Threats Detected" scam: what it is and how to remove it
"Threats Detected" is a fake security alert that might pop-up on your browser unexpectedly. Considering the content of the alert, it may surprise and even frighten you - which is its main objective.
Facts checked October 6, 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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Threats Detected" scam: summary
| Distribution | You might end up on scam website after clicking a link on another malicious site or adware could be causing these redirects |
|---|---|
| Name | "Threats Detected" scam |
| Type | Scam, rogue website, adware |
| Operation | The pop-up message claims that the system is infected with malware and users need to contact tech support in order to get rid of it; the scammers often use names of legitimate companies, including Microsoft |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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
| Symptoms | A fake virus warning in a browser tab and a support phone number shown on screen |
|---|---|
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
| Imitates | Microsoft support |
| Phone number | 855-615-2468 |
| First seen | 27 May 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What the Threats Detected" scam pop-up looks like
Microsoft Windows encountered a problem
Action Required
Threats Detected
Threats Detected! Call Toll Free Support: 1-855-615-2468
SYSTEM CRITICALLY INFECTED! CONTACT SUPPORT IMMEDIATLY
DO NOT TRY TO MANUALLY REMOVE THIS VIRUS
HARD DRIVE MIGHT FAIL*
Avast Antivirus alert
Is the Threats Detected" scam warning real?
- Phone number:
855-615-2468
From our report of May 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Threats Detected" scam
- According the fraudulent message, Avast!, McAfee or Norton security programs detected dangerous cyber threats on the system, and the only way to resolve this allegedly difficult situation is by calling tech support helpline.
- Close down the tab immediately, do not contact these scammers via the provided phone number, and scan your machine with to ensure no parasites are running in the background
- If you have contacted the crooks, you should change passwords for all your accounts.
- After malware removal (if such was installed by them), you should also fix damaged system components with
- Fake McAfee support line: 1-855-378-1203
- Fake Norton support line: 1-844-444-9933
What the Threats Detected" scam scammers want
From our report of May 2021 · not reviewed since
"Threats Detected" - fake security warning that uses names of legitimate security and IT companies
"Threats Detected" is a fake security alert that might pop-up on your browser unexpectedly.
Considering the content of the alert, it may surprise and even frighten you - which is its main objective.
You should never use the provided phone number and contact the "technicians," as these people are scammers. In fact, it is impossible for a website to detect whether your device is infected with malware, so you should straight out ignore these messages.
Nonetheless, you should also check your system for adware, as it could be the reason why you are being redirected to shady websites on Google Chrome or another web browser.
The message provides technical information about detected threats and copies the interface of the legit security software. Additionally, people are urged to call support immediately and do not try to delete the virus themselves because the computer's hard drive might fail. The full message of the scam includes the following information:
Different versions of the tech support scam uses other phone numbers to communicate with users. However, keep in mind that none of these numbers belongs to legit security companies.
Warning: Thus, you should never call them:
Therefore, "Threats Detected" virus belongs to the group of technical support scams that are designed to scare victims. The purpose of this Microsoft scam is to convince people into calling the toll-free support line. We can assure that these "specialists" won't help you; instead, they might:
If you continuously receive the this fake pop-up when browsing the web, you should check if your computer hasn't been infected with adware. Security specialists from Odstranit Virus tell that you can suspect infiltration of this potentially unwanted program if you notice increased number of ads everywhere you go, suffer from unexpected browser redirects and you recently installed some type of freeware from the internet.
The quickest way to remove the redirect virus from the system is to run a full system scan with or another anti-malware. Don't forget to update security software before performing automatic elimination, as only up-to-date tools can delete this cyber threat.
However, you can also follow our prepared manual removal guide and get rid of the adware without additional software, but you have to be careful. If you leave some adware-related entries installed, you might still encounter this fake pop-up. Also, it is very important to clean your web browsers - you can employ for this job or do it manually as well.
- support line: 1-855-615-2468
- convince you to purchase useless security software;
- trick into installing malicious program to the device;
- give scammer remote access to your PC;
- obtain personally identifiable information, including credit card information.
From our report of May 2021 · not reviewed since
Adware programs help scammers to target more Internet users
Fake alerts usually are triggered by adware that may have sneaked inside the PC in a software bundle.
We believe that you do not have any idea how this may have happened. However, the situation is simple.
When you install free programs from the Internet, you have to check if you install a single app or a package by choosing Advanced/Custom setup. If you see "optional downloads," you have to remove the ticks next to them. Meanwhile, Quick/Recommended setup does not have this feature. Thus, if you install freeware using these settings, you might install many undesired apps.
From our report of May 2021 · not reviewed since
Getting rid of "Threats Detected" support scam
The adware which is responsible for fake security pop-ups should be uninstalled from the system immediately.
Keep in mind that if your browsers are vulnerable (i.e., not updated), they might be used to divert you to websites where malicious scripts would download malware automatically without you knowing. Therefore, equip your computer with powerful antivirus software and perform a full system scan. You can also look for PUPs yourself if you desire to - we provide the instructions for that below.
There is more to it if you have already contacted scammers via the phone number. First of all, if they made you pay for anything (usually for some fake security software or for "services" itself), you should contact your bank and explain that you have been scammed - provide as much information as possible, for example, the number you called or how you transferred the money.
You should also change your passwords of all your accounts immediately, as the cybercriminals might have stolen them after gaining access to your PC (if such was provided).
How to get rid of the Threats Detected" scam pop-up
The warning is a web page and your PC is not infected by it.
Close it, then remove what keeps bringing it back.
Step 1: Close the page without touching its buttons
The warning is a web page, not Windows, so closing the browser ends it. If the page blocks the browser or goes full screen, press Esc first, then end the browser in Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
Start the browser again without restoring the session. Do not call
855-615-2468and do not let anyone connect to the PC: the people behind it sell fake repairs. On Windows 11 and Windows 10 the steps are identical.Full procedure with screenshots: Close a frozen app (Task Manager, Force Quit) On uGetFix
Step 2: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
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
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
Some of Chrome's extensions might be responsible for the fake security alert. Follow these steps to get rid of this problem:
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
Follow these steps to recover Microsoft Edge after the hijack:
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)
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.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
Questions about Threats Detected" scam
Is the "Microsoft Windows encountered a problem" warning from Microsoft?
No. Microsoft and Windows Security never show warnings inside a browser tab, never ask you to call a phone number and never charge for a scan through a web page. The message "Microsoft Windows encountered a problem" comes from a website that copies the look of a system alert.
It runs a script that shows the same alarm to every visitor, whatever computer they use. Close the tab, and if it refuses to close, end the browser in Task Manager.
Then check the browser's notification permissions and extensions, because those are the usual reason such a page reopens. If you want to know whether the PC is really clean, open the Windows Security app from the Start menu and run a scan there.
The warning said to call 855-615-2468. Should I?
Do not call. A genuine problem on your PC is reported by Windows Security or your own antivirus in its own window, without a phone number. A warning that tells you to call 855-615-2468 is a tech support scam, and the call is where the harm happens:
- remote access
- fake repairs
- card payments
- gift card requests
Close the warning instead. If it is in a browser tab, end the browser in Task Manager.
If it is in its own window, find the program in Installed apps and uninstall it. Then run a scan in Windows Security to be sure nothing else was added.
I clicked on the "Microsoft Windows encountered a problem" pop-up. Am I infected?
Clicking a button on the page usually only opens another page or starts a download. If nothing was downloaded and you did not run any file, the PC is very likely fine, and closing the tab is enough.
If a file was downloaded, delete it from the Downloads folder without opening it. If you opened it, treat the PC as infected: uninstall anything new in Installed apps and run a full scan.
If the page that showed "Microsoft Windows encountered a problem" also led you to type a password or card number, change that password from another device and call your bank. The sections after the removal steps cover each of these cases in order.
I called 855-615-2468 and let them connect. What now?
Act in this order. Disconnect the PC from the internet so the session ends. Uninstall the remote-access program they asked for, and check Installed apps for anything else added during the call.
From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and turn on two-step verification. If you paid or gave card details, call your bank today and ask to block the card and dispute the payment.
Watch for follow-up calls offering a refund; they are part of the same scam. Finally, report 855-615-2468 to the authorities in your country with the date and amount.
Is Threats Detected" scam really from Microsoft support?
No. It is a web page made to look like a message from Microsoft support. Websites cannot scan your computer, see your files or know whether your antivirus is active. Real security warnings appear in Windows Security or in your antivirus program, not as browser pages with phone numbers, countdowns or prize wheels.
Close the page; nothing was installed just by seeing it. If you want to check, open Windows Security from the Start menu and run a quick scan. It shows the real status of your protection.
I called 855-615-2468. What should I do?
If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. The number 855-615-2468 belongs to the scammers behind Threats Detected" scam, not to Microsoft support. If you let them connect to your PC, disconnect from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed during the call from a clean device. If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once. Report the number and expect refund calls later; they are part of the same scam.
Why does Threats Detected" scam keep coming back?
Most often because a site has permission to send notifications, and those notifications lead to new scam pages. Remove notification permissions for unknown sites. Other causes are an adware extension, a browser that restores the previous session, or a site you visit often that shows such ads.
If the page appears outside the browser, a program on the PC is responsible; check Installed apps. If you cannot find the source, resetting the browser removes all of these causes at once.
I let the support agent connect to my PC. What now?
Disconnect from the internet first. Then open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, sort by install date and uninstall any remote access tool they asked you to install, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer or a similar program. Run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan.
From another device, change the passwords you typed while they were connected, and the e-mail password in any case. If they saw your bank or you paid, call the bank. Keep notes for the police report.
Does Threats Detected" scam affect other devices at home?
No. A page in a browser lives in that browser on that PC. The pattern reported, A browser warning that reads "Microsoft Windows encountered a problem", does not spread across a home network or through the router.
Other devices are only affected if they visit the same kind of site or if you used them to call, pay or install something the page asked for.
If you share a browser profile through sync, check notification settings and extensions on each computer that uses that profile, because a permission granted on one PC can follow you to the others.
Will Fortect remove Threats Detected" 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 Threats Detected" 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
- Microsoft: Tech support scams (read October 6, 2026)
- Odstranit virus: Odstranit virus (read October 6, 2026)
- Malwarebytes Labs: How does anti-malware work? (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to spot, avoid and report tech support scams (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)