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On Friday, 21st October at 19:30, I encountered a situation remarkably similar to what Pat described earlier. I’ve always prided myself on being savvy to these sorts of scams, but this one caught me off guard due to the sheer chaos and panic it invoked in the moment. If you ever find yourself in this predicament, don’t let the dreadful racket of the alarm throw you off. Here’s what you should do: Hit CTRL + ALT + DELETE, then open the Task Manager. Look for Google Chrome (or whatever browser you’re currently on), and don’t hesitate to click on “End Task.” You might need to repeat this step a few times, but it will eventually work.

Earlier today, I was met with a rather alarming pop-up on my laptop, insisting I call a certain number right away. The message boldly proclaimed that my computer was compromised and that if I failed to make the call within five minutes, Microsoft would remotely disable it. Try as I might, I couldn't shut it down. It turned out to be a cunning ploy devised by a scammer hoping to access my system. When I foolishly rang the number, a chap with an Indian accent introduced himself as Tech09 and proceeded to instruct me on various commands to type. Regrettably, I complied and inadvertently granted him access to my machine. After a lengthy diatribe of about twenty minutes, he then had the audacity to demand a hefty sum to remedy the situation and provide a warranty. At that point, it dawned on me it was a scam, and I swiftly ended the call. I wasted no time reaching out to my bank, who inquired whether I had been logged into my account during the call, to which I replied in the negative. I assured them that I hadn’t divulged any personal or sensitive information. They seemed to think I was in the clear, but I’ve made the decision to request new cards as a precaution and will be updating my passwords across any sites where my cards have been used. Additionally, I contacted genuine Microsoft support, and they advised me to uninstall my browser before reinstalling it, followed by a comprehensive scan with Norton Internet Security to ensure everything was in order.

I’ve been dealing with the same thing mentioned here - felt like there was no way to fix it. I ended up just shutting down my computer and now I’m left wondering what the next step is. Does anyone have any advice?

This number is a scam, do yourself a favour and avoid calling it!

While scrolling through Facebook, a message suddenly appeared warning that if I didn't call a certain number, Microsoft would cut off my access. I couldn’t close the window no matter what I tried. So, I called the number and was guided through several steps, allowing the person on the other end to remotely access my PC. Everything seemed legit at first, especially when he claimed a trojan had infected my system about a month ago. But things got suspicious when he started pushing expensive repair fees and an ongoing support plan. It honestly seemed like it would be cheaper just to get a new computer altogether. I ended the call since I had to leave, and when I returned, I managed to get rid of the message. Now, I’m resetting all my passwords and hoping for the best!

Somebody phoned me while I was on the internet and had a fake Microsoft Graphics screen pop up, along with a voice telling me my computer had a virus messing up the whole network. They told me not to switch off my computer but to ring their number first so they could guide me through fixing the problem, saying turning it off would actually break my machine.