Get the free Scam-Stopper Kit
Text size:
Plainspoken TECH

Scam simulator · Computer, online and social media

The Computer Virus Pop-Up

An alarm sounds and a warning fills your screen, telling you to call for help right away. Practice what to do, and see how one phone call can end with gift cards, a stranger in your computer and a call from your “bank”.

  • About 5 minutes
  • 6 decisions
  • Common in: US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand (on computers, and sometimes on tablets and phones)

Why it matters: Americans aged 60 and over reported losing more than $1 billion to tech and customer support scams in 2025. Only investment scams cost them more. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 report)

It’s a rainy afternoon and you’re reading the news on your computer. A recipe link catches your eye, so you click it.

Below, each step shows what you'd see, the choices people make, and why each one is safe or risky. The summary at the end tells you what to look for and what to do.

You'll see each message or call as it would really look. Choose what you'd do, and you'll find out why. Nothing here is real: no messages are sent and nothing you choose leaves your device.

  1. Step 1 of 6 First contact

    Suddenly the screen fills with a red warning and a loud alarm starts beeping. You try to close the page, but the mouse doesn’t seem to work.

    Practice screen Pop-up warning in a web browser

    pc-security-alert.com-support.live/locked

    The alarm keeps beeping, and the warning covers the whole screen.

    What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    Would a real security warning ask you to phone a number?

    1. Call the number. It says not to restart, and I don’t want to lose my photos.

      Risky choice

      This is exactly what the page is built for. The warning is just a web page. It can’t see inside your computer, and nothing is locked. The number goes straight to a call center run by scammers.

    2. Click “Scan now”, or the X on the warning, to make it go away.

      Risky choice

      Buttons on a scam page can be fake. Some start a download or open more warnings. Don’t click anything on the page itself; close the browser from outside it instead.

    3. Don’t call. Close the web browser from outside the page (on a Windows computer: press Ctrl, Alt and Delete together, choose Task Manager, then End task), and restart the computer.

      Safe choice

      That’s the safe move. Closing the browser and restarting gets rid of the page, and the alarm stops with it. When the browser opens again, don’t let it bring back your last pages. If you’re still worried, ask a local repair shop you already trust to check the computer.

    Red flags at this step

    • A warning with a phone number to call
    • A loud alarm and a page that fills the screen and won’t close
    • “Do not restart or turn off your computer”
    • A strange web address that doesn’t belong to any company you know

    What's really going on

    This is a web page dressed up as a warning, and it can pop up while you’re browsing perfectly ordinary websites. Microsoft says scam pages like this “launch full-screen pages with alarming fake malware warnings” and play loud sounds, and its Edge browser now has a scareware blocker that spots them, leaves full screen and stops the noise. The FTC puts it simply: security pop-up warnings from real tech companies will never ask you to call a phone number.

  2. Step 2 of 6 The hook

    Many people do call the number. Suppose you did. A calm, friendly man answers on the first ring.

    Practice screen Phone call

    Call in progress

    (888) 555-0147

    1. Caller: “Computer Security Support, this is Kevin. I’m sorry you’ve had a fright. Can you read me what it says on your screen?”
    2. Caller: “I see. I’m afraid hackers have got into your computer, and we’ve detected illegal activity coming from your internet connection. Your bank details are at risk.”
    3. Caller: “Don’t worry, I can fix it today. Please go to fixmypc-connect.net, install our remote support app, and read me the access code it shows.”

    What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    What could a stranger do once he can control your computer?

    1. Install the app and read out the code. He’s so patient, and he clearly knows about computers.

      Risky choice

      The code lets him see and control your computer as if he were sitting in front of it. He can open your files and emails, install more software and watch what you type. Being patient and kind is part of the script: these callers are trained professionals.

    2. Ask him for his employee number and his company’s address before I install anything.

      Better, but not the safest

      Asking questions is better than doing as he says, but he’ll have answers ready: a badge number, an address, even a “supervisor”. Nothing he says on a call to a number from a pop-up can prove who he is. The safest thing is to hang up.

    3. Say no and hang up. Nobody I reached through a pop-up gets into my computer.

      Safe choice

      Exactly right. You don’t need to be polite or explain. Hanging up now means you’ve lost nothing. If the warning is still on the screen, close the browser and restart.

    Red flags at this step

    • Frightening talk of hackers and “illegal activity”
    • Being asked to install an app so someone can connect to your computer
    • Being asked to read out an access code

    What's really going on

    Remote access apps are real tools that genuine helpers use, which is why scammers like them: once you read out the code, the caller controls your computer. Microsoft now makes people tick a scam warning in its Quick Assist app before anyone can connect, and says it blocks an average of 4,415 suspicious Quick Assist connection attempts a day. The FBI’s advice is never to let a stranger have control of your computer.

  3. Step 3 of 6 Winning your trust

    Suppose you let him connect. The mouse starts moving on its own. He opens a window and it fills with line after line of warnings.

    On your screen: a window called “Event Log” shows thousands of lines, many marked with red or yellow warning signs. They say things like “Error”, “Warning” and “Service stopped unexpectedly”. The technician highlights them one by one.

    Technician: “You see all this red? Every one of those is an infection. Your firewall has expired, so the hackers walk right in.”

    He says the computer is badly infected. What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    Could a healthy computer have lines like these too?

    1. Let him carry on. Just look at all those errors.

      Risky choice

      Every computer has thousands of lines like these. They’re ordinary notes the computer keeps about its own work, not viruses. Showing them to you is a trick to make a healthy computer look sick.

    2. Turn off the Wi-Fi or unplug the internet cable, hang up, and switch the computer off.

      Safe choice

      Well done. Cutting the internet ends his connection straight away. Before you use the computer again, ask a trusted local repair shop to remove anything he installed.

    Red flags at this step

    • A “scan” run by the person you called from a pop-up
    • Ordinary system messages called “infections”
    • Your mouse moving on its own

    What's really going on

    The window he’s showing is a normal part of every computer. It records routine events, and most of the “errors” in it are harmless. The FBI describes this exact step: the scammer “pretends to run a virus scan” and “falsely claims the computer has been or is at risk of being hacked.”

  4. Step 4 of 6 The pressure

    Next, the technician offers to fix everything. There’s a price, and a strange way to pay it.

    Practice screen Phone call

    Call in progress

    (888) 555-0147

    1. Caller: “I can remove every infection and install our lifetime security plan and firewall for $399. After that, you’re protected for good.”
    2. Caller: “Because the hackers can see your bank card, we can’t take a card payment. Please go to the store and buy $399 in gift cards. Keep your phone with you, and I’ll stay on the line.”
    3. Caller: “The cashier may ask what the cards are for. Just say they’re presents for your grandchildren. If you mention a computer, their system will block it.”

    What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    Why would a real company care what you tell the cashier?

    1. Go to the store and buy the gift cards. $399 seems fair to fix everything.

      Risky choice

      Gift cards are how the scammer gets paid, because the money is very hard to get back once the numbers are shared. And nothing was wrong with your computer, so there was never anything to fix.

    2. Buy the cards, but tell the cashier the truth if they ask.

      Better, but not the safest

      Being honest with the cashier is a good instinct, and a cashier who hears “computer support” may well stop you. But the safest step is not to buy the cards at all. No real company takes payment in gift cards.

    3. Hang up. A real company would never ask me to pay with gift cards, or tell me what to say to the cashier.

      Safe choice

      Exactly. Being told to hide the reason from the cashier is a sure sign of a scam: the scammer knows the cashier would warn you. You’ve spotted it before any money changed hands.

    Red flags at this step

    • A fee to fix a problem they “found”
    • Being told to pay with gift cards
    • A cover story to tell the cashier
    • “I’ll stay on the line” while you go to the store

    What's really going on

    Scammers ask for gift cards because, as the FTC says of these payments, “once you pay, it’s hard to get your money back.” Keeping you on the phone while you shop stops you talking to anyone who might warn you. The FTC is clear: “No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them.”

  5. Step 5 of 6 The ask

    Suppose someone does buy the cards. Back at home, the technician is still on the line, and he has one more request.

    Practice screen Phone call

    Call in progress

    (888) 555-0147

    1. Caller: “Wonderful. Now scratch off the silver strip on the back of each card and read me the numbers and the PINs, nice and slowly.”
    2. Caller: “Or, if it’s easier, take a photo of the backs of the cards and text it to me.”

    What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    What does someone need to spend a gift card?

    1. Read out the numbers. I’ve bought the cards now, so I may as well finish.

      Risky choice

      Reading out the numbers is the same as handing over the money. The scammer can spend it very quickly. And once they know you’ll pay, many come back with a reason to ask for more, such as a card that “didn’t go through”.

    2. Don’t read them out. Hang up, keep the cards and receipts, and call the number on the back of the cards.

      Safe choice

      That’s the right move, even this late. If you haven’t shared the numbers, the money is still on the cards. If you have, call the card company straight away and tell them a scammer tricked you; they may be able to freeze what’s left.

    Red flags at this step

    • Being asked to read out gift card numbers and PINs
    • Being asked to send a photo of the back of the cards

    What's really going on

    The number and PIN on the back of a gift card are all anyone needs to spend it, even while you’re still holding the card. The FTC advises calling the company that issued the card as soon as possible, using the number on the card, and keeping both the card and the store receipt.

  6. Step 6 of 6 Afterwards

    Two days later, whatever happened before, the phone rings. It’s the same technician, and he sounds serious.

    Practice screen Phone call

    Incoming call

    (888) 555-0147

    1. Caller: “It’s Kevin from Computer Security Support. I’m afraid that when I cleaned your computer, I found that a hacker overseas had got into your bank account.”
    2. Caller: “Your bank’s fraud team will call you today to help protect your savings. Please don’t tell anyone yet, not even the staff at your branch. We think someone there is involved.”

    What do you do?

    Not sure? Show a hint

    How would a computer technician know what’s happening at your bank?

    1. Wait for the bank’s call and do what they say. At least someone’s looking out for me.

      Risky choice

      This is how the costliest version of the scam begins. The next caller will pretend to be your bank, and may even show your bank’s name on caller ID. The aim is to get you to move your savings into an account the criminals control.

    2. Hang up, call my bank myself on the number on the back of my card, and tell them everything. Then tell a family member.

      Safe choice

      Perfect. Your bank can check your accounts, watch for unusual payments and warn staff to look out for you. Telling a family member breaks the secrecy the scammers rely on.

    Red flags at this step

    • The same “technician” calling back with new bad news
    • Being told your bank will call you
    • Being told not to tell anyone, even your bank’s staff

    What's really going on

    The FBI calls what comes next the “Phantom Hacker” scam: fake tech support hands you to a fake bank, then to a fake government agent, and each one “confirms” the story. Being told to expect a call from your bank is the giveaway, because your real bank has no idea what the “technician” said. People who have paid once are also targeted later by “recovery” callers who offer to get the money back for a fee.

What really happened

There was never anything wrong with the computer. The pop-up was a web page made to look like a warning, and the number went to a call center run by criminals. The “scan” showed ordinary messages every computer keeps, and the $399 fix, the gift cards and the cover story for the cashier were all part of a script. Many of these gangs then pass people on to a fake bank and a fake government agent. Closing the browser and restarting at the very first step stops the whole thing.

Read your summary

Test your family

How would your family do?

Send this simulator to a parent, grandparent or friend. They try it on their own phone or computer, and at the end they can send their score straight back to you, so you can see which steps caught them out. Then talk it over together.

Nothing is sent to us. Your first name and their score travel only inside the link you send, after the # sign, which web browsers never send to our website.

From simulator to confidence

Protect the whole family with Scam-Proof

This simulator is one scam. Scam-Proof puts 50 of today's scams in one calm, large-print book to keep by the phone, for you and the people you love.

This scam is in the book. Chapter 2 covers fake tech support, and scams 7, 8 and 46 in the book's 50-scam library cover the support call, the pop-up and the gift card payment.

  • Spot the three-part pattern behind almost every scam: pressure, secrecy and strange payment
  • Handle fake bank, tax, Medicare and tech-support calls with word-for-word scripts
  • Catch out cloned-voice “grandchild in trouble” calls with a family safe word
  • Check a text, email or website before you tap anything
  • A 50-scam library with the tell and the fix for each
  • 20 "Say This" scripts for tricky calls and messages

254 pages · 16-point large print · paperback and Kindle ebook · written for older adults and the families who help them

Scam-Proof is almost ready. Leave your email and we'll tell you the day it's on Amazon.

See inside Scam-Proof · Buying it for someone? Read our gift guide.

Summary · keep this

Computer virus pop-up: what to look for and what to do

Remember: Real security warnings never ask you to call a phone number. Close the browser, restart the computer, and never let anyone you reached through a pop-up connect to it.

What to look for

  • A pop-up or full-screen warning with a phone number to call
  • A loud alarm, a countdown, or a page that seems to lock your screen
  • “Do not restart or turn off your computer”
  • Someone asking you to install an app or read out a code so they can connect to your computer
  • A “scan” that shows lots of red errors or “infections”
  • Being asked to pay with gift cards, or told what to say to the cashier
  • A call back saying a hacker got into your bank and your bank will call you

What to do

A warning with a phone number fills your screen
Don’t call it or click anything on the page. Force the browser to quit (on a Windows computer: Ctrl, Alt and Delete, then Task Manager, then End task; on a Mac: Command, Option and Esc, then Force Quit), then restart.
Someone asks to connect to your computer
Say no and hang up, unless you called them yourself on a number you already knew and trusted.
You’re told to pay with gift cards
Stop. No real business or government agency asks to be paid in gift cards.
Someone says a hacker is in your bank and your bank will call
Hang up and call your bank yourself on the number on your card. Tell someone you trust.
You need help with your computer
Go to a local shop you trust, or find the company’s number on its official website yourself. Don’t use numbers from pop-ups or from “sponsored” search results.

If you've already paid, clicked or shared details

Don't be embarrassed. These scams are run by professionals, and acting fast gives you the best chance of stopping the damage.

  1. Disconnect the computer from the internet (turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the cable), then turn it off.
  2. If you logged in to online banking or gave card details, call your bank straight away on the number on your card.
  3. If you paid with gift cards, call the number on the back of the cards, tell them a scammer tricked you, and keep the cards and receipts.
  4. From a different device, change your passwords, starting with email and online banking, and turn on two-step verification.
  5. Ask a trusted local repair shop to remove the remote access app and check the computer.
  6. Expect follow-up calls. Anyone who offers to get your money back for a fee is running a second scam.

Where to get help and report it

United States

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank or card company now, on the number on the back of your card.
  • Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, for anything online, to the FBI at ic3.gov.
  • Aged 60 or over? The National Elder Fraud Hotline can help you report and recover: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1‑833‑372‑8311), Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm Eastern.
  • Free advice from trained volunteers: AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877‑908‑3360. You don’t need to be a member.
  • Scam texts: forward them to 7726 (spells SPAM).
  • Gave out personal details? Get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov and think about a free credit freeze.
  • Someone coming to your door to collect money? Call 911.
  • Sent cash by mail? Call the US Postal Inspection Service on 1-877-876-2455 straight away. If you used another delivery company, call them as soon as you can.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

United Kingdom

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call 159 to reach your bank safely (it works for most major banks), or use the number on your card.
  • Report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
  • Tricked into a bank transfer? Ask your bank about a refund. UK rules cover most transfers up to £85,000 if you claim within 13 months.
  • Scam texts: forward them free to 7726. Scam emails: forward them to [email protected].
  • Free, confidential advice: Age UK Advice Line, 0800 678 1602.
  • Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 999.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

Australia

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card or in your banking app.
  • Report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. If it happened online, also report it to police through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
  • Gave out personal details or ID? IDCARE gives free help: 1800 595 160.
  • Not sure what to do? The Australian Cyber Security Hotline is 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371). For police, call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
  • Scam texts: report them to Scamwatch. Telstra customers can also forward them to 7226; other providers may too, so ask yours.
  • Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 000.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

Canada

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
  • Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1‑888‑495‑8501 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4:45pm Eastern) or online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca. Tell your local police too.
  • Scam texts: forward them to 7726.
  • Gave out personal details? Ask Equifax and TransUnion to put a fraud alert on your credit file.
  • Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 911.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

New Zealand

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
  • Report it to Police on 105 (or 105.police.govt.nz) and to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz/report or 0800 114 115.
  • Free advice: Netsafe, 0508 638 723.
  • Scam texts: forward them free to 7726.
  • Gave out personal details or ID? IDCARE gives free help: 0800 121 068.
  • Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 111.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

Ireland

  • Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
  • Report it at your local Garda station. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.
  • Scam texts: mark them as spam and block the sender. Texts from unregistered senders now show as “Likely Scam”.
  • Check before you invest: search the Central Bank of Ireland register at registers.centralbank.ie. Scam alerts from Irish banks are at fraudsmart.ie.
  • Someone pretending to be Microsoft? You can also tell Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

The rules that stop almost every scam

  • Hang up and call back on a number you find yourself: the back of your card, a bill, or the official website.
  • Never share a code sent to your phone, and never let anyone who contacted you take control of your computer or phone.
  • Never move money to keep it safe. No bank, police force or government agency will ever ask you to.
  • Gift cards, crypto, Bitcoin machines, wire transfers, cash couriers and gold are how scammers get paid. Anyone who asks for them is a scammer.
  • Secrecy and hurry are the giveaways. Anyone who tells you not to tell your bank or family, or to act right now, is working against you.
  • Tell someone. Talk it over with a family member, a friend or your bank before you pay anyone you didn’t plan to pay.

Phone numbers and web addresses were checked on 28 September 2026. They can change; if one doesn't work, search for the organization's official website, and please let us know.

Sources we checked

The people, numbers, companies and web addresses shown in this simulator are made up. The way the scam works is taken from real cases reported by police, regulators and consumer groups.

Try another simulator

  • The Three-Caller Scam

    Practice spotting the FBI's "Phantom Hacker" scam: a fake technician, a fake bank fraud team and a fake federal agent who all want your savings.

    About 6 minutes · 7 decisions

  • The Surprise Renewal Invoice

    Practice spotting a fake "your plan has renewed" invoice: the phone number, the refund that needs your computer, the "overpayment" and the gift cards.

    About 5 minutes · 6 decisions

  • The Offer to Get Your Money Back

    Practice spotting a recovery scam: the firm that knows your loss, the fake federal agent, the upfront fee and the "recovered" money you can never withdraw.

    About 5 minutes · 6 decisions

See all 20 scam simulators

Prefer to read? "Your Computer Is Infected": How to Spot and Stop a Tech Support Scam

Cover of the free Scam-Stopper Kit

Get the free Scam-Stopper Kit

Printable wallet cards, a family safe-word sheet, easy AI prompts and a trusted-numbers sheet for beside the phone. Free when you join the Plainspoken Tech letter.

Cookie settings

Always on

Remembers your text size, this choice and your scam simulator progress, on your device only. Our host, Cloudflare, may also set a security cookie to block attacks. These can't be switched off.

We don't use any optional cookies or tracking at the moment, so there's nothing to switch on or off.

Read the full cookie policy