[ONLY TOPIC] Ads redirection (Mobile & PC)

First topic message reminder :

Hello

Thanks for your help. I've just reported the problem. I'll let you know when I've more information.

In order to help us, could you please provide:

- Url of your forum
- Ads displayed on PC, on tablet, on mobile (android, apple,...)
- Image location (copy and then past here)

Spoiler:

- The link location (copy and then past here)

Spoiler:

- Link on the ads and copy-past the final link


Thanks for your patience.

Regards

Edit The Godfather 21/03/2017

Additional information to be provided in case of redirections

1. Open Google Chrome and clean the cache and history.
2. Open a new tab.
3. Inspect the item, go into Network and verify that Record netwok log is active.



4. Fill in the URL http://toto.forumactif.org/h125- and validate to load the page content.
5. All page requests are saved in Network tab.
6. If a forced redirection has not occurred, click Clear and try again.



7. If a forced redirection has occurred, right-click any log line > Copy > Copy all as HAR.



8. Paste into a text file and joint it tou your post in this topic

Note: This can be used in case of redirection on PC as on mobile or tablet. The only difference is that you can not do the indicated operations on mobile devices. So you must simulate a mobile device on Chrome via Toogle Device ToolBar and start from step 4.

Hello @Ben Reilly and @The Awakened,

Please, can you tell us if it concerns the mobile or the desktop version? It's really important for us to find the responsible for these redirections. It takes time to stop the redirects because here, we don't have redirects on mobile and desktop versions... Your returns are really important for us (mobile or desktop version, Apple or Android device, country, ...).

BucolicBuffalo wrote:I asked if anyone was having difficulty today as traffic looks down. Looks like one of the ad partners needed to boost their hits, so they opened up the re-direction spam ads again. Ok, so maybe they really didn't do it to increase revenues. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

We don't think it's intended by the ad partner because these redirects are bad both for our brand as the ad partner's brand. But many ad partners don't invest enough to stop the problem

The Godfather wrote:Hello @Ben Reilly and @The Awakened,

Please, can you tell us if it concerns the mobile or the desktop version? It's really important for us to find the responsible for these redirections. It takes time to stop the redirects because here, we don't have redirects on mobile and desktop versions... Your returns are really important for us (mobile or desktop version, Apple or Android device, country, ...).

BucolicBuffalo wrote:I asked if anyone was having difficulty today as traffic looks down. Looks like one of the ad partners needed to boost their hits, so they opened up the re-direction spam ads again. Ok, so maybe they really didn't do it to increase revenues. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

We don't think it's intended by the ad partner because these redirects are bad both for our brand as the ad partner's brand. But many ad partners don't invest enough to stop the problem

It's on Apple users in the UK. They're still complaining about it ... I believe they call it "whinging"?

Another user reporting in. Laptop this time using Edge.

aptitude.autoupdatessoft4eversafe.website

Forum http://www.brothersofbriar.com/

Hello @BucolicBuffalo,

I made several tests regarding your forum but impossible to have a redirect. I have correct banner on desktop and mobile versions

If I am located in Germany:





If I am located in US:





On mobile version:



And if I am logged in an account, there is no ad. So no redirect. Is it correct? I will continue my tests tomorrow but it's really difficult.

Best,

Hello @Ben Reilly,

To progress and fix your problem, I have a demand for you

I check your website and I see you've implemented few external resources (forum widgets, Javascripts codes, ...). Can you disable these external resources and test if the redirects are still present?

It's just to be 100% sure because I make several tests too and I can't have a redirect...

Best,

You, like me, see no re-directs. Not unusual at all. This is very device specific. Neither of my two desktop systems, or my laptop, have ever seen any re-directs. I could only create the problem when I tried to use my iPhone.

You are seeing the normal ads for a user that is not logged in. We see no ads when logged in. But paying for no ads does not stop the re-directs for some users. For a long time I was sure that their systems were compromised somehow. It was not until this thread appeared that I started to understand that it is possible for some users to suffer this problem. Usually when running a device other than a desktop. But some users running a desktop do have the problem. I can't explain why.

I can always tell when users are having difficulties as the traffic is down. I have run the following OS, Windows 7, 8.1, 10, Linux Mint 16, 17, 17.3, 18. Using Firefox with Adblock Plus and Ghostery. None of them ever got re-directed when trying to get into the forum. Very hard to solve a problem that we cannot see.

A couple pages back in this thread there were a lot of forums suffering the problem, it was tracked down quickly, with multiple forum admins expressing thanks for the relief. So it really does exist. I wish I could get better information feedback from the users. But they get re-directed before getting logged in and their devices lockup. So they do not come back for a few days.

The Godfather wrote:Hello @BucolicBuffalo,

I made several tests regarding your forum but impossible to have a redirect. I have correct banner on desktop and mobile versions

If I am located in Germany:





If I am located in US:





On mobile version:



And if I am logged in an account, there is no ad. So no redirect. Is it correct? I will continue my tests tomorrow but it's really difficult.

Best,

One of my users who only has access via iPhone cannot get into the forum as the login box is covered by a redirect advert.

I cannot reproduce the problem on Samsung or PC
The problem has been happening since last Saturday

I dont know what the redirect address is and I have no image to offer at the moment - as we can only communicate via FB Messenger

Is there a way of getting her to make some changes to her phone so she can login?

http://faded-aspidistra.bestforumonline.com/

Thanks in advance.

No more redirects here. The site is fine again.

Another user reporting in with this re-direct. No other info as to the device.

http://promadvs.com/good.php?c=giftcard.en&p=c0efd5c18d4f06d674233002983368fb&subid=E29203405211475421289181837&t=1475421289

Forum is: http://www.brothersofbriar.com/

Apparently other people are not having major problems at the moment. This is the kind of message I usually get from a user.

Well, this is the third High Threat Level Highjack attempt I get on my computer over the last 2 weeks when I try to log on this forum. A notification for an Adobe or something similar required update hides the forum's page. One of these mornings, I will be still asleep and fall in for the trap.
I am sorry to say that, but I will have to steer clear from BoB for a while, in the hope something gets done. I know this is not the Admin Team's fault, but the reality is that this is the only forum I frequent that experiences such issues.
In the meanwhile, I am going to sorely miss you, chaps.

I do not even know what his device is that is getting redirected. All I know is, it is costing us users and traffic. So that is ultimately costing Forumotion staff a problem. The fact that a forum that pays for no ads, has it's users being re-directed if they are on certain devices, with a certain OS, is some kind of open door. Maybe that means that Forumotions needs to penalize the Ad Partners. Hit them where it hurts! Because they are sure hurting you. Just enough that nothing drastic happens.

And this problem just continues to drag on.

Hello,

It's not true. If a forum pays for no ads, there is no Forumotion's ads on the forum. So if you pay to have no ads and your users are redirected, it comes from one of your external script (like external resources in the widgets for instance).

BucolicBuffalo wrote:The fact that a forum that pays for no ads, has it's users being re-directed if they are on certain devices, with a certain OS, is some kind of open door.

I know it's a hard situation for you and your community but all the staff do the best. We replaced many time our ad partners this year regarding redirect issues and now, there are very few complaints.

Regarding the current issue on your forum, we have no really useful information in order to correct this problem:

- I even tested on http://www.brothersofbriar.com/ and http://faded-aspidistra.bestforumonline.com/ this morning with no redirects. I emulated multiple IP: Germany, United States and Egypt.
- You don't send us many details. I know it's complicated with redirect...
- We don't have many complaints. It's easier to fix when multiple users have the issue.

Please, share in all your your messages the datas: your device, your country, on mobile or desktop version, the final URL. It's really important for us.

I continue to try to find the cause

Yes. I know that information from me has been little. It is not as if I have not asked the users. You get what I get and I have posted many times in this thread. Sorry.

You mention that it must be a widget. We do have one widget. It appears to be a script that lists the Forumotion web page for our forum. Possibly also for Twitter and Youtube. We have had this for a number of years and no changes have been made to it. That I am aware of. It could be that this provided a mobile version of our forum.

Was this something one of our past Admin, or the forum owner created? Or was this a basic script provided by Forumotion which we customized? I will figure out a way to delete it if it will solve the problems. The label on the widget is "affiliates". We have no other widgets and portal has not been installed. Do you need it copy/pasted here?

The Godfather wrote:Hello,

It's not true. If a forum pays for no ads, there is no Forumotion's ads on the forum. So if you pay to have no ads and your users are redirected, it comes from one of your external script (like external resources in the widgets for instance).

BucolicBuffalo wrote:The fact that a forum that pays for no ads, has it's users being re-directed if they are on certain devices, with a certain OS, is some kind of open door.

I know it's a hard situation for you and your community but all the staff do the best. We replaced many time our ad partners this year regarding redirect issues and now, there are very few complaints.

Regarding the current issue on your forum, we have no really useful information in order to correct this problem:

- I even tested on http://www.brothersofbriar.com/ and http://faded-aspidistra.bestforumonline.com/ this morning with no redirects. I emulated multiple IP: Germany, United States and Egypt.
- You don't send us many details. I know it's complicated with redirect...
- We don't have many complaints. It's easier to fix when multiple users have the issue.

Please, share in all your your messages the datas: your device, your country, on mobile or desktop version, the final URL. It's really important for us.

I continue to try to find the cause

Hello,

About the forum that pays for no ads and has it's users being re-directed, can you share with us the adress please? Because the ads aren't disabled for members and guests on http://www.brothersofbriar.com/.

The Godfather wrote:Hello,

About the forum that pays for no ads and has it's users being re-directed, can you share with us the adress please? Because the ads aren't disabled for members and guests on http://www.brothersofbriar.com/.

You only have to look back in this thread.

When logged in, we do not see advertising. At least the Forum owner had paid for that. Has that stopped? Guests should always see ads. Apparently that is forum founder only information under the Admin panel, and perhaps the credits have run out.

Please understand, I never see advertising myself. I block nearly all of it as I consider it an assault. I will have to try and see if I can get the forum founder's attention and see if that is what is plaguing some members.

If, I get any useful information from the users, I will pass it on. But it is easier for them to simply not come back for several days and then post a complaint to me in PM.

Hello @BucolicBuffalo,

Concerning this forum http://www.brothersofbriar.com/, the last time the ads were disabled was in 2011. Now concerning the problem of the ads, we can't do much without more information. We need to know if the responsible is one of our providers and if it is, which one of his banners is the cause of this redirections. What seems weird to me is that you are the only one to report that, if it was one of our providers we would have much more complaints I think. Anyway, you said you can't see the redirections for yourself so maybe you can ask one of the people who have the problem to post here. With as always the link, a screenshot and if he can the code.Or at least to transmit that to you.

Thank you,

I appologize. There was a misunderstanding about the ads being disabled. I got the attention of the Forum Founder and he took care of it yesterday. He is much like me. We both block ads, so we do not see them and he forgot about the paid thing. He is so rarely there, and as an administrator, I cannot see that part of the admin panel. Hopefully we have no further problems until the paid part runs out again. I suppose we will deal with it then.

Getting information from the users is like pulling teeth. If we have problems in the future, I will give you the same information I get. From what I have seen of the ad partners, and from the users, your ad partners are extremely poor quality. Why even bother when all they do is piss users off. With better behaved ad partners and better quality ads, this thread might have only been a couple pages long, not eight.

Leviosa wrote:Hello @BucolicBuffalo,

Concerning this forum http://www.brothersofbriar.com/, the last time the ads were disabled was in 2011. Now concerning the problem of the ads, we can't do much without more information. We need to know if the responsible is one of our providers and if it is, which one of his banners is the cause of this redirections. What seems weird to me is that you are the only one to report that, if it was one of our providers we would have much more complaints I think. Anyway, you said you can't see the redirections for yourself so maybe you can ask one of the people who have the problem to post here. With as always the link, a screenshot and if he can the code.Or at least to transmit that to you.

Thank you,

Here we go again more adult ads spotted twice this evening here in UK.
Screen shot link at the bottom also I have found the website by typing into google the title of the advert.


www.bigbangempire.com/uk/

This is the fourth time I have found adult adverts on both my forumotion sites

Regards
Cassini

Hello @Cassini,

Thanks for the reporting I will report this and see if we can get rid of this banner.


edit : @Cassidi, would you be so kind as to provide the link of the image and the link of the banner. Use the right click and select these :

I'm having an insane virus redirection issue on http://celestialartcafe.forumotion.com for mobile users. There is no banner, it just redirects. I've tried this on several different Android phones and it always redirects to the point that I have to close my phone browser.


It's not just me, some of my other mods are having this issue as well. I haven't paid to remove ads yet, and I would much rather hold off on that until we open it up to more members. I'm unsure if this happens on computers because I use adblocker as do my mods.

Hello,

@Kavy it is not a virus don't worry. It is an ad. We are actually actively trying to locate which banner might be responsible of these inconvenience. Can you tell me in which country you are ?

@Leviosa
I'm in USA, as are the other mods that are experiencing this issue.

Hi,

Everytime I try and get on my site and open a forum, the following redirections happen:

http://virus.mywidows-support1.online/404.html

http://303denied.com/08b/index.php?15810f4b99d0540tfn15810f4b99d0d00=+18777615085&15810f4b99d14a0ftfn15810f4b99d1c00=(877) 761-5085

My forum URL: shinobifablesuntold.forumotion.com

I'm unable to do anything on my site at this point.

Thank you for your help.

Hello @Archad,

Can you tell me if you are still suffering from these ads ? ( Normally, we have got rid of them thanks to your reporting)

At random times I'm getting redirected to scam sites. This time it was an updated your flash player scam. It very annoying considering I'm trying to revamp the site. So I don't need new member being scared away by these scams.

- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of flash player scam redirect:

Code:

http://softwareupdate.upgradecirclefreshnow.tech/?pcl=deIkkvR3q-N23jRwnSybw3ZNsrnL85ASTmapX45R-1c.&cid=P23P19R4778096469620025672&sub=4296&v_id=WIh1H4qZNdn5XSNQTsZf5hg5iCxJvVzHFGChbN92D1M.

Country: USA

edit Nov. 1st 2017


I got another flash scam site redirect. Yuck! I’m trying to find a free host that’s not doing bad things. Unfortunately, redirects and scam pop-ups are bad news. I would not mind it as much if the pop-up was from a reputable store like Amazon or Macy (in a new tab) and this was only happened to me. Members do get scared off by pop-ups and redirects and links not redirecting properly.
- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of flash player scam redirect:

Code:

http://www.youdmgfile.com/CMB4BAof/win-f/b/?SiteID=5032&conversion=4f2302b4-d6ca-4f3d-a78d-8bc281d87979

Country: USA



Edit:
I was just borwswering the site and trying to find if there a way to see activity point infomation when I get suprised by antoher scam rederict. These flash scams are starting to get on my nevers that I'm starting to search for anoth free fourm site. If these scams are not stopped soon I will be forced to move the site again.
- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of flash player scam redirect:

Code:

http://12updatenew.checksoft4youfree.tech/?pcl=14cRzQWv7H3uj3w2Rpt1AG8VN7S6JkcaIc2jY15HUW0.&cid=P23P19R4780657313325263611&sub=4296&v_id=bd0uZgxysWrmbnVDdXulO14xx3i7_d1BcB9onrAxcnQ.

Country: USA


Yikes it looks like it did it again. ( Nov 1st 2016 11:45PM PDT) at least not flash this time but a Lucky winner page of course I know it a scam. I caught a flash of the ad as it was slower this time it was a white rectangua with blue text and a picture on our right.
- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of flash player scam redirect:

Code:

http://2b2zz.exclusiverewards.0208.ws/?sov=2774399647&hid=ftnxhnfxpnfvpr&&redid=35817&gsid=68&campaign_id=29&id=XNSX.11-r35817-t68&impid=b4e380fa-a0c7-11e6-b6ec-fa245441bcee

Country: USA



Hem another scam had to force quiet chrome this time due to the dialogue box. At least it did not freeze up the compture.
- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Google Chrome Version 54.0.2840.71
- URL of scam redirect:

Code:

http://error.macsystemcleaner.online/shklixp.html?osversion=OS%20X%2010.10%20Yosemite&voluumdata=BASE64dmlkLi4wMDAwMDAwMC1kOGFhLTQ2ZTYtODAwMC0wMDAwMDAwMDAwMDBfX3ZwaWQuLmY4ODk1ODAwLWEwYzktMTFlNi04YWI5LTZlMGQzOGJhM2U1NF9fY2FpZC4uMjU2YjMyZGEtZWI1MS00M2U4LTk3Y2UtYTRhYTYzZjViZDZmX19ydC4uREpfX2xpZC4uOWIzODk5YTgtZmI2Mi00YzE2LTk2NWQtNjlmMTMwYzMyY2ZhX19vaWQxLi5jODkyYzQyMy1kYWQ2LTQxMTAtYmUxMy04NjllY2RkNjZjOWNfX3ZhcjEuLlVTX192YXIyLi4xMjQyNzY0X192YXIzLi42MTYzMTMzM19fcmQuLmZyaWVuZGx5Zm9yZXN0XC5cZm9ydW1vdGlvblwuXGNvbV9fYWlkLi5fX2FiLi5fX3NpZC4u&country=US&zone=1242764&campaign=61631333&clickid=17561030801478070527


Country: USA

Hello Dragongirl02,

We're sorry regarding this issue. You provide us your device, your location and the links, it's perfect! On this way, we can undertand which ad partners are called and find the responsible and start the tests.

But can you tell us if the redirect appears at the click (pop-under) or if you have the redirect when you naviguate on the website (when a banner is loading)? Do you continue to have it?

We're already working on forced redirect on mobile devices too. It will be solve in the next hours.

Hi,

Concerning the forced redirects on the mobile version (only on the mobile version!), it seems to be ok now. The ad partner confirms us:

We are doing our best to prevent this kind of malware ads from showing and still working on ways to make it better.
We've blocked this creative ad.

Best,

The Godfather wrote:Hello Dragongirl02,

We're sorry regarding this issue. You provide us your device, your location and the links, it's perfect! On this way, we can undertand which ad partners are called and find the responsible and start the tests.

But can you tell us if the redirect appears at the click (pop-under) or if you have the redirect when you naviguate on the website (when a banner is loading)? Do you continue to have it?

We're already working on forced redirect on mobile devices too. It will be solve in the next hours.

As for you question it usually happens when I first load the site up and when I’m casually browsing as if I’m checking the site out. Which can happen very unexpctadley. Just wanting these scams gone so I can safely invite freinds without this happening to them.


Also these two scam ads with audio just happened to me too and of all time I had the audio on full blast without my headset in.

Yuck! More scams.

- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of scam redirect:

Code:

http://www.pcserverpc.info/window/

notes: A window one this time. I’m a mac user so not fooled.
I did a little screen recording a did not catch an ad the could be the troublemaker but thanks to that I did notice right before it redirected it had
connected to inteernetssafety.com….
Then a white page pop up with firefox temporally pausing the redirect.
with this on the statut:
waiting for awakefinder.com…
also this one required a force quit to get rid of it.


- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of scam redirect:

Spoiler:

notes: This happend just as I was comming over here with a loud buzzer like sound.


Edit: got something that may be of use to you folks. Along with more scam reports.
first thing first the two scams
- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of scam redirect:

Code:

http://updatesoftware.installupgradefreshandnew.online/?pcl=XA5VkH9gNseHpyE1VYl8Rh9xfVEOjxuWbmkkFYqdoOM.&s2s=810be672-a145-11e6-9403-fa245441bcee&v_id=S_tN4VOPbl0nYbhsIVOeHpXwlJoTfeEE0PlVF1QPZ_g

Note: yep more flash thing this may auto install if this where a window compture luckily it a mac.


- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of scam redirect:

Code:

http://mackeeperapp.mackeeper.com/landings/123.1/index.php?affid=zzb_289.2566393.1478123368.31.zzb&utm_source=http%3A%2F%2Fprs458trz.com%2F&utm_medium=zzb_2390&utm_campaign=cle_36090;mysoftware-download&utm_term=mysoftware-download&utm_content=cle_36090;mysoftware-download&userDefiner=zzb_2390&installer=cle_36090;mysoftware-download&trt=29_52351

A very high suspect ad saw this like twice right before the above two events happen. The fact the laptop is multi tasking at this time may have slowen the compture down enough for me to catch a suspect ad. Could you please look into this one?


I'm pretty sure that ad is somwhow causing most of the nasty redericts.

Hi, Some of my members are being redirected.

http://ghmb.forumotion.com/
Ads displayed on PC, Tablet,

www.upnow2appsoft4everworks

Threat: Exploit Social Engineering Type 1989
Object Name: system-not-safe-virus-found-call-free-support.info

chinesedates.net/local/55/index.php?s1=5032

Sorry they were not able to get screen shots. This has been happening for about two weeks now.

Thanks for any help solving this issue.

- http://friendlyforest.forumotion.com/
- Apple Laptop (Mac OS X 10.10.5). Was running Firefox v49.0.2
- URL of scam redirect:

Spoiler:

Note1: This time it was not the shopping ad but some kind of aviation type ad. Maybe from the same ad host.
Note2: I was just checking on the site and coming over here to check for updates.

Also a small concern: If this is not fixed fast some sites may accidentally block formation sites and this would hinder any future advertisement I decided to do. I ran in this probleme once already and tecnically you could say it still ongoing.
Here the base of the story Site A and site B. Awhile back Site A had an ad issues, a lot like here. They have long since resolved it. Recently, I decided to fix up my sig on some other sites plus site B. However to my sadness site B still has site A’s url blocked even to this day claiming site A still has MALWARE. (Sadly unless Site A fights this is will be forever I believe.)
I’m afraid that same fate may happen to forumotion and this would affect me doing any future sig advisement for my forumotion site. If these icky scam ad don’t go away soon.

I was told to repost this here--

I am a high school teacher with a writing club of students who want to work through this forum we created. However, the site is redirecting to spam/hacker websites that could be potentially harmful. I myself have had this happen on my Android phone (using Chrome) and my home desktop computer (using Edge and Chrome). I don't have a screenshot, and it doesn't happen to me every time, but it usually happens when I log in. Underneath the spam page is the regular site where I am now logged in, but I won't be able to reach it until I can get rid of the redirect spam site that is asking me to call a number and give them all of my information (to steal). These are high school kids, and I don't them exposed to this, and some of them can't even get past it enough to create an account. This is obviously an advertiser who has done a bait-and-switch, so I know it's not your site, but it is redirecting from your advertiser. What can be done? I hate to delete all of these accounts and create a whole new forum just because of this, but it's ridiculous and annoying, not to mention a dangerous scam, especially to kids. Thanks for any help you can give.