Is it a scam if Microsoft called about my computer?

Yes — always. Microsoft does not monitor computers for viruses and will never call you unsolicited about a security problem on your device. Any call claiming to be from Microsoft about your computer is a scam. Close the browser or hang up immediately. Do not call back any number they gave you.

What if I already gave the caller remote access to my computer?

Act immediately. Turn off your computer's internet connection (unplug the ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi). Change all passwords — especially email, banking, and Amazon — from a different device before turning your computer back on. Call your bank to alert them. Run a full security scan with Windows Defender or a trusted antivirus. The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit recommends contacting your bank immediately if any financial information was visible during the session.

What if I already paid them for tech support?

Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to dispute the charge and report fraud. If you paid by gift card, call the retailer's fraud line now — if cards haven't been drained, they may freeze them. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at IC3.gov. Note all details: caller's name, company claimed, phone number, amount paid, and payment method.

Does Microsoft ever call customers?

Microsoft does not make unsolicited calls about security problems, viruses, or issues on your computer. Microsoft may call if you have an open support ticket that you initiated — but they will never call out of the blue. Microsoft's own guidance states: 'Microsoft will never proactively reach out to provide unsolicited PC or technical support.'

What if they already have remote access to my computer?

Disconnect from the internet immediately — unplug your ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi. Do not turn off the computer yet (this preserves potential evidence). From a different device (phone or another computer), change your email password first, then banking passwords, then any other accounts. Call your bank to alert them that your computer may be compromised. Contact a local trusted tech professional to scan your computer before reconnecting to the internet.

Tech Support Fraud ⚠ Almost Certainly a Scam

Microsoft Called About Your Computer. Is It Real or a Scam?

🚨 Almost Certainly a Scam

Microsoft does not monitor computers for viruses and will never call you unsolicited about a security problem. Any unsolicited call claiming to be from Microsoft about your computer is a scam — no verification needed. The FTC received over 200,000 tech support scam reports in 2024, making this one of the most common scams targeting Americans 50 and older.

Hang up or close the browser. Do not call back any number they gave you.

Source: Microsoft — official guidance on tech support scams

Step 1

Hang up or close browser

Do not stay on to argue or verify

Step 2

If they have remote access — disconnect now

Unplug internet cable or turn off Wi-Fi immediately

Step 3

If you paid or gave access — act now

Emergency recovery steps →

No Verification Needed — This Is Always a Scam

Unlike some other scenarios, you do not need to check any details to know this call was fraudulent. Microsoft's policy is unambiguous: they do not monitor individual computers and will never proactively call you about a virus, security problem, or error on your device. This is true regardless of what the caller said, what number appeared on your caller ID, or how official they sounded.

Microsoft does not monitor your computer. Microsoft has no system that detects viruses or errors on individual customer computers and sends technicians to call. Microsoft's own support page states this explicitly: "Microsoft will never proactively reach out to provide unsolicited PC or technical support."
Did a browser pop-up display a warning and a phone number? Microsoft never uses browser pop-ups with phone numbers. Legitimate Windows error messages appear in the operating system, not in your browser. A browser pop-up with a phone number is always a scam — close the browser tab immediately (if the browser is frozen, restart your computer).
Did they say your Windows license has expired or been compromised? Windows license issues are handled through official Microsoft channels and your account at microsoft.com — never by an unsolicited phone call. Any caller claiming your license is expired or your computer is "infected" is running a script designed to create panic.
Did they ask to remotely access your computer? This is the core goal of the scam. Once they have remote access, scammers can install software that gives them permanent access, steal passwords and banking information, and lock your computer to demand ransom. If you gave access, act immediately — see the section below.
Did the caller ID show "Microsoft" or a 1-800 number? Caller ID can be spoofed to display any name or number. A caller ID showing Microsoft is not verification that the call is from Microsoft. The only safe assumption is that any unsolicited call about your computer is a scam.

What This Scam Is and How It Works

This is called a tech support scam. It arrives two ways: a phone call claiming to be from Microsoft, Windows, or a security company; or a browser pop-up displaying a warning and a phone number to call. Both lead to the same place — a person who asks to remotely access your computer to "fix" the problem.

Once remote access is granted using tools like TeamViewer or AnyDesk, the scammer shows you fabricated "evidence" of infection (normal system logs made to look alarming), then demands payment — typically $200–$500 — for fake repair services. In more aggressive variants, they transfer money directly from visible banking sessions or install software that gives them future access.

The FTC reported $924 million lost to tech support scams in 2024 — the highest of any impersonation category. Adults 60 and older account for nearly half of all reported losses. These operations run from overseas call centers with scripts, performance targets, and even customer service managers.

For the complete guide: → Complete Tech Support Scam Guide

What to Do in the Next 30 Minutes

✓ If you hung up and didn't give access or pay anything

Close any browser pop-ups. If your browser is frozen, press and hold the power button to force a restart — this is safe to do.
Do not call back any number from the call or pop-up.
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to Microsoft at microsoft.com/concern/scam.
Your computer is fine — you did not need to do anything the caller said.

⚠ If you gave remote access to your computer — act immediately

Disconnect from the internet right now — unplug your ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi at the router. Do this before anything else.
From a different device (your phone or another computer) — change your email password immediately, then your banking passwords, then Amazon and any other accounts.
Call your bank and tell them your computer may have been compromised. Ask them to monitor for unusual activity and flag recent transfers.
Do not use the compromised computer for banking or email until a trusted technician has checked it for remote access software (look for TeamViewer, AnyDesk, LogMeIn in your installed programs).
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and FBI at IC3.gov. → Full recovery guide

Common Questions

Yes — always. Microsoft does not monitor computers for viruses and will never call you unsolicited about a security problem. This is true no matter what the caller said, what number appeared on your caller ID, or how convincing they sounded. Close the browser or hang up. Do not call back any number they gave you.

Disconnect from the internet immediately — unplug your ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi. From a different device, change your email password first, then banking passwords, then all other accounts. Call your bank to alert them. Do not reconnect the computer to the internet until a trusted technician has checked for remote access software. Look for unfamiliar programs like TeamViewer, AnyDesk, or LogMeIn in your installed applications.

Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to dispute the charge and report fraud. If you paid by gift card, call the retailer's fraud line now — if cards haven't been drained, they may freeze them. If you paid by wire transfer, call your bank within 24 hours to attempt a recall. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at IC3.gov.

Microsoft does not make unsolicited calls about security problems or viruses. Microsoft may call if you have an active support ticket that you created — but they will never call out of the blue. Microsoft's own guidance is explicit: "Microsoft will never proactively reach out to provide unsolicited PC or technical support." If in doubt, hang up and contact Microsoft yourself at 1-800-642-7676 using a number you've verified yourself.

Do not call the number. Close the browser tab. If the browser is frozen or you cannot close it, press and hold the power button until the computer shuts off — this is completely safe to do. When you restart, do not restore the previous browser session. These pop-ups are designed to look like official Windows security alerts but they are fraudulent — your computer is not infected simply because you saw the pop-up.

Official Numbers and Report Links

Verified from official sources, confirmed April 2026.

What you need	Number / Link
Report tech support scam to Microsoft	microsoft.com/concern/scam
Real Microsoft support (if you initiated contact)	1-800-642-7676 — look up yourself at microsoft.com
Report to FTC	ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report to FBI	IC3.gov
Remove remote access software	Check installed programs for TeamViewer, AnyDesk, LogMeIn — uninstall if found

If your browser is frozen on a pop-up, hold the power button to force shut down. Your computer is not infected — the pop-up itself cannot harm your computer. Only calling the number or giving access can.

Want to understand tech support scams fully?

Our complete guide covers how tech support scams work, the browser pop-up scripts scammers use, real federal court cases with dollar amounts, and a step-by-step guide for what to do if you've already given access.

→ Complete Tech Support Scam Guide