Redirect hack

Website redirects to a strange site

Redirects of this kind are deliberately designed so that the operator does not notice them for as long as possible. They only take effect for visits from the search engine, only on mobile devices and only for visitors who are not logged in.

That is why everything looks normal on your own computer, while your customers end up somewhere else.

Elias Arndt, WordPress expert from Schleswig
Elias Arndt

WordPress expert from Schleswig
★★★★★ 5,0 on Google

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Why you do not notice it yourself

The code checks who is accessing the page before every response. Four conditions are common.

Only from the search engine

The redirect only takes effect when the visit comes from Google. Anyone who enters the address directly sees the normal page.

Only on mobile devices

Everything remains unchanged on desktop. Since operators usually check their website on a computer, the infection remains undetected for a long time.

Not for logged-in users

As long as you are logged in to WordPress, the redirect is skipped. That is precisely why the backend appears completely unobtrusive.

Only once per visitor

A cookie ensures that the redirect does not occur on the second visit. Anyone who wants to report it often cannot reproduce it.

How the redirect is removed

1

Reproduce the trigger

I access the site under the same conditions as an affected visitor and record the server's response. This establishes exactly where the redirect occurs.

2

Find the source in the code

The redirect is located in the .htaccess file, the theme, a plugin, or directly in the database. All four locations are checked, not just the first hit.

3

Remove and re-check

After removal, it is tested again under all conditions, including on mobile and via search. Only then is the site considered clean.

Transparent costs

Malware scan

50 €

plus VAT · one-time

If you commission the cleanup afterwards, the 50 € will be fully credited.

Most frequently chosen

Cleanup

280 €

plus VAT · fixed price, scan included

✓ Money-back guaranteeIf I can't clean the site, you pay nothing.

Ongoing support

from €65

per month, plus VAT.

The complete fine print:

  • All prices are plus 19 % VAT.
  • Orders processed on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays cost an additional one-time 100 € weekend surcharge.
  • Response and recovery times apply Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Outside these hours, I will respond as quickly as I can, but without a guarantee.
  • The time starts when I have received all the necessary access credentials – not from your first message.
  • I discuss special cases such as multiple sites in one installation, WooCommerce with ongoing orders or multisite with you beforehand and tell you the price before I start.

Frequently asked questions

I can’t see the redirect. Is my site still affected?

This is the usual case with this type of infection. It can be checked by accessing the site on a phone via a search result, ideally in a private window and without logging in. This can only be reliably clarified on the server.

Only if the redirect is located there exclusively. It is often also stored in the database or a theme file, and then it comes back after a short time.

Google downgrades such pages and in many cases displays a warning. After cleanup, I request a new review, which usually takes one to three days.

Every day with an active redirect costs customers

A call costs you nothing and takes five minutes. If it turns out to be a different problem, I will tell you that too.

Available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Related topics: Google warns about your website · Strange subpages in the Google index · Remove WordPress malware · Remove WordPress virus