How to Tell if a Pop-Up Is a Scam

You are reading the news or checking email, and suddenly the screen fills with a loud warning: "Your computer is infected! Call Microsoft Support now!" Maybe it beeps or talks. Maybe you cannot close it.

Take a breath. In almost every case, this is a scam, and your computer is fine.

5 signs a pop-up is fake

1. It gives you a phone number to call. Microsoft, Apple, and real antivirus programs do not ask you to call a number from a pop-up.
2. It is loud or urgent. Alarms, a talking voice, flashing red, or a countdown are meant to scare you.
3. It says not to turn off your computer. That is so you stay stuck on the page.
4. It appears in your web browser. Real security warnings do not show up inside a website.
5. It asks for payment or remote access. Gift cards, wire transfers, or "let us connect to your computer" are red flags.

What to do right now

1. Do not call the number. Do not click anything in the pop-up.
2. Close the browser. On Windows, press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete together, open Task Manager, and end the browser. On a Mac, press Command, Option, and Esc together and force quit the browser.
3. If it will not close, turn the computer off by holding the power button for about 10 seconds. Then turn it back on.
4. When the browser opens again, if it asks to restore pages, say no.

What if I already called or let them in?

It happens to smart, careful people all the time. Here is what to do:

1. Turn off the computer or disconnect it from the internet.
2. Call your bank or card company if you gave payment details, using the number on the back of your card.
3. Change your important passwords from a different device, starting with email and banking.
4. Have the computer checked to remove any remote-control programs they may have installed.

A simple rule for the future

If anything on a screen, phone, or in an email asks for money, gift cards, passwords, or access to your computer, stop and check with someone you trust first. A real company will still be there in an hour.

We can help

Golden Age Tech Support checks suspicious pop-ups, calls, and emails for seniors across the Denver area, and cleans up computers after a scare. Call or text (303) 276-7623, or request a visit. Related: Scam Help for Seniors.