Remove ‘Your browser has been locked’ FBI warning virus

By Andrey Gvozd

Many citizens of the United States of America have been really scared with the fake FBI warning (virus) which hijacked their browser. The heading of the browser’s tab was this: “Your browser has been locked“. This is a brand new scam, the product of cyber frauds who would like to gain possession over users’ funds through the practice of scaring users with a lot of faulty information and prompting them to pay money through GreenDot MoneyPak payment system supposedly to unlock the browser that got blocked by this virus. If you have the scary message ‘Your browser has been locked’ occupying the entire window of your browser please immediately follow the guidelines outlined below explaining effective removal of this fake FBI warning scam.

Your browser has been locked scam

It is obvious that hackers have decided to modify the ways of their attacks on particular PCs, partially switching from locking the entire system to simply locking the browser. It is peculiar that any browser may become vulnerable to this virus attack, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and many other less popular browsers.

The full text of the scary FBI warning that comes up on a hijacked browser is as follows:

Cyber Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
All activities of this computer have been recorded
All your files are encrypted. Don’t try to unlock your computer!
Your browser has been blocked due to at least one of the reasons specified below.
You have been subjected to violation of Copyright and Related Rights Law (Video, Music, Software) and illegally using or distributing copyrighted contents, thus infringing Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8, also known as the Copyright of the Criminal Code of United States of America.
Article 1, Section 8, Cause 8 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of two to five hundred minimal wages or a deprivation of liberty for two to eight years.
You have been viewing or distributing prohibited Pornographic content (Child Porno photos and etc were found on your computer). Thus violating article 202 of the Criminal Code of United States of America, Article 202 of the Criminal Code provides for a deprivation of liberty for four to twelve years.
Illegal access has been initiated from your PC without your knowledge or consent, your PC may be infected by malware, thus you are violating the law on Neglectful Use of Personal Computer. Article 210 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of up to $100,000 and/or deprivation of liberty for four to nine years.
Pursuant to the amendment to Criminal Code of United States of America of May 28, 2011, this law infringement (if it is not repeated – first time) may be considered as conditional in case you pay the fine of the States.
To unlock your computer and to avoid other legal consequences, you are obligated to pay a release fee of $300. Payable through GreenDot MoneyPak (you have to purchase MoneyPak card, load it with $300 and enter the code). You can buy the code at any shop or gas station. MoneyPak is available at the stores nationwide.

If you have this fake FBI warning on your browser that says that your browser has been blocked, you need to ignore this alert unambiguously. This is a fake FBI alert which is not associated with Cyber Department of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. So, do not ever pay this fake fine amounted to USD 300. this is a real money though. If you pay this ransom the funds will never be refunded by these cyber frauds. Furthermore, there’s no any guarantee that the browser will be unlocked.

By the way, if you shut down the tab of your browser with the warning “Your browser has been locked”, another message will come up that says:

Your browser has been blocked warning

Your browser has been locked. All PC data will be detained and criminal procedures will be initiated against you if the fine will not be paid.

Obviously, this warning must also be ignored by you completely! Do not ever trust its contents and don’t pay any fake fine! To delete ‘Your browser has been locked’ fake FBI warning (virus) please follow the steps listed below.

Removal video:

Recommended ransomware removal solution for Windows OS platforms:

  1. First of all, stop (end) your browser by clicking “Ctrl-Alt-Delete” hotkey combination.
  2. Restart your computer into Safe Mode with Networking. To do it, keep hitting F8 key repeatedly, before Windows OS starts booting.
  3. Select your operating system and the account that got locked with ransomware.
  4. When Windows launches in Safe Mode with Networking, use “Win + R” hotkey combination to open Windows Explorer.
  5. In the address line insert the text “https://www.system-tips.net/download.php“
  6. Click “OK”.
  7. Download, install, update and run Plumbytes Anti-Malware.
    8. Malware removal tool
  8. Scan your computer with Anti-Malware and remove all detected threats.
  9. Restart your computer.
  10. Share this information with your friends on Facebook and other social networks.

Similar removal video at YouTube:

So, we do recommend you to try the above method initially. Then, if it does not work, try these other guides below. It is probable that these other methods will be effective solutions to fix your problem. If this information has been helpful to you please share it with other friends of yours.

Solution to get rid of “Your browser has been locked” message for Apple’s Mac OS X Users.

  1. Open Safari browser.
  2. Click on the Safari menu and then select “Reset Safari”:

    3. Reset Safari browser

  3. It is mandatory to mark all items and hit the “Reset” button:

    4. Are you sure you want to reset safari

Alternative removal guides to remove other forms of ransomware from your computer:

  1. Ransomware removal in Safe Mode with Networking – https://www.system-tips.net/ransomware-removal-in-safe-mode-with-networking/
  2. Removal of ransomware that modifies “Shell” registry entry – https://www.system-tips.net/remove-ransomware-that-modifies-shell-registry-entry/
  3. Removal of ransomware that replaces explorer.exe file – https://www.system-tips.net/ransomware-that-replaces-explorer-exe-file-guide-to-unlock/

Optional ransomware removal through System Restore:

https://www.system-tips.net/how-to-unlock-computer-though-system-restore-restore-point/

Optional similar virus removal video guide (through System Restore method):

Important! If the above-mentioned guidelines didn’t help you unlock your PC, use this guide as a final solution – http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-your-computer-has-been-locked-ransomware and this guide as well.

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81 Replies to “Remove ‘Your browser has been locked’ FBI warning virus”

  1. So this is magical because i have had this twice happen to me and its really simple if you just restart and check your recent downloads. If theres nothing there perf. If theres some thing there you did not download undownload it. 🙂

  2. when I saw the pop-up, I couldn’t figure out how it had happened- x-dating tab opened from I don’t know where, and the FBI monitoring my computer! I did notice spelling mistakes, and the way they wanted money so fast and only through MoneyPak tipped me off but I felt that with the risk of jail time, I’d prefer to lose $500! I called my friend frantically. She kept her cool and told me to google, shut down the computer and restart. But I was too scared and then I googled it in my iPod and lo and behold- I found this website and it SAVED me! Saved me from losing $500 i can’t afford, and from the agony of thinking the FBI was on me… Thank you so much! I didn’t download the thing- I’m running a scan and if it comed up with a virus, I will try.

    1. If this site saved you from losing $500 USD, then why don’t you spend some time spreading the news about it among your friends? Like it and share it on Facebook, please. I never ask for many money from users, even though I prefer helping them for free. I am glad that this site has helped you to know about this scam and ways of its removal. Please share the news about this site and how helpful it was.

      2. I did a soft reset on the tablet, but when it restarts the page pops right back up, before I even have a chance to log on.

  4. can I get my money back? I fell for this and I was really scared so I went out and paid $300 I’m so P’d off

    1. I don’t know regarding getting money back from the frauds who made this scam. Sorry. Probably you can’t, since this ransom was paid by you through MoneyPak.

  6. Using a task manager from Dimio called DTaskManager for Windows and it has a column that shows the time the process started. With Iron(privacy aware Chrome port) I can sort the column and find the last chrome.exe window opened by time, kill it, and keep on browsing. Don’t even have to close the entire browser or restart the machine.
    I have other security extensions installed like AdBlock, Ghostery, Disconnect and World of Trust which blacklist lots of websites but sometimes a MoneyPak scam site is still found (looking for videos).
    Many times the WOT will have a red circle next to the link and that warns me away before even clicking it.
    WOT is reviews of websites trustworthiness from thousands of other users, so it warns me away from websites that are scams, have malware, hate filled, etc..

  7. I can’t reset safari for some reason! Please help me!!! I disabled java but still I don’t have browser connection! Everything is blocked up

  8. Can anybody give me instruction for a Samsung Galaxy tab 7.0. It just pop up on my Tablet and I can even put in my password without it going to that page.

  10. JUST EXIT YOUR BROWSER, PROBLEM SOLVED.
    THE PAGE IS OBVIOUSLY CRWALING WITH ADS SO IT’S A SCAM.
    DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME CLICKING ANYTHING.
    AND DON’T DOWNLOAD ANY SOFTWARE CLAIMING TO FIX THIS ex.
    cough TROJAN KILLER cough.
    THEY’RE JUST OBVIOUSLY RIDING WITH THE SCAM ALONG WITH OTHER SITE RESULTS WHEN YOU SEARCHED FOR A FIX TO THIS.
    DUH..

    1. You don’t need to buy Trojan Killer. You may just download it and reset your browser with it. There’s no need to buy Trojan Killer.

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