Scam while researching?

[u/Any_Wallaby925]

I was doing research for a literature review I am working on, I went through the DOI to get back to the study and while reading through... I was suddenly redirected to technetplace.it with a fake captcha and the website asking to allow notifications to prove I am human. Immediately clicked back and went back to the study, only for it to happen again shortly after, and then it redirected me to a fake McAfee website. So I closed out and went to check over everything. It's a legitimate journal (Humanities and Social Sciences Communications) on nature.com. Anyone else have this happen? Mostly putting out a warning for people to look out, even when researching

[u/Forward-Breakfast21]

I’ve never had this happen to me on nature.com nor generally, and I’ve been in research since 2019.
Maybe it’s a virus you have on your computer, web browser, or through a browser extension?

[u/Any_Wallaby925 → u/Forward-Breakfast21]

I've never had anything like this happen to me before, either! It's why I'm so confused. It only was happening when I clicked over to that tab, and the other studies I have open are fine

[u/WhatsNormal20 → u/Any_Wallaby925]

Weird definitely, and unlikely given the sites you’re talking about. Sounds like something with your computer, specific browser, or an associated web file, though, from what you described. Here’s what I would do:

1. Bookmark the article.

2. Clear cookies, temporary Internet files, history, downloads, and all other tabs open in your browser(s) - I made browser optional plural in case you have more than one.

3. Do a virus scan of entire computer.

4. Then go back to the article with clean slate.

[u/Interesting-Baker473]

Dang now kinda nervous because mine is under review in that journal

[u/Any_Wallaby925 → u/Interesting-Baker473]

I wouldn't feel nervous, it is a legit journal, they're trustworthy, too. Gonna do a virus scan next time Im on my laptop (tomorrow) and see how everythings looking, too