"Your computer is infected, call Microsoft / Apple" page
A full-screen browser page with alarms and a phone number, styled as Microsoft or Apple support. The page cannot see your computer; the number leads to a remote-access session and a sale or a "refund" that turns into a transfer.
- Impersonates
- Microsoft / Apple
- Arrives by
- web page, phone call, email
- First seen
- not dated
- Specimens
- 0
- Updated
- 2026-09-02
Right now what this family looks like
How to recognise it
- Alarms, countdowns and a toll-free number on a web page
- The page will not close normally
- Microsoft and Apple never put phone numbers in security warnings
What to do
- Do not call; close the browser (Task Manager or Force Quit if needed)
- If you want reassurance, run your own antivirus
Already called, clicked or paid? what to do in the next hour
- Gave remote access? Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the tool they had you install, change passwords from another device
- Paid by card or bank transfer? Call your bank now and dispute it. Gift cards? Call the card issuer with the card numbers
- Expect a call-back from a "refund department" — that is act two of the same scam. Hang up
How it changed
nothing to compare yet · no specimen on recordGot a version? A new subject line, sender, number or domain becomes the next point on this line. Redacted before publication. Send it →
02 Sept2026
Registry
Family created
Opened at launch from the pattern Microsoft and Apple document; no dated specimen on record yet — send yours.
Same trick, other brands
- "Zeus Virus Detected" Windows Defender alert pagearchived · 2026-09
- Geek Squad renewal invoice scamactive · 2026-09
Indicators
- None on record yet. Indicators change weekly; an empty list never means an email is safe.
In other streams
- Nothing yet.
Registry data
- Machine-readable
/scams/microsoft-tech-support-popup.json- Timeline feed
/scams/microsoft-tech-support-popup/feed.xml- Sources
- 2 · 1 change logged
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 · attribution required
- Created / updated
- 2026-09-02 / 2026-09-02