Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

A website has locked my firefox browser and wants money to unlock, How do I unlock Firefox?

  • 6 replies
  • 98 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė jkwilborn

more options

website says it's the FBI and wants $300 to unlock. I went to close out and restart my Macbook pro but it would not let me so I powered off with on/off button. I let it sit for 5 minutes then restarted. when I launched Firefox that tab was still there. How do I get rid of it?

website says it's the FBI and wants $300 to unlock. I went to close out and restart my Macbook pro but it would not let me so I powered off with on/off button. I let it sit for 5 minutes then restarted. when I launched Firefox that tab was still there. How do I get rid of it?

All Replies (6)

more options

Hi. what about if you run Firefox in safe mode?

Hello,

Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

  • On Windows you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
  • On Mac you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the option key while starting Firefox.
  • On Linux you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by quitting Firefox and then going to your Terminal and running: firefox -safe-mode (you may need to specify the Firefox installation path e.g. /usr/lib/firefox)
  • Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

FirefoxSafeMode

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode" Safe Mode Fx 15 - Win

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

Thank you.

more options
more options

Tools, Web Developer, Inspector

delete "body" element

With this you dont even have to restart the browser, enjoy.

Modified by svnpenn

more options

When I got the similar RCMP locked browser version some months back I resorted to ending the process to crash Firefox (on Linux) so I could then start with the crash restore session and unselect the one tab that could not be closed. You run the risk of damaging the Profile by crashing Firefox though so maybe back Profile up in case.

more options

I loaded Widows 8, normally running Linux, to be able to run Software for my new Epson scanner. Only software from Epson, Widows 8 install and Firefox was on the disk. I got the FBI warning that I had illegal content (which I didn't) and wanted 300 bucks. I ended up just Ctl-Alt-Del, then selecting "Task Manager" where I could 'end process' of Firefox. I've also seen this in Linux, where I have used "pidof firefox" and used the returned process id to "kill" that process. I've never had a problem of corrupting anything. Do "plugins" have the ability to seize control of the code? Is there not some way to get control back without stopping the process?

more options

How do you start it with the 'crash restore session"? Mine just seems to start, is there some options required?

Thanks