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How to get rid of Wealth Factory

by sanhal
21 replies
When I click on some links in some email messages I've received from reputable marketers I get taken to a site called Wealth Factory which is nothiing to do with the site the link is supposed to go to. It seems to be something to do with trading,

I've Googled it but it does not seem to be malware and I've scanned my computer for malware just in case but it has not solved the problem.

Any ideas? thanks.

Sandy
#factory #rid #wealth
  • Profile picture of the author origin
    Are you using Outlook / Gmail / Webmail?
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    Sandy, what did you use to scan your computer for malware with? It sounds like the old google redirect malware. It's certainly not normal behaviour. What happens when you paste the link directly into your browser's address bar? Does it still redirect?

    I'd also look very closely at the url and see if it gives you any clues. Sometimes really long coded urls have the redirected url somewhere in the string but it's definitely not normal especially if it's happening on various links from different marketers.
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    • Profile picture of the author sanhal
      Originally Posted by Mr Bill View Post

      Sandy, what did you use to scan your computer for malware with? It sounds like the old google redirect malware. It's certainly not normal behaviour. What happens when you paste the link directly into your browser's address bar? Does it still redirect?

      I'd also look very closely at the url and see if it gives you any clues. Sometimes really long coded urls have the redirected url somewhere in the string but it's definitely not normal especially if it's happening on various links from different marketers.
      I've used MalwareBytes to scan.

      The urls are masked with aweber links and still go to the Wealth Factory when I paste directly into Firefox or Chrome.

      Sandy
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by sanhal View Post

        I've used MalwareBytes to scan.

        The urls are masked with aweber links and still go to the Wealth Factory when I paste directly into Firefox or Chrome.

        Sandy
        Contact Aweber. The marketers in question may have been hacked and not know it. Another possibility is that they may not be as reputable as you think. But the first possibility is more likely.

        In the quest for "autopilot" income, many marketers set up accounts and email campaigns and never look at them again. They blindly keep pumping traffic to campaigns that have been compromised.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
        Originally Posted by sanhal View Post

        I've used MalwareBytes to scan.

        The urls are masked with aweber links and still go to the Wealth Factory when I paste directly into Firefox or Chrome.

        Sandy
        And this happens from various marketer or just the one marketer?

        It's sounding less like malware but I'd still do a full Spybot Search and Destroy scan just in case. Send me the various links in a PM if you like and I'll test from here to eliminate any possibility of malware.
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  • Profile picture of the author borsaronero
    Try with a different browser and open the link without click in the email and see if it is an issue of the link, of the browser or the marketer.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
      Originally Posted by borsaronero View Post

      Try with a different browser and open the link without click in the email and see if it is an issue of the link, of the browser or the marketer.
      I think you might benefit from reading the thread. She's already done that.
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  • Profile picture of the author ddalgleish
    Malware has most likely added an item in your hosts file, so it redirects any URL that contains clicks.aweber.com

    After you've removed any malware from your computer, check that hosts file, and delete that clicks.aweber.com entry.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
      Originally Posted by ddalgleish View Post

      Malware has most likely added an item in your hosts file, so it redirects any URL that contains clicks.aweber.com

      After you've removed any malware from your computer, check that hosts file, and delete that clicks.aweber.com entry.
      That is a very good suggestion actually. Sandy let us know if you're not sure how to find and edit your hosts file and we'll give you directions but a google search will tell you.
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      • Profile picture of the author sanhal
        Originally Posted by Mr Bill View Post

        That is a very good suggestion actually. Sandy let us know if you're not sure how to find and edit your hosts file and we'll give you directions but a google search will tell you.
        It does not happen with every aweber link so that rules that out I guess.

        Sandy
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    • Profile picture of the author sanhal
      Originally Posted by ddalgleish View Post

      Malware has most likely added an item in your hosts file, so it redirects any URL that contains clicks.aweber.com

      After you've removed any malware from your computer, check that hosts file, and delete that clicks.aweber.com entry.
      Thanks so muchfor the suggestions. I did that and it has worked. Wohoo!

      Sandy
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      • Profile picture of the author ddalgleish
        Great! Thanks for letting me know that it worked for you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    As mentioned in my PM to you after checking your links I can say that it's definitely something on your machine because both links work for me and go to different (seemingly valid) pages. Something is definitely afoot. Check your zone file anyway as suggested above.

    Run a Spybot check anyway. Make sure you do a full update before you start. Shut off all other programs and even do a scan in safe mode to be sure. In fact, save those links to your desktop and see if it occurs in safe mode.

    What operating system are you running?
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    • Profile picture of the author sanhal
      Originally Posted by Mr Bill View Post

      As mentioned in my PM to you after checking your links I can say that it's definitely something on your machine because both links work for me and go to different (seemingly valid) pages. Something is definitely afoot. Check your zone file anyway as suggested above.

      Run a Spybot check anyway. Make sure you do a full update before you start. Shut off all other programs and even do a scan in safe mode to be sure. In fact, save those links to your desktop and see if it occurs in safe mode.

      What operating system are you running?
      Thanks for that Bill. I've had a look at how to check the hosts file as suggested ( is that what you mean by zone file?) but it's too complicated. My husband has had a look at it too but gave up with it.

      We are using Windows 7.

      Sandy
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    It's a bit tricky. Follow these instructions Windows 7 - Edit the Hosts File
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    Are you sure it is a virus or a hack?

    Many people are promoting the heck out of Wealth Factory right now.

    I Googled "Wealth Factory Hijack", "Wealth Factory Spam" and "Wealth Factory Virus" with no results.

    If there was a virus or hijack sending browsers to a site then there would be blogs and forums warning you and showing how to get rid of it.

    Your antimalware and antivirus also found nothing.

    Are you sure these marketers aren't actually sending you a link to "Wealth Factory"?

    You said some were reputable marketers. Did you ask the people who are sending you the messages?
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      Are you sure it is a virus or a hack?

      Many people are promoting the heck out of Wealth Factory right now.

      I Googled "Wealth Factory Hijack", "Wealth Factory Spam" and "Wealth Factory Virus" with no results.

      If there was a virus or hijack sending browsers to a site then there would be blogs and forums warning you and showing how to get rid of it.

      Your antimalware and antivirus also found nothing.

      Are you sure these marketers aren't actually sending you a link to "Wealth Factory"?

      You said some were reputable marketers. Did you ask the people who are sending you the messages?
      Sandy sent me the links and they work fine on my machine so I'm pretty sure it's a local issue.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    Good to hear sandy! Mission accomplished.
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  • Profile picture of the author silverlato
    Sandy, I'm glad to hear your problem is fixed!

    Has it come up again since?

    My organization is about to launch to the public next week under the name "Wealth Factory" as well (unfortunately coincidental timing, I know), and the folks behind the link issue you experienced have been giving us grief as they pop up around the internet with links to a trading program, the one you mentioned.

    Because we actually own the trademark to "Wealth Factory," our legal folk have been following up with the people behind the options program, along with their affiliates, asking them to stop using the name at all.

    If you have any insight into other links or places where you think this malware might still exist, I'd appreciate any heads up, and we'll track it down so other people hopefully don't have to go through what you did. To clarify, we're not affiliated with options trading or the website you ended up on or anything you experienced, but having the same name, I couldn't be more interested in finding any dangerous relics out there, because our own customers might do a Google search of our company name, and I want to keep them safe and sound.

    Best,
    Mat
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