untrappable

Microsoft tech support scam: is that call real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 14, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. Microsoft never calls you out of the blue about a virus on your computer.

Incoming call
(800) 555-0192
maybe: Microsoft Support
Voicemail transcript

“This is Microsoft technical support. We have detected a serious virus on your computer that is sending out your personal data. To prevent permanent damage, do not turn off your device. Please stay on the line so a certified technician can help you remove it now.”

The Phone call, as received

Other versions you might get: A pop-up that fills your screen with a warning and a "support" number to call, an email "renewal receipt" for antivirus you never bought, or a follow-up call asking you to install remote-access software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer.

What to do right now

  1. Hang up. Don't stay on the line, don't call back, don't follow any instructions they give.
  2. Never give remote access. Don't install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or any app a caller asks for — that hands them your computer.
  3. Don't pay anything — no gift cards, wires, or crypto, and never read out card or bank details to a caller.
  4. Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and report the scam to Microsoft.
  5. If you already let them in or paid, disconnect from the internet, run a security scan, change your passwords from a different device, and call your bank to stop or reverse the payment.

How to make sure it never bites you

If you gave a scammer remote access or money, act fast: disconnect the computer, change your passwords from another device, and call your bank now to flag the charge. Then lock down your devices so the next call gets nowhere — see how to protect yourself.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

The calls keep coming because data brokers sell your number. Cutting that off is the only thing that reduces the volume — blocking one number won't, they just rotate. Start with the free steps.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

To actually cut the volume, a data-removal service files opt-out requests across the brokers selling your number and keeps you off their lists. You can do this by hand for free — the service is worth it because the removals don't stay put.

See data removal →

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Frequently asked

A full-screen security warning says Microsoft found a virus and gave me a number to call. Is it real?
No. There is one rule that settles it, and Microsoft states it flatly: “Microsoft error and warning messages never include phone numbers.” A real Windows error never asks you to call anyone. What you're looking at is a web page dressed up as a system alert — Microsoft describes exactly this move, where scammers “display fake error messages on websites you visit, displaying support numbers and enticing you to call,” and “put your browser in full screen mode and display pop-up messages that won't go away, apparently locking your browser.” The frozen screen is theatre. The number is the trap.
How do I get rid of the pop-up without calling the number?
Don't call it — Microsoft's guidance is direct: “If a pop-up or error message appears with a phone number, don't call the number.” Your computer isn't infected by the pop-up; a web page is just refusing to close. Close the tab or the whole browser window, and if it won't let you, force-quit the browser (Task Manager on Windows) and reopen it without restoring the previous session. Then run a full scan with Windows Security to be sure nothing was actually installed. Microsoft notes that Microsoft Edge “blocks known support scam sites using Microsoft Defender SmartScreen” and “can stop pop-up dialog loops used by these attackers.”
I already called the number, or let them into my computer. What now?
Move on the access and the money, in that order. If you installed remote-access software (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or whatever they had you add), disconnect from the internet, uninstall it, and run a full scan with Windows Security. Then change your passwords — the FTC's rule is plain: “If you gave your username and password to a tech support scammer, change your password right away. If you use the same password for other accounts or sites, change it there, too.” Do it from a different device if you can. If you paid, how you paid decides the move — gift card, wire, crypto, or payment app are the methods the FTC says scammers insist on “because it's like using cash,” so contact the card issuer, wire company, or app immediately and ask to reverse it. Microsoft never charges for support in “cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, or gift cards,” so a payment like that is proof, not a receipt. Report it at microsoft.com/reportascam and reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.