Suspicious Pop-ups and Alerts

Not All Warnings Are Real

Attackers create fake pop-ups and alerts that mimic your browser, operating system, or security software. These trick you into calling fake support numbers, downloading malware, or paying for unnecessary services.

Signs of a Fake Alert

Fake warnings often share these characteristics:

• Urgent, scary language: "Your computer is infected!" or "Call now or lose all your data!"
• Phone numbers to call: Real security software does not ask you to call a number
• Countdown timers: Creating false urgency
• Locked browser: You cannot close the tab normally
• Loud alarms or voices: Audio designed to panic you
• Requests for payment: Asking for credit card info or gift cards

Real vs. Fake Browser Alerts

Your browser does show legitimate warnings, but they look different from scam pop-ups:

• Real warnings appear in a simple, consistent style
• Real warnings never include phone numbers
• Real warnings never lock your entire browser
• Real warnings come from your browser, not a website

Tip: If a warning appears inside a web page, it is almost certainly fake. Real browser warnings appear outside the page content.

How to Close Fake Pop-ups

If you encounter a fake alert that will not close:

1. Do not click anything inside the pop-up
2. Press Ctrl+W (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+W (Mac) to close the tab
3. If that does not work, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) or Force Quit (Cmd+Option+Esc) and close your browser
4. When you reopen your browser, do not restore the previous session

Never Call the Number

Fake alerts often display phone numbers for "technical support." If you call:

• Scammers will ask for remote access to your computer
• They will "find" problems that do not exist
• They will demand payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
• They may install real malware while "helping" you

Legitimate Notification Pop-ups

Some websites ask permission to send notifications. Be careful with these:

• Only allow notifications from sites you trust and visit regularly
• Deny notification requests from random websites
• If you accidentally allowed notifications from a bad site, go to browser settings and remove the permission

Key Takeaways

• Real security warnings never include phone numbers
• If you cannot close a pop-up normally, force-close your browser
• Never call numbers displayed in browser warnings
• Never give remote access to someone who contacted you