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  • Active
  • Severity: High
  • Malware
  • Windows
  • Verified · Jun 2019

How to remove “Call Microsoft Support” scam

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Lucia Danes · Virus researcher

“Call Microsoft Support” – a scam that forces victims into contact with the hackers

“Call Microsoft Support” scam is a fake pop-up which claims to have detected Zeus virus. This misleading content rushes users to call fake Microsoft support via + 1-888-969-0708 mobile phone number to fix the malware-related issue. Encountering this scam is easy if you are a visitor of secondary online sources or have other potentially unwanted programs lurking in your computer system. In reality, this is merely a phishing[1] attempt, and the computer targeted by scammers is not infected with any high-risk cyber threat.displayed on the malicious website. 

Name “Call Microsoft Support”
Type Scam
Provoked by Adware and similar potentially unwanted programs
Linked to Zeus virus
Similarities The scam is similar to “You Have A ZEUS Virus” and “Windows Defender Alert: Zeus Virus” scam apps
Aim To benefit from users who dial the fake tech support number
Elimination software You can use FortectIntego to remove scam notifications and the PUP that is forcing its appearance

We want to warn our readers that there are similar fake Microsoft tech support popups, like “You Have A ZEUS Virus” and “Windows Defender Alert: Zeus Virus” scams. Remember, claims that your computer is infected with ransomware are not real as well as the so-called support number. Unfortunately, people behind the phone are fraudsters who aim to swindle money from naive people.

Once the person encounters Call Microsoft Support virus, the following message is displayed:

Don't Restart Your Computer

Windows Detected ZEUS Virus, The Infection detected, indicate some recent downloads on the computer which in turn has created problems on the computer. Call Microsoft support +1-888-969-0708 and share this code B2957E to the Agent to Fix This.

A suspicious connection was trying to access your logins, Banking Details & Tracking Your Internet Activity.

Security Centre & Firewall Services are Disabled, Error code 0x8007042c

Your TCP Connection Was Blocked by Your Firewall. Your Accounts May be Suspended Until You Take an Action.

Criminals try to make the fake “Call Microsoft Support” popup to look convincing — they can either append sound effects or use intimidating warns, like saying that your social media accounts might be suspended until you agree to call them via the toll-free number. However, do NOT contact tech support scammers!

If you ever fall for “Call Microsoft Support” scam and use Microsoft tech support scammer number to call the fraudsters, they will most probably try to convince you into giving remote access to your system. This way hackers will be able to infiltrate malware or other potentially unwanted programs on your computer and ensure that you will keep using their fake services.

Additionally, following the actions mentioned above, scammers behind “Call Microsoft Support” alert can offer you to purchase overpriced and ineffective software to help you deal with non-existent problems. This is a popular phishing technique which is used to not only promote less than reliable programs but also swindle money from credulous computer users. 

Likewise, the best way to protect your system from the so-called Zeus virus is to remove “Call Microsoft Support.” You can temporarily stop this fake alert from appearing by simply closing the tab/window. However, if you will not get rid of the adware program which is causing these deceptive popups, they will continue to reappear.

Employ FortectIntego to help you with “Call Microsoft Support” removal or use manual elimination guidelines at the end of this article. Although, automatic elimination will not only save your time but also grant safe uninstall of the adware and its components. Note that if any potentially infectious content remains on your system, it can easily activate again.

Furthermore, if “Call Microsoft Support” is supported by an adware application,[2] you might face even a bigger variety of suspicious activities on your computer and web browsers. These PUPs often bring an enormous number of pop-ups and pop-unders to the screen which relate to overusing system resources such as the GPU and CPU[3] power.

Additionally, you might find that your web browsers have been hijacked. Rogue changes can be seen in the browser's homepage and new tab URL sections, also you might encounter suspicious add-ons here. This is why it is so important not only to remove “Call Microsoft Support” virus but also to check all possibly-infected web browser apps.

Installers of freeware might hide adware inside

While adware belongs the category of potentially unwanted programs together with browser hijackers, they are both distributed similarly. Free applications employ pay-per-install marketing scheme which encourages them to actively spread the adware program to increase its revenue. For this reason, PUPs travel in software-bundles.[4]

Since the key to preventing potentially unwanted programs' infiltration is attentiveness, follow these steps to stop the adware from entering your system:

  1. Only choosing Custom or Advanced mode will show the adware which is hidden inside the install;
  2. Search for all suspicious and pre-selected checkmarks which give your agreement to install unknown programs;
  3. Un-tick those marks and run a full computer scan to double-check your system with antivirus software.

Remember that online safety should always be your priority while browsing on the Internet sphere. However, if you think that you will not be capable of spotting everything every single time, you should definitely purchase a reliable security program that includes the safe browsing feature and pushes alerts once potentially infectious content is somewhere next to you.

“Call Microsoft Support” virus elimination guide (automatical/manual)

If you have encountered any types of fake tech support scam popups, you need to check your system for adware immediately. The easiest way to detect it is to get help from a professional malware removal software. It will remove “Call Microsoft Support” for you and also terminate all other potentially suspicious content from the machine.

Just download one of the antivirus programs from the list below and make sure that it runs an entire system scan. However, it is possible to use another security software as long as it is powerful enough to deal with adware and other PUPs. “Call Microsoft Support” scam might not be the only PUP lurking in your system, so check everything carefully.

Additionally, you are able to complete “Call Microsoft Support” removal by following the guide below. Although, this is a far more complicated process which requires your attention and specific IT skills. For this reason, experts from LosVirus.es[5] suggest you stick with automatic adware elimination method and achieve your goal safely and effectively.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

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