Virus found" tech support scam virus: what it is and how to remove it
"Virus found" tech support scam virus is another crooks' attempt to make naive computer users call fake support line to get help with malware removal. The misleading pop-up might occur anytime when browsing the web.
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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Virus found" tech support scam virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Virus found" tech support scam virus |
| Type | Tech support scam page |
| Symptoms | A fake virus warning in a browser tab |
| 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 4 more facts
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Domains | virus-found[.]in |
| First seen | 14 April 2017 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is the Virus found" tech support scam virus warning real?
- Address:
virus-found[.]in
What the Virus found" tech support scam virus scammers want
From our report of Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
Be aware of the lies told by authors of "Virus found" tech support scam virus
"Virus found" tech support scam virus is another crooks' attempt to make naive computer users call fake support line to get help with malware removal.
The misleading pop-up might occur anytime when browsing the web. The message tells that computer may not be protected, and this pop-up shows up more than once, users are urged to call Windows support. The crooks provide a +1-866-261-297 phone number.
No matter how many times this pop-up interrupts you, you should not call this number. It might be charged more than a regular call, but it's the least problem. People who are waiting for you call might be prepared to convince you into purchasing bogus malware removal tool or/and revealing your private information.
There's no doubt that you need to remove "Virus found" tech support scam along with the program which is responsible for delivering this misleading warning. The research revealed that particular adware program might trigger this message. Thus, if you received this alert, you might also have noticed redirects to Virus-found.in or ads provided by this bogus site.
"Virus found" tech support scam malware might deliver a misleading warning in all popular web browsers, such IE, Mozilla, Chrome, etc. Apart from this alert, you might also notice an increased amount of other online ads, banners and other types of shady commercial content.
Warning: We want to point out that you should never click on these ads, and most importantly, do not call to the fake support line.
Even if you are curious what crooks have to say, you should not let your curiosity to cost you a lot. We can assure that these shady people will demand a ridiculous amount of money for cleaning your computer from viruses.
Take our advice and invest in professional security software, such as . It will help to perform "Virus found" tech support scam removal and protect your PC from similar threats in the future.

From our report of Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
How to eradicate "Virus found" tech support scam pop-ups?
In order to make "Virus found" ads stop, you should locate and delete the adware program which is responsible for delivering them.
For this task, you have two options. You can either investigate computer's system manually or employ a professional anti-malware software. The first method is more complicated than the second one; however, both of them are efficient, and you should choose that "Virus found" removal option which suits your needs the best. If you decide to go for the first option, you may find our prepared instructions handy.
Also, we want to remind that it's important to detect and delete all PUPs from the system and web browsers. If you want to remove "Virus found" automatically, you need to update your current security software and run a full system scan. If your computer is not protected with antivirus, you should obtain one of the programs presented below.
Why Virus found" tech support scam virus opens in your browser
From our report of Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
PUPs are spreading with the help of freeware and shareware.
They are attached as extra components and can silently enter the system if users install freeware using Recommended or Standard setup. These installation settings do not inform about third-party apps and do not ask whether you want to download them or not. By using these settings, you agree to install whole software package without having a possibility to "unpack" it first.
Thus, in this way, the program which is responsible for delivering "Virus found" ads stepped into your computer as well. However, you could have avoided this PUP, if you had chosen Advanced or Custom installation of the freeware. During the installation, you should carefully look at each step and read what is said.
You may find the list of third-party apps or pre-selected agreement to replace your current homepage with a suspicious search engine. Your task is to untick all these entries and statement in order to avoid redirects to questionable sites, potentially dangerous ads and other problems, such as "Virus found" tech support scam.
If you want to start clean and do not make the same mistake again, you should also get used to reading Terms and Agreements, EULA, and other documents provided by the developers of the software. What is more, you should not forget to choose only reliable sources for downloads if you do not want to install malware unintentionally.
How to get rid of the Virus found" tech support scam virus 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.
Which browser shows the ads?
Step 1: Remove virus-found[.]in from Chrome's notification list
Open More (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, or paste
chrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar.Under Allowed to send notifications, open the menu next to
virus-found[.]inand choose Remove or Block, and do the same for any other address you do not recognise.Next to Not allowed to send notifications, click Add and enter virus-found[.]in, so the site cannot ask again. The menus are the same in Chrome on Windows 11 and Windows 10, and each Chrome profile keeps its own list.

Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Google Chrome
Remove from Google Chrome
The guidelines below will help you to restore Google Chrome after the infection.
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.

Step 1: Remove virus-found[.]in from Edge's notification list
Edge stores its own permission list, separate from Chrome's, and it is often the browser behind these pop-ups on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications, or paste
edge://settings/content/notifications. Removevirus-found[.]infrom Allowed, then add it under Not allowed to send notifications. Notifications that show the Edge logo come from this list.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Microsoft Edge
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Follow the instructions to delete all suspicious entries from the Microsoft Edge and free your browser from "Virus found" pop-ups.
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.

Step 1: Remove virus-found[.]in from Firefox's notification permissions
In Firefox the permission sits in Settings > Permissions and data > Notifications (in older versions Privacy & Security > Notifications > Settings). Select
virus-found[.]inin the list, click Remove Website, and confirm with Save Changes.Firefox only shows these notifications while it is open, so if they stopped after closing Firefox, this is the browser to clean. The steps are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Mozilla Firefox
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
If you see "Virus found" tech support scam message, there's a possibility that suspicious ads codes have been installed on Mozilla Firefox. Thus, you need to reset your browser in order to remove them.
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.

Our tested steps are for Windows 11 and 10. For Safari (Mac), use the instructions below.
Instructions for Safari (Mac)
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.
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: 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, and do not follow any instruction the page gave. 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 3: 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
More removal instructions
For programs installed on the PC and older browsers. Open the one you need.
Uninstall from Windows
In order to get rid of "Virus found" tech support scam virus, you need to find and delete potentially unwanted program which is responsible for delivering this annoying pop-up warning. The guidelines below will help you to perform this task successfully.
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.

Reset Internet Explorer
Reset IE in order to delete all adware-related components that might continue delivering misleading pop-ups.
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.

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.
While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important - recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.
Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
Questions about Virus found" tech support scam virus
Is it safe to force-close the browser?
Yes. Ending the browser in Task Manager or restarting the PC does not damage Windows or your files, despite what pages like Virus found" tech support scam virus say.
The warning "do not close this window" is part of the scam. At worst you lose unsaved text in other tabs. After restarting, do not let the browser restore the previous session, because that would reopen the scam page.
If it reopens anyway, open the browser's settings for startup pages and remove the address. Then remove its notification permission if it has one.
How do I avoid pages like Virus found" tech support scam virus?
Keep the browser updated, do not click Allow on notification prompts from sites you do not know, and leave sites that open many pop-ups. Turn on Microsoft Defender SmartScreen in Edge under Settings > Privacy, search, and services, or Safe Browsing in Chrome under Settings > Privacy and security > Security.
Never call numbers, download files or paste commands because a web page told you to. An ad blocker from your browser's official extension store also cuts most redirect ads. Keep Potentially unwanted app blocking on in Windows Security as well.
Is my computer infected?
Seeing the page does not mean the PC is infected. You reached it through an ad, a redirect or a notification. Check whether something on the PC sends you there: if the page opens by itself or on every site, look for extensions and notification permissions, and run a scan.
If you downloaded or ran something the page offered, treat the PC as possibly infected and follow the plan. A full scan with Windows Security gives you a clear answer either way.
Why does Virus found" tech support scam virus 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.
How do I remove Virus found tech support scam virus?
Follow the removal plan in this guide, which has 5 steps. The steps are: close the page without touching its buttons; remove virus-found[.]in from Chrome's notification list; remove virus-found[.]in from Edge's notification list; remove virus-found[.]in from Firefox's notification permissions.
Start with the first step and check the result before you move on, because the early steps often solve the problem. Restart the computer after the cleanup and scan it again to confirm nothing came back. If the problem returns, work through the extra steps for your browser in the same section.
What should I do if I already clicked or replied to Virus found tech support?
Stop all contact, do not click anything else and secure your accounts right away. If you typed a password, change it at once from a clean device, then turn on two-factor authentication.
If you gave card or bank details, call the bank on the number printed on your card and ask to block or replace it. If you installed something or allowed remote access, disconnect from the internet and follow the removal plan. Keep screenshots and the message, because they help when you report it.
How do I report Virus found tech support?
Report it to your mail provider or browser, and to your national fraud service. In the United States use reportfraud.ftc.gov, and for losses also ic3.gov. In the United Kingdom use Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk, and forward scam e-mails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Mark the message as phishing or spam in your mail program, so the filter learns from it. Reporting does not need proof of loss, and every report helps others.
Will Fortect remove Virus found" tech support scam virus?
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 Virus found" tech support scam virus, 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
- Malwarebytes Labs: PSA: Tech Support Scams Pop-Ups on the Rise (read October 7, 2026)
- Wired: Listen to 'Tech Support' Scam Calls that Bilk Victims Out Of Millions (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to spot, avoid and report tech support scams (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)