“Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam - How to remove

“Virus Alert from Microsoft” is a technical support scam. It’s another fake security warning from scammers claiming to be certified Microsoft technicians. The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” message locks web browsers and makes it seem like the whole computer is blocked. However, this is nothing more than a trick that is used in many scareware messages (like “Internet Security Alert! Code: 055BCCAC9FEC”).

The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam insists that your computer is BLOCKED (it writes it in all caps to make it scarier) due to a number of reasons: registration key being illegal, the usage of pirated software, sending out viruses, being infected, “unusual activity”, and other made-up reasons. Some versions of “Virus Alert from Microsoft” feature loud and obnoxious audio messages meant to cause stress and anxiety.

Classification	Scam.
How “Virus Alert from Microsoft” works	It’s a webpage that only exists in the browser, it tries to convince you to not close the browser and to call a phone number, the people on the other end of the line claim that your computer is infected and that you must pay to get it fixed.
Why the scam appears	Malicious ads online, ads injected by malware.
How to deal with the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam	Close the browser, check if there’s malware on your computer (Spyhunter, others), report the scam.

“Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam wants to steal users’ money and personal information

Locked browsers held for ransom

The most recognizable lines from the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam are these:

VIRUS ALERT FROM MICROSOFT

This computer is BLOCKED

The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam threatens to not shut off the computer. In reality, shutting off your computer would be a pretty good way of dealing with the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam. It is also the right thing to do when your computer is infected, as a powered off computer cannot be hurt by malware.

The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam doesn’t want you to know that, though. It needs you to call the provided phone number (such as 1-844-808-7462). It promises to unblock your computer if you do that.

But it’s not Microsoft specialists on the other side of the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam, rather, it’s professional cybercriminals, just like in the messages like “Windows Firewall Warning Alert“, “Windows Support Alert“, and others.

These scammers will tell you that, if you wish to unblock your computer, you are required to pay money. Only then will the criminals provide the registration key.

Personal information at risk

The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam instructs you to call a toll-free number to get help. But the issue with the locked browser is caused by the scammers themselves. Similar scams have been around for quite some time. Serious law enforcement agencies have warned users about these fake alerts and their devious creators, but people are still falling for them, like the “Unauthorized Access Detected” pop-up.

If you do call the number that “Virus Alert from Microsoft” recommends, you will be recommended to purchase some shady anti-malware tool or a system optimizer. Do not waste money on useless software that is being peddled by scammers.

At the same time, the hackers are interested in getting remote access to computers (Beware tech-support scammers asking to remotely fix your PC). Crooks will state that by getting access to the device, they will be able to fix the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” problem for you. For this service, victims will be charged money. Allowing scammers access to your computer would also be bad for your privacy and security.

The creators of the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam ask for people’s personal information:

• The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” page might ask for your username and password, then save that info and use it to hack your accounts.
• The scammers ask for your name and payment information so that they can charge you money.
• If the people behind “Virus Alert from Microsoft” get remote access to your computer, they will search for files to steal. If you have passwords, bank details, or personal info saved in files, they want it.
• They might use remote access to install spyware on your computer.

Even though law enforcement tries to seek significant penalties and try to put scammers out of business, new technical supports scams are detected every day (Pass it on: tech support scams). Even those of us who think we’re immune to these scams might fall for them (In 2018, Microsoft found that millennials are most likely to lose money to tech support scams).

Clearly, the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam could also be spreading malicious infections. After you click on the message, your computer might become compromised by spyware, adware, Trojan or ransomware. If this fake alert pops up on your desktop, please do anything to escape it. Since your browser will be locked, open your Windows Task Manager and kill the browser process.

Why does the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam pop up on my screen?

What if you encountered “Virus Alert from Microsoft”?

When you encounter a “Virus Alert from Microsoft” page, do not contact the criminals behind it. If you do, hang up the phone the minute they start making requests or subtle threats. And do not reveal any information about yourself.

There are a few things to do after encountering a tech support scam:

• If you gave your credit card info to these people, call your bank right now and tell them what happened.
• If the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scammers installed something on your computer, disconnect it from the internet.
• Look into blocking scam calls because the criminals might try to contact you again.
• Reset your passwords.
• You could also report the scam to Microsoft. They will take the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” site down.

How to avoid tech support scams

The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” fake message could have appeared on your screen because you were visiting rogue domains. If you have a habit of exploring sites that provide controversial content (media pirating, adult videos, potentially illegal content), you are bound to run into rogue and malicious advertisements. Some of this content might be generated by hackers trying to scam people out of money.

If you browse shady sites often, make sure to use an ad blocker or another solution to block malicious websites. You could use an anti-malware app, too.

Keep in mind, fake technical support scams could appear because of an adware infection. If your computer is indeed infected with malware, that could cause malicious sites to appear more often. But “Virus Alert from Microsoft” is still wrong.

If you are worried that there might be adware on your device or that scammers installed something on your computer, we recommend you to scan your computer for viruses with reliable software. Security researchers have described Spyhunter as one of the best fighters against malware. Whatever you use, make sure it’s reputable. Good antivirus programs will definitely make sure that your device would be completely malware-free.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tech scam  easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.