Local Classified Ads - How to remove

Local Classified Ads stands for a rogue program promoted as a utility to gain easy access to classified advertising. However, the analysis of its activity reveals the capabilities of browser hijacking. The software specifically promotes search.localclassifiedsadstab.com, which is a fake search engine not able to provide you with relevant search results.

Local Classified Ads is a browser hijacker:

Classification	Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program.
What Local Classified Ads does	Changes your homepage, promotes a new search engine (Yahoo), sends notification pop-ups to your browser, promotes other browser hijackers.
How browser hijackers spread	Bundled with free programs, promoted by misleading ads.
How to remove Local Classified Ads	Remove unwanted browser add-ons, uninstall suspicious software, block unwanted notifications, scan your device with an antivirus program (Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for Windows, etc.).

Local Classified Ads additionally performs continuous spying over your browsing activities. It tracks all your online actions to research your browsing habits, probably to deliver more relevant ads through the browser. Considering the fact that Local Classified Ads is installed unintentionally, it also falls under the category of a PUP (potentially unwanted program).

Local Classified Ads – how do they affect your browsing?

Local Classified Ads attacks Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox primarily. The intrusion of the adware takes place by means of enabling the associated browser extension (add-on). Once active, the extension impacts the following browser parameters:

• homepage;
• default search engine;
• new tab URL.

From now on, search.localclassifiedsadstab.com is in control of the aforesaid settings. This is what you will notice when starting your browser or opening a new browser tab. Similarly, submitting the specific search queries through the integrated search box will redirect them to search.localclassifiedsadstab.com. The search results will no longer be provided by Google Search, but rather by search.yahoo.com. At first glance, it might not seem a significant change, however many customers are not satisfied with the introduced amendments. They may attempt to change the browser settings back to the initial values, however, the Local Classified Ads extension is still in control. It restricts all user’s attempts to restore the browsers back to the initial preferences. It is impossible to do that without the utter elimination of the hijacker. Even when the attempt to change the home page or default search engine manually looks as successful, Local Classified Ads add-on is still active after restarting the browser.

As mentioned previously, the extension is empowered by its authors with the spying features. It keeps records of all your browsing actions, for instance, visited pages, submitted URLs or search queries and so on. It also collects a lot of personal information, for example, IP addresses, geographical locations, browsing history, etc. This data may be easily shared with third-party companies that may illegally manipulate it for making revenue. For instance, the data may be illegally sold to online criminals resulting in considerable financial loss or identity theft. Obviously, the quicker you get rid of the extension, the better for you and your device.

Local Classified Ads intrusion channels.

Injection of Local Classified Ads into your browser is the result of poor protection of your system by your current security software. A lot of anti-virus programs detect the hijacker as malicious. For instance, Comodo marks it as ApplicUnwnt@#3fsqbplsb26ih, whereas Malwarebytes identifies it as PUP.Optional.Spigot. You may get acquainted with the full list of detections on VirusTotal. However, there are times when the anti-virus databases of security programs are not timely updated and fail to detect the intrusion attack on the part of Local Classified Ads hijacker.

Your personal caution to prevent the attack by the hijacker also matters a lot. You need to be careful when downloading free programs since many of them are by default bundled with a lot of extra apps you do not need. Pay attention to the important details during the setup process. Always select the “Advanced” or “Custom” installation mode where you may uncheck all third-party utilities from the default installation.

Local Classified Ads is not the only such browser hijacker: there are also My Local Classifieds, Easy Classifieds Access, and a lot of others. Local Classified Ads was released by Eightpoint, also known as Polarity. This company has made dozens of browser hijackers.

How to delete Local Classified Ads properly?

The first step to deactivating Local Classified Ads is getting rid of its associated browser extension. Inspect your browser settings and look for the add-on related to the hijacker. Deactivate and delete it. Restart your browser. Secondly, carefully inspect your available programs. Make sure there are no third-party items on the list. Get rid of suspicious software you do not remember installing directly. You can use an antivirus program to find suspicious software. Also, block notifications from Local Classified Ads if they’re bothering you.

Now it’s time to possibly reconsider your choices in terms of the software to which you entrust the safety of your system. Injection of Local Classified Ads without your permission is obviously the failure of your current security program to defend your system. We recommend that you scan your computer with reliable and powerful anti-malware tools (Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, etc.) for proper analysis, detection and removal of other possible malware that may still be in place. This way your system will be duly protected against all further malware intrusion attacks.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manually remove unwanted browser extensions

TopRemoving Local Classified Ads from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to Local Classified Ads. Click on the trash bin icon next to Local Classified Ads or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Local Classified Ads, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
  
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on the Reset settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer

• Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
  
• Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to Local Classified Ads and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
  
• Close the Options.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Local Classified Ads, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
  
• Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
  
• Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
  
• Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove Local Classified Ads from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to Local Classified Ads. Click on the "Remove" icon next to Local Classified Ads or other add-ons you want to remove.

• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.

• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.

• Restart Microsoft Edge.

TopRemoving Local Classified Ads from Firefox

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything Local Classified Ads related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Local Classified Ads, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.