A loud alarm, a red screen, a message saying your computer is "infected" and a phone number to call. Or a phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, your broadband provider or "Windows support". These are tech support scams, and they target people in Neasden, Willesden, Wembley and everywhere else. Here is how to spot them and what to do.
What real warnings do not do
The key point is simple: genuine security software and Windows do not behave like this. Real alerts from Windows or your antivirus will never:
- lock your browser and show a phone number to ring;
- play a siren or a recorded voice telling you to call at once;
- say your IP address, files or bank details are about to be "deleted" or "stolen";
- ask for payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency or a bank transfer.
Microsoft does not cold-call people to say their computer has a virus. Neither does your broadband provider. If someone rings out of the blue claiming it does, hang up.
If a pop-up appears: stay calm
- Don't call the number and don't click anything in the message, including the "close" button, which can be part of the trick.
- Close the browser. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select the browser and choose End task. On a Mac, press Option + Command + Esc and force quit it. If the screen is frozen, hold the power button to switch off, then turn it on again.
- Reopen the browser and don't restore the previous tabs. If it offers to "restore pages", say no.
- Run a full scan with Windows Security or your own antivirus and check your browser extensions for anything you did not install.
In most cases the pop-up is just a web page that has taken over your browser, and closing it is the end of it.
If you already called or paid
It happens to careful, intelligent people, and there is no shame in it. Act quickly, in this order:
- Stop talking and disconnect. Hang up. If you gave them remote access, switch off WiFi or unplug the internet cable straight away. Tools they commonly ask you to install include AnyDesk, TeamViewer and Quick Assist.
- Call your bank immediately if you shared card details or paid. Use the number on the back of your card, or dial 159, the UK's service that connects you to your bank. Ask them to stop payments and check your accounts.
- Change your passwords, starting with email and banking, using a different, clean device such as your phone or someone else's computer.
- Report it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 (Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud).
- Have the computer checked. Remote-access software and any other tools they installed need to be removed properly.
Never let anyone who contacted you first take control of your computer, however convincing they sound. If you want to double-check a warning, close everything, then contact the company yourself using the number on their official website or your bill.
Other scam signs to know
- Urgency. Scammers want you to act before you think. A real problem can wait ten minutes while you ask someone.
- Odd payment methods. Gift cards and crypto are favourites because they are hard to trace.
- Fake refunds. "We took too much for a subscription, let me refund you" calls are used to get access to your online banking.
- Suspicious texts and emails. Forward scam texts free of charge to 7726, and forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
How to protect yourself
Keep your computer updated, use the built-in security that comes with Windows or macOS, and avoid downloading "free" software from unknown sites. Use a password manager or at least a different password for email. Turn on two-step verification for your email and bank. And tell older relatives and neighbours the golden rule: no genuine company will ring and ask to control your computer.
Need a safe pair of hands?
If you are not sure whether your computer has been affected, we can check it at your home anywhere in London, including Neasden, Willesden, Wembley and nearby. Our virus removal service is normally £120 (£89 in our Halloween sale until 31 December 2026), and covers a full malware pass, a browser reset, a password briefing and a 30-day follow-up if the same infection returns. We give a price before any work starts. If you are not sure whether a message or call is genuine, tell us what you saw on WhatsApp and we will point you in the right direction. If a computer is slow as well, see our slow laptop checklist.
We also visit Kilburn, Golders Green, Cricklewood and the rest of our London coverage area. To arrange a visit, send us a message or call 07766 760516.