Rip-off with fake Microsoft warning message

Online criminals are currently spreading pop-up ads that pretend to be a Microsoft warning message. They falsely impersonate Microsoft employees and want to spy on you and harm you economically.

What happens?

Suddenly, a pop-up window opens while you are surfing the Internet with a warning from a supposed "Windows Defender Security Centre". The warning says that your computer has been locked. You are called to call the telephone number of a supposed "Windows Support" to fix the problem.

What should I do?

Do not call the phone number under any circumstances and do not give anyone access to your device. The criminals want to install paid dialers and other malware on your device and steal your data.

Close the browser with the key combination Alt + F4. If that does not work, shut down your device. If that doesn't work either, force the shutdown by holding down the power button for a few seconds.

How do I get rid of the pop-up message?

If the pop-up window keeps opening after restarting the computer, clear the history, cache and cookies of the last browser you used. If the problem still persists after this, uninstall this browser, delete all browser data and reinstall it again after downloading the latest browser version.

Have your device checked by a virus scanner.

What if I called the scammers?

If you have been in contact with the scammers and may even have followed their instructions, uninstall any new programmes installed since then under your computer's apps and call the police. Tell the officers what happened and follow their recommendations to restore your safety.