Google ads have been used to deliver scareware that freezes devices and tricks users into contacting a fraudulent tech support service.

Your uncle’s frozen Mac says it’s infected after viewing a Google ad. Now what? - Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/google-ads-caught-delivering-convincing-scareware-ads-to-unsuspecting-users/ Researchers say they recently found Google ads delivering a sophisticated tech support scam that freezes the screens of both Windows and Mac devices and displays messages urgently instructing them to phone a bogus call center.

Your uncle’s frozen Mac says it’s infected after viewing a Google ad. Now what? - Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/google-ads-caught-delivering-convincing-scareware-ads-to-unsuspecting-users/ Researchers say they recently found Google ads delivering a sophisticated tech support scam that freezes the screens of both Windows and Mac devices and displays messages urgently instructing them to phone a bogus call center.

Your uncle’s frozen Mac says it’s infected after viewing a Google ad. Now what? - Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/google-ads-caught-delivering-convincing-scareware-ads-to-unsuspecting-users/ Researchers say they recently found Google ads delivering a sophisticated tech support scam that freezes the screens of both Windows and Mac devices and displays messages urgently instructing them to phone a bogus call center.