Do not let the warning choose your helper
The FTC describes fake computer warnings that push people to call a supplied phone number. The person answering may request remote access, pretend to find an infection and demand payment. The agency says genuine security pop-up warnings do not ask you to call a phone number. [1]
- Pop-up supplies a phone number
- Caller asks for computer control
- Pause: contact trusted support separately
Find support through a route you already trust
The FTC advises seeking help from a trusted provider if you think the computer has a problem. For a claimed support-subscription renewal, contact the company using a number you know is genuine, rather than the number in the message. These are September 2025 consumer guidelines, not a newly discovered attack. [1]
If access was already given
The FTC links to specific recovery steps for people who paid, disclosed information or granted computer access. It also advises changing a password disclosed to a scammer, including on other accounts where it was reused. Use the original guidance for the situation that actually occurred. [1]
Go a little deeper
Optional reading · about 1 more minute
Separate two questions
Hypothetical example: A browser page says your laptop is infected and offers immediate help. “Does this machine have a problem?” and “Is this helper trustworthy?” are separate questions. The message itself does not settle either one.
Urgency is not authentication
Our interpretation: The useful pause happens before the handoff to the caller. A familiar-looking warning should not get to select the person who receives control of your computer.
Original sources
Attributed synthesis, not original reporting. Examples labeled hypothetical or illustrative are explanatory. Reviewing a source does not independently validate its findings.
- FTC: How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams ↗
September 2025 guidance; full article body and date read September 24, 2026. General consumer guidance, not device-specific diagnosis or prevalence data.
