screen locked

Question

getting message on laptop that it has been locked out and to call phone number listed.

Answer 1

Can you please hold down Ctrl+Alt+Del, then launch Task Manager, and then end all browser items there to close it. That page is definitely scam, but as long as you didn't call the number and engage in any of the requested activities, your computer is not hacked. It is just a pop up page that can have some audio effect (sometimes) and display in full screen mode, so it appears the computer is locked.

Scammers use various methods to trigger these pop-ups. Pop-ups are a form of online advertising. They are often integrated into websites or applications through ad services. Many websites use third-party advertising services to display ads. Sometimes, these ad services might inadvertently allow scam ads to be displayed. This does not mean the website itself is malicious, but it indicates a lack of stringent ad vetting.

You can read more about this type of support scam here: https://support.microsoft.com/windows/protect-yourself-from-tech-support-scams-2ebf91bd-f94c-2a8a-e541-f5c800d18435

Answer 2

Do not call the phone number shown on the lock screen. Genuine Microsoft or Windows error and warning messages never include a phone number to call, and Microsoft does not lock a computer and demand that a number be called to “fix” or “unlock” it. This is a common tech support scam.

To close the fake “locked” screen and regain control:

1. Try to close the browser or window
   • Press Alt + F4 repeatedly to close the active window or browser.
   • If the browser is in full-screen mode, press F11 to exit full screen, then close the tab or window.
2. Use Task Manager to end the browser
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Escape (or Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then choose Task Manager).
   • In Task Manager, find the web browser process (for example, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox).
   • Right-click the browser process and select End task for each browser entry until the browser closes.
3. If the system still appears locked
   • Hold down the power button until the PC turns off.
   • Turn it back on.
   • If the browser offers to “Restore previous session” or “Reopen closed tabs,” choose No so the scam page does not reopen.
4. Clear the browser cache and site data
   • Open the browser again and clear history, cookies, and cached files so the malicious page is not reloaded from history.
5. Afterward
   • Do not call any phone number shown in pop-ups or lock screens.
   • Do not allow remote access to the computer or install software when instructed by such pop-ups.
   • Consider installing an ad blocker extension to reduce malicious or misleading ads that can trigger these scam pages.

If no number was called and no remote access or software installation was allowed, the issue is typically limited to the browser and does not mean the computer is infected. If remote access was granted or software was installed, follow the guidance in the scam-protection articles in the references and consider further security checks.

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References:

• Protect yourself from tech support scams
• Protect yourself from online scams and attacks
• Avoid and report Microsoft technical support scams
• possible virus, computer locked - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft Defender Scam or Do I have a virus on my computer - Microsoft Q&A
• Disabled computer - Microsoft Q&A
• How do I report a possible scam from Microsoft? - Microsoft Q&A