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Intelligence report · Tech-support scams

If a pop-up or “Microsoft” caller says your computer is infected, it is a scam.

Real virus warnings come from software already on your computer, never from a web pop-up with a phone number or a surprise call. Microsoft, Apple, and your bank do not call to say you are infected, and they never ask to connect to your computer or charge you with gift cards to fix it. If that is happening, do not call the number, do not let anyone in, and do not pay. The steps below tell you exactly what to do right now, then check the number or website with Ava.

Right now

Do this right now

If a pop-up or a caller says your device is infected, take these steps before anything else.

  1. Hang up, or close the pop-up.

    End the call or the full-screen warning. Real Microsoft and Apple alerts never include a phone number to call, and a real virus does not lock your browser.

  2. Never let them connect to your computer.

    Do not install any “support” app or grant remote access. That is how they take over your screen, your files, and your accounts.

  3. If you already gave access, disconnect now.

    Unplug from wifi or ethernet to cut them off, then restart your computer to end their session.

  4. Do not pay, especially with gift cards.

    No real tech company charges you by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency to fix a virus. That request is the scam.

  5. If you paid or shared a password, act fast.

    Call your bank to stop the payment, change any password you gave them, and run a trusted antivirus scan.

  6. Then check the number or site with Ava.

    Tell Ava the pop-up’s web address, the number that called, or what they said, and she will confirm it and tell you the next move.

The Evidence · Live federal readout
FTC + FCC · Updated Jun 28, 2026

Complaints in our federal data · since 2025

17,923

About 2,822 in the last 90 days.

30-day trend

9.5% falling

Direction moves week to week, and it can rise again.

Robocall share

~58%

arrive as automated robocalls

Top originating area codes

Recently reported numbers

90-day reports

From 17,923 complaints in the FTC and FCC federal complaint databases, refreshed weekly. Each number and area code opens its own report page.

How it works

One scare, five forms

Tech-support scams arrive in five recognizable forms. They share one spine: a fake emergency with your computer, and a push to let a stranger in or pay to fix it. Here is how to read each one.

01

Fake virus or security pop-up

“Windows Defender: your computer is infected. Call this number now.”

What they say

“A full-screen alert appears with a Microsoft or Windows Defender logo, a loud alarm, and a warning that your computer is infected and your data is at risk. It blocks your browser and tells you to call a support number immediately.”

How to tell it’s a scam

  • A real Microsoft or Windows Defender alert never shows a phone number and never takes over your whole screen.
  • The alarm sound and the countdown exist to panic you into calling before you check.
  • The pop-up is just a web page. Closing the browser or restarting clears it; there is no real infection.
What to do: Do not call the number. Close the browser (force-quit it if it will not close). If you cannot, restart your computer. Then check the number with Ava before you trust it.
02

“Microsoft” or “Apple” support call

“This is Microsoft. We detected a virus on your computer and need to fix it.”

What they say

“Someone calls and says they are from Microsoft, Apple, or your internet provider. They say they detected a serious problem on your device and need you to go to a website and let them connect to fix it.”

How to tell it’s a scam

  • Microsoft, Apple, and internet providers do not make unsolicited calls about a virus on your device.
  • They ask you to install software or visit a site that gives them remote control of your computer.
  • Once connected, they show fake “errors” and pressure you to pay for a fix you do not need.
What to do: Hang up. Never grant remote access to an unexpected caller. If you are worried about your device, contact the company yourself through its official website.
03

Refund or overpayment scam

“We are refunding you, but we accidentally sent too much. Please return the difference.”

What they say

“A caller says a service you used is closing and you are owed a refund. They connect to your computer to “process” it, then show that they accidentally deposited far too much and ask you to send the difference back by gift card or wire.”

How to tell it’s a scam

  • The “overpayment” is a faked screen; no real money was ever deposited into your account.
  • Returning the difference sends your own real money to the scammer, and it cannot be recovered.
  • A real refund never requires remote access to your computer or a repayment by gift card.
What to do: Hang up and disconnect them. Do not send any money back. Check your real balance by logging in to your bank yourself, not through anything they show you.
04

Antivirus or subscription “renewal”

“Your Geek Squad / Norton / McAfee subscription auto-renewed for $399. Call to cancel.”

What they say

“You get an email or text with an invoice saying an antivirus or tech-support subscription just renewed for a few hundred dollars, with a number to call if you want to cancel or dispute the charge.”

How to tell it’s a scam

  • The invoice is fake. Calling the number connects you to the scammer, not a real billing department.
  • They offer a refund to “cancel,” then use remote access to run the overpayment scam above.
  • The big surprise charge is bait designed to make you call in a hurry.
What to do: Do not call the number on the invoice. Check for any real charge by logging in to your account or card statement directly. Report the message and delete it.
05

Bank or Amazon “fraud alert” callback

“A suspicious $899 charge was placed on your account. Call us to stop it.”

What they say

“A call, text, or email warns of a large unauthorized charge on your Amazon or bank account and gives a number to call right away. The number routes to a fake support agent who asks to connect to your computer to “secure” your account.”

How to tell it’s a scam

  • The scary charge is invented to make you call the scammer’s number instead of the real company.
  • A real bank or Amazon does not need to connect to your computer to stop a charge.
  • They steer you toward moving money “to protect it,” which sends it straight to them.
What to do: Do not call the number you were given. Reach your bank on the number on your card, or Amazon through its app or official site, to check for any real charge.
The manipulation

Why it felt real

The scare was engineered to make you act before you think. Here is each thing that made it convincing, and why none of it is proof.

What made it feel real

A pop-up with the Microsoft logo filled my screen and said I was hacked.

The truth

Microsoft never puts a phone number in an alert and never locks your browser. That full-screen warning is a web page built to scare you, not a real virus.

What made it feel real

The caller knew my name and said they were from Microsoft or my bank.

The truth

Microsoft, Apple, and your bank do not cold-call about a virus. Your name and number come from data breaches and lists, not from any real support team.

What made it feel real

They showed me scary files and errors on my computer.

The truth

Those are normal system logs and harmless files reframed as a crisis. The “proof” they show you is a standard part of the script.

What made it feel real

They offered a refund and said they accidentally sent too much.

The truth

There was no refund. The “overpayment” is a fake screen, and the money you send back is your own real money, gone for good.

Your AI analyst

Run it by Ava.

Describe the call, the message, or whatever they are asking for. Ava names exactly what you are dealing with, tells you your next move, and can act to shut it down for you and keep watch in case they try again.

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