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Pop up purporting being from Microsoft |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,038
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Pop up purporting being from Microsoft
Last night I had a pop up from Pathwind.com telling me that I needed to contact Microsoft on a particular number as my computer was at risk. I did not do anything but tried to get rid of it. However, it would not go. In the end I contacted McAfee and £50 and two hours later they removed it for me.
It hadn't infected my laptop but it wasn't going anywhere. I just wondered if there was anything I could have done rather than contact McAfee and save me some money. McAfee did say that Microsoft would not do anything like that so it was good to ignore it. Has anyone else had this problem? |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 22,791
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i just had one of these a moment ago, never had one before, in fact never had anything like it for years. I went onto a site to look for some info about Windows 10 for a friend.
how I got rid of it was close the browser and rebooted the computer, it have not come back, but then browser is set to clean all history and I also use C cleaner to make sure. |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,038
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Quote:
i just had one of these a moment ago, never had one before, in fact never had anything like it for years. I went onto a site to look for some info about Windows 10 for a friend.
how I got rid of it was close the browser and rebooted the computer, it have not come back, but then browser is set to clean all history and I also use C cleaner to make sure. |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: goo goo ka choo
Posts: 25,475
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Hi my mum (82) has just rung me in a panic as she got this exact same thing. The browser wouldn't close and when i told her to do a forced shut off (holding the on off button down for 7 seconds) it wouldn't close the laptop. i talked her through taking the battery out to shut it down. It booted up ok and she is currently doing a virus scan is there anything else i need to do to clear it for her?
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,688
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Quote:
I just wondered if there was anything I could have done rather than contact McAfee and save me some money.
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,977
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As noise747 said close the browser but do it in task manager, highlight the browser and 'end task' ...... make sure you are highlighting the correct entry !!.
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: goo goo ka choo
Posts: 25,475
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Quote:
As noise747 said close the browser but do it in task manager, highlight the browser and 'end task' ...... make sure you are highlighting the correct entry !!.
if i go round ther tomorrow and download malwarebytes and do a scan do you think that would clear it? appreciate your help by the way |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: goo goo ka choo
Posts: 25,475
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ps when i went looking online to see how to sort it out i starting getting threat pop ups on my avg "Exploit Rogue Scanner(type 831)" when i clicked on the microsoft help page which has come up two or three times now
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sandy Heath, Beds. UK
Posts: 10,377
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Quote:
Last night I had a pop up from Pathwind.com telling me that I needed to contact Microsoft on a particular number as my computer was at risk. I did not do anything but tried to get rid of it. However, it would not go. In the end I contacted McAfee and £50 and two hours later they removed it for me.
It hadn't infected my laptop but it wasn't going anywhere. I just wondered if there was anything I could have done rather than contact McAfee and save me some money. McAfee did say that Microsoft would not do anything like that so it was good to ignore it. Has anyone else had this problem? |
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350
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I use the paid for malwarebytes. I think £20 is fine for avoiding a lot of these issues especially with third party infected ads that appear in what you would consider to be a safe site
eg http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37573815 |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: County Durham
Posts: 78,617
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I haven't come across this pop-up yet. My browsers do have the default block pop-ups setting enabled though.
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: 🇬🇧
Posts: 54,239
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Are you folks running any form of ad blocking like Adblock,AdblockPlus or uBlock Origin?
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Wolf359
Posts: 96,717
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I've been getting the Microsoft popup for a while. It has a login screen asking for a username and password. You can't close the window without using Task Manager.
Does anyone know how to run Firefox again without it reopening the same window? I'm also trying to figure out how to add the popup to UBlock Origin. |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,570
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Maybe we should start a thread - screenshots of scam messages/threats. I had this one recently, claiming I had a virus and my HDD was about to be deleted.
https://s18.postimg.org/nc6drf4g9/Capture.jpg |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Wolf359
Posts: 96,717
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Quote:
Maybe we should start a thread - screenshots of scam messages/threats. I had this one recently, claiming I had a virus and my HDD was about to be deleted.
https://s18.postimg.org/nc6drf4g9/Capture.jpg |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350
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Quote:
Are you folks running any form of ad blocking like Adblock,AdblockPlus or uBlock Origin?
Currently have uBlock origin, adblock plus and adguard. Plus on a couple of pcs I use a script blocker which also helps. Quote:
Does Print Scrn work?
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Wolf359
Posts: 96,717
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Quote:
Easier to use the snipping tool in Accessories or search for snipping tool.
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: N London
Posts: 1,712
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Quote:
I've been getting the Microsoft popup for a while. It has a login screen asking for a username and password. You can't close the window without using Task Manager.
Does anyone know how to run Firefox again without it reopening the same window? I'm also trying to figure out how to add the popup to UBlock Origin. |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Wolf359
Posts: 96,717
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This isn't the pop up with the login, but it is another one claiming to be a virus detector.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/q...pslw90alhx.jpg |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: goo goo ka choo
Posts: 25,475
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Quote:
Are you folks running any form of ad blocking like Adblock,AdblockPlus or uBlock Origin?
I have AdblockPlus too!! i think it was you that recommended it to me years ago!!! so thanks for that
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Reading
Posts: 27,902
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Quote:
This isn't the pop up with the login, but it is another one claiming to be a virus detector.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/q...pslw90alhx.jpg Though I very much doubt that the number is in any way shape or form genuine even though Microsoft do have a major office in Reading. But could be convincing enough for the unwary. |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Wolf359
Posts: 96,717
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Quote:
0118 is the STD code for Reading. Reading numbers beginning with a 3 are usually allocated to Virgin Media customers.
Though I very much doubt that the number is in any way shape or form genuine even though Microsoft do have a major office in Reading. But could be convincing enough for the unwary. The trouble is that just like most phishing scams, they only have to get 1% or less of the many millions to fall for it, to make money. BTW It isn't even a TOLL FREE number
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: goo goo ka choo
Posts: 25,475
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The number on the purported Microsoft warning that came up on my mum's laptop had an american number.
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: N London
Posts: 1,712
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Quote:
This isn't the pop up with the login, but it is another one claiming to be a virus detector.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/q...pslw90alhx.jpg I had a similar one recently with a BSOD background like your one does, which froze Firefox and told me that if I tried to close my browser, my drive would be destroyed. They wanted me to dial some strange number and pay $100 for release. Who are these barstewards trying to fool? I went straight to Task Manager to close FF. When I re-started it back came the offending pop-up each time. I finally tracked it down to this rogue entry in my FF settings folder, and once deleted FF worked normally. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Reading
Posts: 27,902
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Quote:
I wonder how many people would fall for it?
The trouble is that just like most phishing scams, they only have to get 1% or less of the many millions to fall for it, to make money. BTW It isn't even a TOLL FREE number ![]() ) and discovered that Microsoft's UK HQ is in Reading and that phone number resembles a Reading one it might just fool some one into thinking it could be legit.Though whether it would actually connect if you did try dialling it is another matter. Not that I intend trying it
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