microsoft web scam

Question

I received a message on my computer today while logging into a website that a zeus virus was detected and my computer had been blocked - error virus - trogan - it said my microsoft system had been compromised and if I closed the page before I called 888-411-7216  my computer access would be disabled to prevent further damage and my data from being stolen. I could not do anything. It appeared my computer was locked. I could not even get my cursor to show up.

This party had evidently found a way to put this message up on a web site I had logged into. I was using google and my google quit working. I finally got my cursor working and I checked another search engine on my computer and it worked just fine so I opened task manager and closed the google app. After that everything was back to normal on my computer. When I opened google again a message appeared that said google had not closed properly and gave me an option to retrieve google as it was before being closed. Did not do this.

I began doing research regarding this problem. One of my searches found a site on microsoft that gave phone numbers that were scams. This number was not one of the numbers listed. After research where I could find no answer as to this phone number, I called it using a code from my phone company to block my telephone information from the receiving party. It was answered by a recorded female voice that told me to hold and my call would be answered, which it was in less than 10 seconds. My call was answered by the same voice with a foreign accident that I have heard many times before when I received calls by phone claiming to be from tech support for Microsoft and they were calling because they had received a notification about my computer. He identified himself as "microsoft tech support" and wanted to know if I was calling about my computer and I told him "no". I informed him that I was trying to reach someone else and had evidently miss dialed. He kept trying to get me to talk with him about my computer until I told him I didn't have a computer.

Just wanted to put this information out to the community.

Answer 1

Hardly a day goes by that there isn't a post about this. It's a common scam. Click the OK button at the bottom of the popup. You should then see a box Do not allow this site to create new messages. Check it and then close the window.

If that doesn't work, for Edge, follow the instructions by Scott_Ki here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_scanning/edge-frozen-with-virus-warning-popup/7212a393-90ad-48d0-ab55-4ffe1f21a554?page=2&msgId=7618ae67-bf16-4155-bf90-d8a7405ee199

For all other browsers, use the Task Manager to exit the browser. Reboot and see if the pop-up goes away.

How to Use the New Task Manager.

http://www.wikihow.com/Open-Windows-Task-Manager

If the problem persists, for any browser:

Remove Tech Support Scam pop-up (Call For Support Scam)

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-tech-support-scam-popups/

Please read:

PSA: Tech Support Scams Pop-Ups on the Rise

https://blog.malwarebytes.org/fraud-scam/2014/11/psa-tech-support-scams-pop-ups-on-the-rise/

Breaking down a notably sophisticated tech support scam M.O.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mmpc/2017/03/02/breaking-down-a-notably-sophisticated-tech-support-scam-m-o/

For more information, see this post by GreginMich

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_scanning/1-888-2361-scam/0990122e-61a9-431b-947e-a904c202fa7c?msgId=8d26f1a8-041a-4351-9c24-a222fb305cbd

Answer 2

I received am message from the internet explorer stating spyware had been installed on my computer and not to make an online purchases before calling this telephone number 866-809-9055 of which I did not do.

The message popped-up on msn.com after I clicked a reuter news clip. I googled it and found out it was a scam.  I did not fall for the scam but was alarmed.  How do they do this???

That's a scam as well.

Some think malicious java script injected into the web site to hit/locate to browsers is at fault here. Then again there are so many ways these things go about you can't hardly start posting what they all are.

This is opinion and not fact.

read over this

Tech Support Scam

Answer 3

I received am message from the internet explorer stating spyware had been installed on my computer and not to make an online purchases before calling this telephone number 866-809-9055 of which I did not do.

The message popped-up on msn.com after I clicked a reuter news clip. I googled it and found out it was a scam.  I did not fall for the scam but was alarmed.  How do they do this???