Staying Safe Online · Scams & Fake Pop-ups · Lesson 1 of 5

The Fake Virus Warning

Learn why scary virus pop-ups are fake and how to close them calmly.

When a scary warning fills the screen

Sometimes a web page suddenly fills the whole screen with a loud warning. It may say your computer has a virus and is locked. It tells you to call a phone number right away.

This is called a tech support scam. A scam is a trick to get your money or your personal details. Here, the scammer pretends to be Microsoft or Apple and offers to "fix" a problem that isn't real.

The page is only a web page. It can't see inside your computer, and it did not find a virus. It is made to look scary so you act fast without thinking.

To get rid of it:

1. Don't call the number, and don't click anything on the page.
2. Press Esc to leave full screen.
3. Close the tab with the X, or press Ctrl+W.
4. If the browser won't close, open Task Manager. This app shows what is running. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open it. Select the browser and click End task.

On a Mac, close the tab with Command+W. If that doesn't work, press Command+Option+Esc and choose Force Quit.

On the practice computer, look at the address bar first. Then close the warning without calling, and open Windows Security to see what it really says.

The clues that give it away

Fake warnings look real at first. But they almost always leave clues. Once you know them, they get easy to spot.

Clue 1: a phone number. Microsoft says its real error and warning messages never include a phone number. Apple warns about these fake pop-ups too. A warning that tells you to call is a fake.

Clue 2: a strange web address. The address bar is the long box at the top of the browser that shows where you are. A fake warning sits on an odd address, like a jumble of letters, not microsoft.com or apple.com.

Clue 3: pressure. Beeping, flashing, a countdown, or words like "Do not close this page." Real companies don't rush you like that.

Clue 4: it appeared in the browser. Your real safety app is Windows Security, which comes with Windows. It opens from the Start menu, not from a web page. If you are worried, open it yourself and run a scan.

Also, Microsoft does not call people out of the blue about their computer. If someone calls you saying they are from Microsoft, hang up.

These scams are very common. In 2025, people in the US told the FBI they lost more than $2 billion to these scams.