglink in Macintosh HD and didn’t find it. How can I (we) fix this? I have no idea, I’ve never used a Mac. Is there a way to see what scripts are running on a webpage? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/35 "2015-10-23T22:25:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Is there a way to see what scripts are running on a webpage? No idea. In a decade of using Macs, this is the first malware I’ve had. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/36 "2015-10-23T22:29:58Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is viglink related, let’s punt this right back to ATMB. Moving thread from General Questions to About This Message Board. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/37 "2015-10-23T22:35:53Z")
Viglink is an advertising related thing. It’s not on your mac, it’s on the SDMB server. The way that I understood viglink to work was that if you clicked on a link, viglink would record the click and would then send you to the link’s destination. The SDMB gets a bit of money for each click (I have no idea how much), and you as the user aren’t supposed to really notice any difference. It’s supposed to basically be transparent to you. My understanding of their service is that they aren’t supposed to send you somewhere else. Either something at viglink is screwed up or they’ve started doing something new. I’ll kick this upstairs and see what’s up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/38 "2015-10-23T22:36:14Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Action** > > Since this is viglink related, let’s punt this right back to ATMB. So wait… Do I have malware on my computer? Or is it something with the message board? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/39 "2015-10-23T22:37:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > No idea. In a decade of using Macs, this is the first malware I’ve had. [NoScript for Firefox on Mac](http://noscript.en.softonic.com/mac) I have mine set to allow [Straightdope.com](http://Straightdope.com), nothing else. (Windows) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/40 "2015-10-23T22:38:46Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Viglink is an advertising related thing. It’s not on your mac, it’s on the SDMB server. > > The way that I understood viglink to work was that if you clicked on a link, viglink would record the click and would then send you to the link’s destination. The SDMB gets a bit of money for each click (I have no idea how much), and you as the user aren’t supposed to really notice any difference. It’s supposed to basically be transparent to you. > > My understanding of their service is that they aren’t supposed to send you somewhere else. Either something at viglink is screwed up or they’ve started doing something new. > > I’ll kick this upstairs and see what’s up. This post wasn’t there when I posted! OK, so it’s not me. That’s a relief. I’m afraid a few hours ago I sent a nastygram to Wal-Mart’s affiliate program contact saying that the [copied] link was an affiliate using malware to hijack computers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555.md?page=3)