# Virus warning on Smartphones, appearing only on Straight Dope site: Bogus warning?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 23, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961 "2017-01-23T19:54:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961/1 "2017-01-23T19:54:32Z")

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For the last few weeks, I have been getting a maddening picture appearing on the screen on my Samsung 5 Smartphone–only when I am on the Straight Dope site. It is a supposed Virus Warning, beginning with the word “Android” and showing a Pokémon-like figure with a rounded head. I got fed up with this when it showed up this morning, and noted the web address–us X .kovjcb3 X .pw (spaces and capital X’s added deliberately). I tried to fight this by adding some applications from Google Play Store. And I went to the AT&T service place where I got the phone; they said the Google applications won’t add to my bill and I might just as well avoid the site on the smartphone. Any suggestions?

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961/2 "2017-01-23T20:08:24Z")

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Check the “About this message board” section: there’s a thread on it. It’s a bad ad issue there trying to pin down and eliminate. Your phone is fine though.

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961/3 "2017-01-23T20:26:24Z")

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It’s probably malware in one of their ads. Subscribe to a membership or use an ad blocker like AdGuard: [AdGuard — World's most advanced adblocker!](https://adguard.com/en/welcome.html)

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961/4 "2017-01-23T20:40:09Z")

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How much does Adguard cost?

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virus-warning-on-smartphones-appearing-only-on-straight-dope-site-bogus-warning/777961/5 "2017-01-23T20:41:51Z")

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> [@dougie\_monty](#):
>
> How much does Adguard cost?

Prices are on their webpage. $10/year or free if you become a beta tester. [Join discussions, like, and share | AdGuard](https://forum.adguard.com/index.php?threads/adguard-for-android-beta-test.1707/)

Or if you root your phone, you can use the free [https://adaway.org/](https://adaway.org/)