Lesson 18 of 19 · About 4 minutes
Free lesson: fake virus alerts
Learn the concept.
Scary pop-up? Don’t call. A loud browser page can pretend to be a security warning. Its urgency is designed to push you into calling before you can think.
The page tries to choose your next move.
Scary pop-up? Don’t call.
- Pressure
An alarm or countdown pushes you to hurry.
- Control
A call can lead to remote access and payment demands.
Read the visualDoes the countdown mean you must call before time runs out?
No. It is pressure inside an untrusted webpage, not a deadline from your operating system.
A phone number is a clue to stop
The FTC says real security pop-up warnings do not ask you to call a phone number. Scam pages imitate familiar brands, announce infections, display countdowns, and say not to close the window. A webpage claiming to have scanned your whole computer is not a trustworthy diagnosis. Do not click its buttons or use its number.
Close the browser, not a deal with the caller
Close the tab or browser using the browser’s own controls. If a fake page keeps you stuck, use Task Manager on Windows or Force Quit on a Mac to end the browser. This may lose unsaved browser work. Reopen without restoring the suspicious tabs, then open your real security app, update it, and run a scan.
Keep control of your computer and money
An unexpected support caller may ask you to install remote-access software and pay a “repair fee,” often by gift card. Do not give a stranger remote access or buy gift cards to fix an alleged infection. For help, independently contact a support provider you already trust. Do not use a number supplied by the alarming page.
Help without blame
Anyone can be targeted. The FBI’s 2025 IC3 report records especially high tech-support scam losses among adults 60 and older. A pause and a trusted second opinion can help. If you already gave access or paid, stop contact, seek trusted technical help, and contact your payment provider promptly. Report the scam to the FTC and IC3.
Put it in context
Our clearly labeled training page says “VIRUS DETECTED,” asks you to call a fictional number, shows a fixed countdown, and tells you not to close it. Find three pressure tactics and simulate force-quitting the browser. Nothing in this exercise plays an alarm, makes a call, or closes your actual browser.
Make a decision.
Explore the practice space, then answer the check-in below. A correct answer lets you save this lesson to your progress.
PRACTICE · FICTIONAL SCENARIO
Spot the pressure. Close the page.
Find the phone-number request, countdown pressure, and instruction not to close the window. Simulate force-quitting the stuck browser, then use your own security app.
Enable JavaScript to try the controls. This practice does not change real settings or submit personal information.
Take this with you.
Never call numbers in security pop-ups. Close the browser, force-quit if needed, and use your own security app. No remote access or gift-card payments to strangers.
Next lesson: Free lesson: freeze your credit- Never call numbers in pop-ups.
- Close it; force-quit if stuck.
- No remote access. No gift cards.
Need help? Open your real security app or contact a provider you already trust. A browser page cannot diagnose your whole computer.
See it in a Short.
Optional video companions from MyCyberTutor. Your lesson progress stays here.