My computer was locked and I contacted the number on the pop up. I did not go any further as I want to verify the contact was microsoft support?

Question

My computer was locked and I contacted the number on the pop up. I did not go any further as I want to verify the contact was microsoft support?

Dolores Calicchio 0

I tried to log on my PC today and I had an annoying pop up that would not go away informing me I had a serious threat. There was a number on the pop up but I tried first to search on my own for a microsoft contact. The numbers I tried were all not enabling me to speak to someone to resolve my issue. I then called the number on the pop up instructing me to call them immediately to remove the threat. I asked them to verify they worked for Microsoft. He said his name was Alex and gave me an employee number MS120X5. I was instructed to key CONT ALT DELETE and the pop up was removed I was then instructed to go to TASK MANAGER and check if all programs were running. Some were not and the person on the phone said they should all be running. I was then instructed to remove my microsoft security on my computer to remove malware. I asked the person I was speaking how do I verify they actually worked for microsoft before doing that. They said "you called me" so the my contact is legit. He said I can verify by contacting microsoft and then call him back. Can you verify anyone with the above employee number actually works at Microsoft? I was suspicious and did not go further with this person. He said go ahead and verify and call him back at 1800-248-4068. Please advise.

Moved from: Microsoft Security | Microsoft Defender | Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Lisiane Bitep 0

I tried to log in to my computer, but a pornographic message popped up claiming that I had used my account to access illegal websites and pay for child-related content. A phone number—1-877-593-4597—also appeared, instructing me to call it immediately. Once I did, they asked me for my name, my address, and—most importantly—my bank account details. That is when I began to suspect it was a scam, so I ended the conversation; however, the person on the other end threatened to send my information to the police if I did not continue.

Lisiane Bitep 0 Reputation points

2026-04-28T22:04:48.8133333+00:00

I tried to log in to my computer, but a pornographic message popped up claiming that I had used my account to access illegal websites and pay for child-related content. A phone number—1-877-593-4597—also appeared, instructing me to call it immediately. Once I did, they asked me for my name, my address, and—most importantly—my bank account details. That is when I began to suspect it was a scam, so I ended the conversation; however, the person on the other end threatened to send my information to the police if I did not continue.

3 answers

Your answer

Lisiane Bitep 0 Reputation points

2026-04-28T22:02:53.0133333+00:00

I tried to log in to my computer, but a pornographic message popped up claiming that I had used my account to access illegal websites and pay for child-related content. A phone number—1-877-593-4597—also appeared, instructing me to call it immediately. Once I did, they asked me for my name, my address, and—most importantly—my bank account details. That is when I began to suspect it was a scam, so I ended the conversation; however, the person on the other end threatened to send my information to the police if I did not continue.
Lisiane Bitep 0 Reputation points

2026-04-28T22:04:48.8133333+00:00

I tried to log in to my computer, but a pornographic message popped up claiming that I had used my account to access illegal websites and pay for child-related content. A phone number—1-877-593-4597—also appeared, instructing me to call it immediately. Once I did, they asked me for my name, my address, and—most importantly—my bank account details. That is when I began to suspect it was a scam, so I ended the conversation; however, the person on the other end threatened to send my information to the police if I did not continue.

Answer 1

EmilyS726 267.4K Independent Advisor

This is a typical IT support scam case. Your computer was not "locked" up. 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. When that happened, you can just hold down Ctrl+Alt+Del, then launch Task Manager, and then end all browser items there to close it. But as long as you didn't call the number or engage in any of the requested activities, your computer is not ok.

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/en-us/windows/protect-yourself-from-tech-support-scams-2ebf91bd-f94c-2a8a-e541-f5c800d18435

Curtis Mayne 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T02:47:42.1933333+00:00

Is there a number I can call to speak to a human and verify that my computer and ip address is not compromised? I’ve run a full scan and updated Defender.
EmilyS_726 29,115 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-18T03:22:50.2533333+00:00

@Curtis Mayne
“IP address compromised” is not really a standard technical diagnosis. An IP address itself usually isn’t something that gets “hacked” in the way an account or computer does.

If someone knows your public IP address. That by itself is normally not a compromise. Every website you visit can see the public IP you connect from. Your IP address is not a secret anyway.

There are much more sophisticated forms of IP/network hijacking, but those occur at ISP/network-routing levels and are not what these fake “your IP has been compromised” browser warnings are referring to.

So there really isn't a test where you enter your IP address and determine “yes, this IP is compromised.” And if you receive a pop up sayng your IP address is compromised, it is 100% phishing scam.

Answer 2

Dolores Calicchio 0

It would be reassuring to talk live with someone at Microsoft and not AI.

0 comments

Answer 3

It sounds like you may have encountered a tech support scam. Microsoft does not send unsolicited messages or make unsolicited calls to request personal information or to fix your computer. If you received a pop-up with a phone number, it is likely not a legitimate Microsoft support contact.

To verify if an email or call is from Microsoft support, check the sender's email address or the phone number against known Microsoft support numbers. Microsoft support uses specific domains for emails, such as microsoft.com, microsoftsupport.com, and mail.support.microsoft.com. If the number you called does not match these, it is likely a scam.

Since you were instructed to remove your Microsoft security software, this is a red flag, as legitimate support would never ask you to do that. It's good that you did not proceed further with the instructions given by the caller.

If you suspect that you have been targeted by a scam, you should report it to Microsoft and consider running a full scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus to check for any malware on your device.

For more information on tech support scams and how to protect yourself, you can refer to the resources provided by Microsoft.