How can I stop/prevent this?

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate forum for this question, so if not, I apologize. Lately, within the last few weeks, I've noticed a new breed of adverstisement. It's like a popup, but it's not. It doesn't appear in a new window, but it seems to appear in the current window but is laid over the page I'm looking at. Usually it's an animation or something, and if I try scrolling, the ad follows me. I have to wait until the "close" option appears. These are extremely annoying. Is there anyway to stop them? Hopefully you all will know what I'm talking about...

Thanks,
Matt

 

Have you tried removing spyware?

 

Sounds like adware/spyware to me.

If you need it, you can download software like Lavasoft's Ad-aware 6.0 at no cost.

 

It does sound like spyware its probably in one of the programs you recently installed, maybe a toolbar or something .. and Ad-aware should do the trick.

 

Definately spyware. It most likely was silently installed when you downloaded a free screensaver or something.

The worst for this is icon or smilie sites - There is almost no such thing as a free icon as most of those sites are actually installing software silently without you knowing.

 

Spyware... hmmm. That's interesting. I never really go to free sites for anything. I have ad-aware and spybot search and destroy installed. I'll give them a run through. Thanks!

 

Sounds like you have malware or adware (spyware) on your machine.

http://searchwars.squarespace.com/free-software-downloads/

You can get some help above, free links to Spyware Blaster, Adaware and Spybot. All free downloads.

Spyware blaster works like an AV program preventing malware from loading in the first place when engaged.

 

It doesn't sound like that to me.

It sounds like those REALLY annoying DHTML/flash ads that sit on top of the page you are trying to view.

I could be wrong, but that's what it could be.

I don't know how to get rid of those.

Sorry.

 

Why not give the site you are seeing them on if its only a few. If we all see it then it is an annoying webmaster rather than annoying spyware.

 

are you running the latest version of adaware?
as there are no updates available for the old one.

doesn't sound like a spyware issue to me anyway....
have a look at ww*.tangozebra.com for an idea of how irritating ads can get.....

 

I'm not sure it's spyware. I know what you're talking about. It's an in-yer-face
"slide in" - for lack of a better term. This site does it:

http://www.tek-tips.com/

Drives me batty. I don't know of a way to stop it.

 

I just love it when you dance for me GEM, if it follows him from site to site it is a malware/adware program if it does not close out after he leaves the site.

 

Here's one http://www.msn.com. That's the first one I could think of. I don't think it's spyware just because I've run programs recently.

 

Thats not spyware. That's one of them thar slide in thingies.
BTW: it did not show using mozilla but did with IE.

 

I use IE... I know, I know. I probably should use Mozilla, but I'm a creature of habit. I suppose it's a different topic, but is Mozilla decent? My website stats say about 5% of my visitors use it. I really don't know that much about it, other than hearing it's name and that "it's good." Anyone care to elaborate on what's so good about it?

 

Better bookmark management, no Active X API that allows drive by malware downloads.

 

I don't use IE as a rule. Only to go to my own sites for testing purposes; one or two that I trust. I wouldn't dare go to a site I wasn't familiar with in IE, because of all the security issues with it.

I currently run Netscape 7.1, Mozilla 1.5, and just downloaded Firefox the other day. I believe I've fallen in love with firefox. Only problem is I'm extension happy.
I use Thunderbird almost exclusively for email. Oh; I use Opera and Lynx as well.

 

I just downloaded and installed firefox for Mozilla. I checked out MSN again, and you're right, the pop-up (if I can call it that) doesn't show up. However, it doesn't seem to handle CSS like IE. One of my sites doesn't display properly with firefox. Of course, it's minor, but it does throw off the site a bit. I'll keep playing with firefox, and see if I notice any differences.

 

I have NOD32 the highest rated AV program in the world, so you can use IE if you have the best AV running.

If you go to Russian fake anti-spyware sites you will get hit with drive by downloads via the Active X API that are part of the M$ IE/Windows OS.

If you run "Spyware Blaster" with IE and a good AV program properly enabled you should be able to go anywhere also.

Many need to adjust their browser security and cookie handling also but that is for another thread.

Best bet is to just switch OS to Mac or Linux or move to Firefox.

 

claypage, its good that you tried firefox, because now you know that an increasing number of people are seeing your site in a way you didn't intend. fix the problems, and your users will be happy. firefox is growing rapidly, for good reasons, so make sure your site shows properly in it.