Is the virus warning with a Microsoft phone number a scam?
Yes. Microsoft says it plainly: its error messages never include a phone number, and it does not call you to offer support.
Arrives by Computer pop-up, phone call. Pretends to be: Microsoft, Windows, Apple, an antivirus company.
An international scam: the same English text goes out in every country.
How to spot it
Windows Defender Security 1Has Disabled Your Computer. Please Contact Microsoft Windows Support To Unlock Your Computer. 2Toll Free -+1-888--
Text published by: PCrisk, text of the scam page, November 2025. We blacked out the dark parts.
- A warning that locks the screen and will not close
- A number to call: real Microsoft warnings never have one
- Other signs to watch for
- A request to install a program to "check" your computer, such as AnyDesk
- Payment by gift card or crypto
How it works
While you browse, a page fills the screen with a virus warning or says your computer is locked, sometimes with a voice or an alarm. It tells you to call a "Microsoft support" number. On the phone, a fake technician has you install a program to control your computer from a distance, shows you normal errors as if they were viruses and makes you pay for the repair. With that access they can also get into your bank. Sometimes the call comes first, with no warning.
What to do
Do not call the number. Close the browser; if it will not close, turn the computer off and on again.
If you already let someone in, remove the program they had you install, change your passwords from another device and tell your bank.
If you have lost money, tell your bank now and report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040) with your screenshots; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. If someone is coming to your home to collect money or cards, call 999.
Did you get this one? Tell us what happened: every detail helps us spot it.
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How we know
- Microsoft — Protect yourself from tech support scams
- PCrisk — "Windows Defender Security Has Disabled Your Computer" (27-11-2025)
