// POOLE · SCAM POP-UP HELP
Scam pop-up help in Poole: that ‘virus’ warning is fake
If a full-screen ‘YOUR COMPUTER IS INFECTED — call this number’ message has appeared, take a breath: it’s a fake pop-up, not a real virus, and nothing on the computer is actually damaged. Do not call the number and do not let anyone connect — scammers use these to frighten people into paying or handing over control. We’re a family-run team near Poole who can check and clean the PC calmly, the same day, with no jargon.
Rated 4.9 on GoogleFamily-run since 1995 · no fix, no fee// FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS
That pop-up is fake — your computer is not infected
These full-screen warnings are built to frighten you into acting fast. The flashing text, the beeping, the countdown, the ‘Microsoft’ or ‘Windows Defender’ logo — all of it is just a web page pretending to be a security alert. It is not a real virus, and your files, photos and emails are safe.
A genuine security warning never tells you to phone a number. Microsoft and Windows will never put a phone number on your screen and ask you to call. So if you see a number to ring, you can be certain it is a scam.
- Nothing has been installed just because the pop-up appeared.
- The scary sounds and messages are only there to panic you.
- As long as you have not called or clicked inside it, no harm has been done.
If you’d like to get better at spotting these tricks, our free online safety course walks through them in plain English — no sign-up needed.
// DO THIS NOW
What to do the moment a scam pop-up appears
The safest thing is to close the browser without touching anything inside the pop-up. Here is the calm, step-by-step way to do it on a Windows PC:
- Do not call the number on the screen — no matter how urgent it looks.
- Do not click inside the pop-up, and do not press any ‘fix now’ or ‘scan’ button.
- Do not let anyone connect to your computer, and never give out card or bank details, passwords or codes.
- Hold down Ctrl + Shift + Esc together to open Task Manager.
- Click your web browser in the list (Chrome, Edge or Firefox), then click End task.
- If the screen is stuck, press and hold the computer’s power button for about ten seconds to switch it off, wait a moment, then turn it back on.
When you reopen your browser, if it offers to ‘restore pages’, say no — that would just bring the fake page straight back.
On an Android phone or tablet, close the browser tab, then swipe the browser away in the recent-apps view. Do not tap any ‘download’ or ‘install’ prompt the page tries to show you.
// THE PHONE VERSION
‘We’re calling from Microsoft’ — also a scam
A close cousin of the pop-up is the phone call: someone rings claiming to be from ‘Microsoft’, ‘Windows’, your broadband provider or ‘the technical department’, saying they have detected a problem with your computer. This is always a scam. Real technology companies do not cold-call people about viruses.
- They may ask you to switch on the computer and install software so they can ‘fix’ it — but that software gives them remote control. Do not install anything they ask for.
- They may already know your name and address; that does not make them genuine.
- If you are unsure, simply hang up. You can always ring us or your bank back on a number you already trust.
If a caller becomes pushy or aggressive, it is completely fine to put the phone down without saying a word.
// HOW WE HELP
How we safely check and clean your PC across Poole
Once things are calm, we check the computer properly so you can be sure nothing nasty was left behind. This is our everyday virus & malware removal work: we look for anything the scam may have slipped on and — importantly — we check that no remote-access tool was quietly installed to let a stranger back in later.
- Same-day help. We can usually help the same day, either remotely or by coming to you.
- Remote clean-up over Splashtop. With your permission we connect and watch the screen together — you see everything we do, and the connection ends the moment the session does. We always phone you before we ever connect.
- On-site visits across Poole, priced before we come. We cover BH12–BH17, Sandbanks, Hamworthy, Canford Heath, Parkstone, Broadstone and the wider Dorset area.
- We remove any leftover nuisance software, check your web browser is clean, and make sure Windows security is switched back on properly.
There is no call-out fee, and our repair work is no-fix, no-fee. We support Windows PCs and Android phones and tablets.
// IF YOU ALREADY CALLED OR PAID
Already let someone in or paid? Calm steps to take now
If you have already called the number, let someone connect, or paid, please do not feel embarrassed — these scams fool careful people every day. Work calmly through these steps:
- Hang up and disconnect. End the call and, if you can, unplug the computer from the internet (turn off the wi-fi or pull out the network cable).
- Phone your bank. If you gave any card or bank details, or made a payment, contact your bank straight away — you can dial 159 to reach your bank safely.
- Report it. Tell Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040 so the scam is on record.
- Change your passwords — especially email and banking — but do this from a different, clean device such as a phone, not the computer that was affected.
Then give us a call. We will check the affected computer thoroughly, remove any remote-access software the scammer installed, and make sure they cannot get back in.
Next time, ask us from your browser
Add our free 365 Get Help button to Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If a scary warning appears, click it, pick what’s wrong and type your number, and we’ll ring you back. It also tells you what to do until we do.
Made by us. It sends nothing until you press “Ring me back”, and it can’t read what’s on your web pages.
// RELATED
More reassurance and help: our main virus & malware removal service, what to do if you think you’ve been scammed or hacked, the free online safety course to spot scams with confidence, patient computer help for older people, and IT support in Poole. If your browser says it is managed by an organisation you have never heard of, see Chrome managed by your organisation. Or just get in touch — call 01202 775566.
FAMILY-RUN SINCE 1995 · ★ 4.9 ON GOOGLE · 200+ COMPUTERS UNDER OUR CARE · NO FIX, NO FEE · SAME-DAY REMOTE SUPPORT
// GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked
Is the ‘your computer is infected’ pop-up real?
No. It is a fake web page designed to scare you into calling a number or paying for ‘support’ you don’t need. Your computer is not actually infected, and closing the browser is usually all it takes.
Should I call the number on the virus warning pop-up?
Never. That number goes to scammers, not to Microsoft. Genuine security alerts never ask you to phone anyone. Close the browser instead, and call us in Poole on 01202 775566 if you’d like it checked.
How do I close a full-screen scam pop-up on Windows?
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click your web browser in the list, then click End task. If the screen is frozen, hold the power button for about ten seconds to switch the PC off.
Someone from ‘Microsoft’ phoned about my computer — is it a scam?
Yes. Microsoft does not cold-call people about viruses. Do not let them connect or install anything. Just hang up — it is perfectly fine to end the call without explaining yourself.
Can you help an elderly relative in Poole who got a scam pop-up?
Yes — we help worried families across Poole patiently and without jargon. We can check the computer the same day, remotely or in person, and confirm nothing harmful was left behind.
I already paid or let them connect — what should I do?
Hang up, disconnect the computer from the internet, and phone your bank (you can dial 159). Report it to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040, change your passwords from a clean device, then call our Poole team to check the PC.
Worried about a pop-up? Let’s check it together
Call 365 Techies on 01202 775566 or get in touch and we’ll calmly check the computer, confirm nothing was left behind, and put your mind at rest — same-day, right across Poole.
01202 775566 · help@365techies.co.uk · MON–FRI 9AM–5PM