Error DT00X2 scam: what it is and how to remove it
Error DT00X2 is a scam used to mislead users into thinking that they are at the risk of spyware or similar malware capable of leading victims into the loss of their personal data. According to the fake alert, the victim is about to lose Facebook and email logins, credit card data, and similar information which could lead to an identity theft and similar issues.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Error DT00X2 scam: summary
| Distribution | Malvertising, software-bundles or infected links |
|---|---|
| Name | Error DT00X2 scam |
| Type | Malware/adware |
| Danger level | Medium. Users can be tricked into giving the remote control to their device or paying for useless services |
| Symptoms | People are redirected to a questionable website where they receive Error DT00X2 pop-up and are urged to contact the so-called Microsoft Engineer |
| Fake support number | +1 888 617 1555 |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 6 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Error DT00X2 scam |
| First seen | 28 August 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Error DT00X2 scam dangerous?
From our report of Aug 2018 · not reviewed since
Error DT00X2 is a Microsoft scam which tricks people into calling the fake support number
Error DT00X2 is a scam used to mislead users into thinking that they are at the risk of spyware or similar malware capable of leading victims into the loss of their personal data. According to the fake alert, the victim is about to lose Facebook and email logins, credit card data, and similar information which could lead to an identity theft and similar issues.
Typically, this alert is displayed either on a suspicious page or as a pop-up. However, there is no point to take DT00X2 virus serious because it is just a Tech support scam which is closely related to the adware. You should never agree to call via the provided +1 888 617 1555 number.
Commonly, the fake Error DT00X2 pop-up appears due to an adware program installed on the computer. You can let it in while installing third-party applications or freeware unconsciously. Once it settles on the computer and hijacks all of web browsers, the user is continuously redirected to a potentially dangerous site displaying the fake error message.
The Error DT00X2 scam typically states the following:
Note that Error DT00X2 is not related to Microsoft in any way. Cybercriminals take advantage of well-known companies and use their name to disguise the scam. Therefore, if you call via the provided number, you will NOT be contacted to the certified Microsoft engineer.
In fact, the given number would connect you with the cybercriminal who would pretend to help you fix Error DT00X2. Usually, attackers ask you to provide remote access to your computer in order to "protect your data and eliminate viruses."
However, the computer is NOT infected as Error DT00X2 pop-up, no matter what it claims. Thus, there is no need to contact so-called support. Instead, dealing with these people can lead you to serious issues, such as infiltration of malware, the loss of your personal data, money, etc.
Be aware that if you agree to give control over your computer to the criminals behind Error DT00X2 scam, they might not only steal your sensitive data but also infiltrate the system with more cyber threats and offer to purchase a questionable security tool. Keep in mind that such scams are designed to swindle money from gullible PC users. Therefore, don't fall into the trap of online scammers.
Luckily, if you identify the scam on time, you can just close the tab or window and start Error DT00X2 removal. For that, you will need to get rid of adware-related components which help this potentially unwanted program (PUP) redirect you to malicious websites.
You can remove Error DT00X2 and the adware automatically with verified security software. IT specialists recommend installing and running a full system scan with . It will identify all potentially unwanted programs and clean your system from suspicious redirects.
From our report of Aug 2018 · not reviewed since
Inattentive freeware installation can lead to adware infection
As users are redirected to scam websites by adware programs, experts warn that they can get infected with one by rushing through the installation of third-party software.
Developers of potentially unwanted programs distribute their products with the help of bundling — a popular marketing scheme which allows offering two applications as one.
When people agree to install freeware by Recommended, Basic, or Quick mode, they are not disclosed with the information about the optional components which come together with the third-party application. Likewise, you should always change the installation mode to Custom or Advanced to be able to identify an additional element.
Once you are provided with the full information, you should carefully check all installation steps and search for pre-selected elements. Make sure that you do not agree to install additional toolbars, or alter your browser settings. You can do that by merely un-checking the marks which permit such changes.
From our report of Aug 2018 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Error DT00X2 scam
- You can get rid of Error DT00X2 by running a scan with
- MICROSOFT WINDOWS WARNING YOUR COMPUTER WAS LOCKED Error # DT00X2 Call Microsoft Technical Support: Do Not Ignore This Important Warning..
- Your computer has alerted us that it was infected with virus and spyware.
- Please call us within the next 5 minutes to prevent complete loss of your computer.
How to remove Error DT00X2 scam
How to remove the Error DT00X2 scam extension
Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Uninstall Error DT00X2 scam
Error DT00X2 scam is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Error DT00X2 scam, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Error DT00X2 scam that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
Identify and remove all questionable applications which have been recently installed on your Windows OS.
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
You can stop redirects to suspicious pages by uninstalling unreliable extensions and resetting Mozilla as shown below.
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
If IE has been affected, you should check for unknown entries and delete them.
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Aug 2018 · not reviewed since
Use a security tool to get rid of Error DT00X2 virus
The easiest way to stop redirects to Error DT00X2 pop-up and other scam sites is to install professional antivirus software for your computer's protection.
You should perform regular system scans to make sure that there are none of the potentially unwanted programs present on your PC.
The list below provides effective security tools which can help you remove Error DT00X2 and similar cyber threats. However, you can use any other certified malware removal software of your choice as well. Just make sure that it is reliable and robust enough to deal with adware-type infections.
After Error DT00X2 removal, you should not forget to reset all browsers which are installed on your computer. Ad-supported programs tend to place potentially dangerous components on targeted browsers to cause annoying redirects. You can find detailed instructions on how to do that at the end of this article.
Questions about Error DT00X2 scam
Is Error DT00X2 scam a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Error DT00X2 scam did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Error DT00X2 scam will not uninstall. What can I do?
First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove Error DT00X2 scam from Installed apps there.
If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.
Does adware steal passwords?
Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.
If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?
The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.
If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Error DT00X2 scam?
Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.
In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.
I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?
Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.
You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.
What is Error DT00X2?
Error DT00X2 is a scam used to mislead users into thinking that they are at the risk of spyware or similar malware capable of leading victims into the loss of their personal data.
According to the fake alert, the victim is about to lose Facebook and email logins, credit card data, and similar information which could lead to an identity theft and similar issues. The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Error DT00X2.
Will Fortect remove Error DT00X2 scam?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Error DT00X2 scam, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Adware (read October 7, 2026)
- SemVirus: SemVirus (read October 7, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)