Fake Yahoo Messenger popup in Yahoo mail?

[Jet]

You know, just looking at that screen shot, I just realized... behind it on the left... is a Messenger type of dialogue box.  I always assumed Yahoo Messenger was the old way, where it was a separate icon on your desktop that you had to knowingly install.  Apparently this is now part of your email package.  It has an option on whether you want to be "available" to other people on your Address/contacts list, or "invisible", i.e. so they don't know when you're online.  I've never really paid attention to this feature other than to have it set on "invisible."  And I've never received any instant messages from people on my address/contact list.

I notice it has a Settings feature and when I open it there's a check box for "Enable connection-related features(Messages, suggestions, updates)" and its checked.  I'm going to uncheck it and see what happens.

EDIT: well, that didn't clear it either, still shows up...

[DavidR]

Never having activated yahoo messenger is somewhat different to is it installed ?

I don't know if simply having it installed but not activated would still have the functionality to allow these pop-ups, so if installed I would suggest if you have no intention of using it that you uninstall it or at least block the pop-ups, one thing I did see was to set it to off-line.

Perhaps there is an email in the mailbox that has this request/function pop-up.

Unfortunately not using yahoo messenger I have zero practical experience of it to offer any practical help.

My major point is that if this is only happening on one account and not the others then it is account related and not on your system. Though it is strange it doesn't happen if logging on from the other system, you would need to check out any differences between the two.

What happens if you use a different browser the the one in the image, though again with firefox I would have though that you would have less chance of it being browser hijack related, but then theoretically it would happen on the other accounts. It is this inconsistency that is baffling me.

If you aren't already using the NoScript add-on in firefox I would do so, not that this may be the resolution.

[Pondus]

In my yahoo mail account, on the left side there are some settings for "chat" (is this the same as messenger?) mine is sett to logged of

[Jet]

Pondus, yes that's what I see also, its a box called "chat and mobile text" and I have myself set to "invisible".  I don't know how to shut it off altogether except for the step where I unchecked that "enable connection-related features", but the box is still there.  And I don't know if this is the same thing as Yahoo Messenger, which I never used back when it was a feature you could download and install and have as a desktop icon.

David, I can't try it from another browser because all I have working on this laptop now is Firefox.  Got hit by the "superantispyware pro" virus (I forget the name exactly) a few months ago - its the one that gives you endless fake antivirus popups and causes your IE homepage to open to "porno.com"... nice, eh?  Ever since corralling that one with Avast, IE is no longer able to access the wireless connection I use (a freebie in the neighborhood that I latch onto), so I can't check it with IE...

[DavidR]

There is always Chrome or Opera browsers to test.

[Jet]

I've just discovered this thread from another forum on turning off that Yahoo Chat & Mobile Text box. 
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22012269-Yahoo-chat-mobile-text

Several pages to go through but looks like there are a few different ways to deal with it.  Meanwhile I downloaded the NoScript add on for Firefox.

Thanks for all your help by the way, fellas!

[DavidR]

You're welcome.