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A scary pop-up says your computer is locked. What to do

It is a scam. Don't call the number, don't pay, and don't let anyone connect to your computer. Real warnings from Windows never show a phone number. Close the browser, or hold the power button for ten seconds, and the “emergency” is gone. If you already called, the steps below limit the damage.

By the Tech Support Bundle team · Published · Updated · 2 min read

What you are looking at

The screen is suddenly full of red warnings. There may be a siren or a voice. The message says something like this:

“Your computer has been locked. Do not turn it off. Call Microsoft Support now at this toll-free number.”

It is a web page made to look like a warning. The Federal Trade Commission puts it plainly: real security pop-up warnings and messages will never ask you to call a phone number. Microsoft says the same about its own messages: its error and warning messages never include phone numbers.

Steps

  1. Don't call the number. The people who answer are the scammers. They will ask to connect to your computer, pretend to find problems and then ask for money.
  2. Close the browser. If the page won't close or the screen seems stuck, hold the computer's power button for ten seconds until it turns off. Wait a moment and turn it back on. A scary pop-up cannot hurt your computer by being closed.
  3. Run a scan. Open your security software, update it and run a scan. Our guide shows how to scan with Windows Security.
  4. Tell someone. Not sure it was a scam? Talk to someone you trust. Scams work when nobody talks about them.

If you already called or let someone connect

There is no shame in it. This scam keeps working on careful people. Move quickly:

  1. Disconnect the computer from the internet (unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi) and shut it down.
  2. If you paid, call your bank or card company right away and say it was fraud. Ask them to contest the charge.
  3. Change your passwords, starting with email, from a different device. If you gave the caller a password, change it everywhere you use it.
  4. Remove anything they had you install, and have the computer checked before you trust it again. Remote-control programs don't remove themselves.
  5. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reports help the FTC build cases against scammers.

How to tell a real warning from a fake one

  • A real warning from Windows or your security software does not show a phone number.
  • Legitimate tech companies won't contact you by phone, email or text to say there is a problem with your computer.
  • Nobody honest asks to be paid with gift cards, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a payment app.

Sources

We check these steps against the sources above and review this guide by April 6, 2027. Software changes; if a screen looks different from what we describe, trust the source.

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