The fake tech support scam is one of the oldest tricks still working, and it keeps working because it hijacks two things at once: fear that your computer is broken, and trust in a name like Microsoft or Apple. Here is exactly how the setup runs, and how to shut it down.
How this scam works
A popup fills your screen, often with an alarm sound, warning that Windows found a virus and telling you to call a number. Sometimes it locks the browser so you cannot easily close it.
You call. A calm agent says they are from Microsoft or Windows support and offers to check your computer for free.
They ask you to install remote access software such as AnyDesk, UltraViewer, or TeamViewer, which hands them control of your screen.
They open ordinary system tools like Event Viewer or the netstat command, point at routine warnings, and declare your machine hacked or infected.
They sell a cleanup or a protection plan, usually a few hundred dollars, and insist on payment by gift card. That is the payday.
What it sounds like
Agent: I am calling from Windows technical department. Your computer is sending error signals to our server.
Agent: Please do not touch anything. I will show you the problem. Can you type this website so I can connect?
You: Hang up. Microsoft did not call you.
Red flags
- A popup or call that gives you a phone number to fix a virus. Real security software never does this.
- Any request to install remote access software so they can help.
- Being told your computer is talking to hackers or foreign servers.
- Payment demanded in gift cards, wire, or cryptocurrency for a cleanup.
What to do
- Do not call the number in the popup. Close the browser, or force quit it, and restart your computer.
- If you already gave remote access, disconnect from the internet, change important passwords from another device, and run a security scan or visit a trusted repair shop.
- If you paid, contact the gift card company or your bank immediately and report the card as used in a scam.
How to report this scam
See the full reporting guide for every US agency and what each one handles.
Watch it happen
Frequently asked questions
Does Microsoft call you about viruses?
No. Microsoft and Apple never make unsolicited calls about viruses on your personal computer, and their real security warnings never include a phone number to call.
I let them into my computer. What now?
Disconnect from the internet, change your important passwords from a different device, run a full security scan, and consider a professional cleanup. If you shared banking details, call your bank.
Are these calls really from India?
Many of the largest tech support scam call centers targeting US and UK victims have been traced to India, though the numbers you see are spoofed US numbers.
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