# Mobile browser version keeps getting hijacked by spam



## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

I am not sure what happened by starting today I can't seem to surf TCF very long on my iPhone without the page getting redirected to a spam ad.

Is this just me, or something TCF is serving up?


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## CraigK (Jun 9, 2006)

I got one of those on my desktop the other day while browsing this forum. It probably didn't say "Thursday" on it however.


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## jehma (Jan 22, 2003)

I get that all the time in Safari on my iPhone, only in TCF. It's very annoying.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Now happening to me on Chrome as well as Safari on my iPhone. Guess I'm not to meant to read this site on the go.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

It's back. Started happening again to me today. Very annoying.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Squeak said:


> It's back. Started happening again to me today. Very annoying.


Yep, couldn't open a thread on my iPhone w/o the pop-up appearing.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

krkaufman said:


> Yep, couldn't open a thread on my iPhone w/o the pop-up appearing.
> 
> View attachment 29401​


Yeah, that is it. Has to be something that TCF is serving up. @David Bott -- any thoughts on this?


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## David Bott (Jan 1, 1999)

Not us...something that got loaded and targeted to Safari on your device...

How can I get rid of a Congratulations-you-won.... | Official Apple Support Communities

"Congratulations! You have won!" pop-ups? Should I worry? - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com

Lots of reports...

iphone congratulations text - Google Search

...my sites are auto monitored for such ad issues. So it is no an ad on our side of things.


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## dwatt (Jan 11, 2007)

It happened on my Android last week. It is not an iPhone only thing. It happens every few weeks or so and then disappears for a while. I have had it happen at least 4 or 5 times. It sets off the vibrate on my phone and possibly sound if I had the ringer on. It won't let you back out of it. The only way to get out of it is to bring up the active apps and force close it.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

David Bott said:


> ...my sites are auto monitored for such ad issues. So it is no an ad on our side of things.


Or a new technique not yet accounted for by the automated screening process.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

Just to be clear: it only happens for me on TCF.


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## David Bott (Jan 1, 1999)

Yes, and that can be the case as these things can key to a given URL thus making it LOOK like that site when it is not.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

David Bott said:


> Yes, and that can be the case as these things can key to a given URL thus making it LOOK like that site when it is not.


I am not sure what you saying. I have no doubt that I am surfing the legit TCF, and then it will be hijacked after opening a thread (doesn't matter which one when this starts happening).

I just got it to stop happening by installing an adblocker for iOS Safari -- which means that potentially one of the ads you are serving up through your network is the trojan horse for it.


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

Just to add, this is not solely TCF, but merely a function of the ad service being used by TCF and it's potentially poor screening regarding what ads are allowed to be offered. I have been hijacked off of other sites besides TCF using Safari on my iPhone.

This is nothing new, and what amazes me, is an Apple product or app wouldn't be locked down to prevent an inserted ad to completely hijack the browser. I blame Apple more than anyone else.


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## David Bott (Jan 1, 1999)

Squeak said:


> I am not sure what you saying. I have no doubt that I am surfing the legit TCF, and then it will be hijacked after opening a thread (doesn't matter which one when this starts happening).
> 
> I just got it to stop happening by installing an adblocker for iOS Safari -- which means that potentially one of the ads you are serving up through your network is the trojan horse for it.


Yes, you are hitting the real TCF. Whatever got installed on your device gets triggered when it sees certain places you may visit and thus is cache or cookie related. It does this so you THINK it is the site that is doing it when it is a function of whatever adware you got hit with. So it is NOT THIS SITE or the ads that are doing it. It is whatever is ON YOUR DEVICE that is triggered when you come here.

Example...You go to XYZ site and you get the adware installed not knowing it. The next site you go to the adware then activates and then from that point on it keys off that site.

It looks and acts like an ad so yes, an ad blocker will stop it.

And yes, sadly this is a APPLE iOS issue that allows for this loop hole. No idea why Apple does not fix it.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

This is *definitely* coming from here, without a doubt. I don't view any other mobile sites on my phone, but I just got hit by one of those pop-ups.

No worries, I'll just block the ads altogether and move on with my life. Doesn't bother me any.


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## markis (Mar 1, 2005)

I had this problem trying to read the site on an ipad. I was getting multiple full screen redirects to ingmatic.com with phishing scam messages. Turning off Javascript in the options seems to have blocked it after clearing cache and cookies.

I hope you can blacklist whatever ad provider is serving up malicious phishing scam redirects and popups. This is the only site that I visit that has this issue.


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## David Bott (Jan 1, 1999)

For those that are having an issue, some help in tracking it to see if it if from us would be helpful. Here is what I received from my ad controller...



> Hi David,
> 
> Thank you for the flag. We've started an immediate investigation with the info you provided but would it be possible to provide as much of the following info as possible to help us replicate the issue:
> 
> ...


Please PM me any info you may be able to provide.

Thank you.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

David Bott said:


> For those that are having an issue, some help in tracking it to see if it if from us would be helpful. Here is what I received from my ad controller...
> 
> Please PM me any info you may be able to provide.
> 
> Thank you.


I think I have listed all of that before, but i can try:
- It happens when I am at home or on my cell network (where IP is not as easy to get)
- When it happens any thread I open at TCF is impacted -- there is not one specific
- The ad is above in the first post -- only thing that changes is the URL to it.
- iPhone 6S with Safari on latest iOS


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