Do I have a virus?

[Politis]

I have not anti-virus installed on my MBP (2010) because my internet service provider said I did not need one for Mac.

I usually used Firefox and Google Chrome.
I have not installed any heavy applications.

Over the last few days, one internet page I opened alerted me that it was infected. I clicked a button and it started running a list of infections my laptop allegedly had. I closed down the internet for 5 minutes
Occasionally recently the cursor takes time to activate and click over a link, it just hangs over it like an arrow as I move it from link to link.
I think my MPB has slowed down recently.

How can I find out if I have a virus or not? Shall I re-install everything?
thanks

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What you saw was an advertisement, trying to scam you into purchasing some Anti-Virus software. It probably looked like Windows and not Mac OS X, didn't it?

Anyway, read the following:

The only anti-virus you need to protect your Mac is education and common sense.

Mac Virus/Malware Info​

And this too, to see the difference between Windows and Mac OS X, graphically:
Helpful Information for Any Mac User by GGJstudios

 

[0007776]

You don't have a virus, because there are currently no viruses for OS X, there are a couple of trojans, but you can only get those if you type in your admin password for either porn, or some pirated software. Unless you have done that you are fine.

 

[Satori]

I have not anti-virus installed on my MBP (2010) because my internet service provider said I did not need one for Mac.

I usually used Firefox and Google Chrome.
I have not installed any heavy applications.

Over the last few days, one internet page I opened alerted me that it was infected. I clicked a button and it started running a list of infections my laptop allegedly had. I closed down the internet for 5 minutes
Occasionally recently the cursor takes time to activate and click over a link, it just hangs over it like an arrow as I move it from link to link.
I think my MPB has slowed down recently.

How can I find out if I have a virus or not? Shall I re-install everything?
thanks

Sounds like you hit a page that is designed to scare you into buying unnecessary software, or trick you into downloading spyware. If you didn't download and install anything from the site, you should be OK.
If you want to improve browser performance then try deleting your browser caches and cookies.

 

[Politis]

You don't have a virus, because there are currently no viruses for OS X, there are a couple of trojans, but you can only get those if you type in your admin password for either porn, or some pirated software. Unless you have done that you are fine.

Thanks, no porn and no pirated software

 

[old-wiz]

The giveaway on the fake warnings is they say your "C:" drive contains infected software. The Mac has no "C:" drive; that's windows.

 

[GGJstudios]

How can I find out if I have a virus or not?

Read the section on scareware in the Virus/Malware link that simsaladimbamba posted.

 

[PwcrLinux]

Yep, It's rare to seen the "Behind the browsers" ads box after you close or take down to the dock bar, the ads box still on the screen. Nothing worry about viruses on your mac systems.. it's different than a window system..

Ignore all the ads boxes, I knew the behind the browser ads boxes just all scammed..

Also the Mac hard drive identification, there is no drive letters as C:\ D:\ like that in old ways of Dos in the terminal under Windows system.