“Your computer is infected — call now”: fake virus pop-ups and tech support scams

The screen goes red. An alarm plays. A box says "Your computer has been locked due to a virus — call Microsoft Support immediately" with a phone number. Sometimes it won't let you close the window.

It's a scam. Your computer is almost certainly fine. The page is designed to scare you into calling, so a "technician" can get remote access, invent problems, and charge you — or get into your bank account.

Real companies don't do this

• Microsoft, Apple, and Google don't put phone numbers in error messages and don't call you about viruses.
• Real antivirus software doesn't tell you to call anyone. It quietly blocks or removes the threat.
• No legitimate company asks for gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto to fix a computer.

How to close the pop-up

On Windows

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) and click End task.
3. When you reopen the browser, don't restore the previous session — that brings the page back.

On a Mac

1. Press Command + Option + Esc.
2. Choose your browser and click Force Quit.
3. Hold Shift while reopening Safari to skip reopening the old windows.

If the computer is completely frozen, hold the power button to turn it off, then turn it back on.

Keep it from coming back

• Check your browser extensions and remove anything you don't recognize.
• Clear your browser's site permissions for notifications — some scams use notification spam to keep popping up.
• Run your built-in security scan: Microsoft Defender on Windows (search "Windows Security"), and keep macOS updated on a Mac.

If you already called — or let them in

Don't be embarrassed; these scams are professional and they work on careful people. Act quickly:

1. Disconnect the computer from the internet — turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the cable — so they can't reconnect.
2. Call your bank's fraud line using the number on the back of your card. Tell them a scammer may have seen your accounts. If you paid by card, ask about disputing it. If you bought gift cards, call the card company immediately — sometimes the money can still be frozen.
3. From a different device, change the passwords for your email and banking first, then anything else that was open on the screen. Turn on two-step verification.
4. Have the computer cleaned before you use it again. Scammers often install remote-access tools so they can come back later.
5. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov. It helps investigators connect cases.

The email version: "Your Geek Squad / Norton / McAfee renewal"

A close cousin: an email or text saying your subscription auto-renewed for $300-something, with a number to call "if you didn't authorize this." The goal is the same — get you on the phone, then onto your computer, then into your bank to "process a refund."

• Don't call the number in the message.
• If you think you might have that subscription, log in to the company's real website yourself, or check your card statement.

Protect your parents

Older adults are targeted by these scams constantly. A few settings help a lot: an ad blocker in the browser, automatic updates, two-step verification on email and bank accounts, and one simple rule — "If a screen or a stranger tells you to call, hang up and call us instead." We set this up as part of our tech help for seniors.

When to call a tech

If a scammer had access to your computer, or the pop-ups keep coming back, we'll clean it out — usually remotely, the same day — remove any remote-access tools, and lock your accounts down. Virus & scam removal starts at $79/hour, flat quote first. Call 347-549-9059. (And notice: we'll never call you out of the blue asking to get on your computer.)