Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam: what it is and how to remove it
"Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" are the first words that the users infected with this Tech Support malware see on their browsers. In the threatening pop-ups , the scammers pretend to be the representatives from Microsoft and urge the victim to call 08000868518 - a number of the remote technician who will supposedly help save the computer from a supposed Zeus virus attack.
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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Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam |
| 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 3 more facts
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| First seen | 20 February 2017 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What the Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam pop-up looks like
Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam
What the Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam scammers want
From our report of Feb 2017 · not reviewed since
"Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" pop-ups are deceptive - do not call the provided number
"Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" are the first words that the users infected with this Tech Support malware see on their browsers.
In the threatening pop-ups , the scammers pretend to be the representatives from Microsoft and urge the victim to call 08000868518 - a number of the remote technician who will supposedly help save the computer from a supposed Zeus virus attack.
Unfortunately, the virus is capable of much more than simply generating pop-up dialogs employing scare tactics to talk the unsuspecting users into paying for the technical services.
It might steal information, implement unauthorized changes on your computer, etc. We will discuss more of the malware functionalities later in the article. For those who are already infected, though, we can recommend to remove "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" from your computer using or similar anti-malware utility.
As we have already mentioned, "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" malware is not the typical potentially unwanted program. Unlike adware which generates pop-ups in order to generate advertising profit, Tech Support Scams aim to produce deceptive content that would bring them direct profit.
In particular, scammers create an application that would automatically redirect victims to infectious domains "equipped" with tons of fraudulent pop-ups. The worst part is that these malicious sites will block you from exiting them or create new pop-up windows whenever you try to close the initial ones.
After a few unsuccessful attempts, your browser screen will be full of warnings about the supposedly infected system, messages accusing you of visiting illegal websites or asking you to provide certain login information. Typically, all this confusion can be stopped by simply terminating the browser applications.
Keep in mind that the scammers may try trick you into believing that closing the browser or turning the computer off may result in the destruction of the personal data and irreversible damage to the system. Don't worry, none of this will happen.
It is merely another scare tactic that the scammers use to persuade victims into calling the provided phone number and emptying their wallets. Instead of doing that, you should start looking for "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" removal solution. Luckily, our experts provide it just below the article. Do not hesitate to check it out!
Apart from the "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" redirects and fraudulent pop-ups, this virus may also track users' online activity, take real-time screenshots and this way, steal login credentials and other sensitive information.
So, even if the scammers fail to swindle away money directly, they may try to break into bank accounts using the information they have managed to phish . Do not wait with the virus elimination. Do it as soon as possible!
Why Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam opens in your browser
From our report of Feb 2017 · not reviewed since
A potentially unwanted program that is responsible for generating "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" pop-ups may have infected your computer as a result of careless software installation or even an accidental click in an infectious ad.
Besides, such viruses are often disguised as some fake software updates, so you might also remember downloading, say, an Adobe Flash update before the redirects and warnings claiming that the computer has been infected started showing up. Tracking down such patterns may help you carry out the virus removal more efficiently.
How to get rid of the Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support 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
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select the browser on Processes and click End task: buttons on the page, including Close and Cancel, can trigger downloads or more pop-ups. When you reopen the browser, do not restore the previous tabs.
Warning: Never call a number shown in a browser warning; Microsoft and antivirus companies do not put phone numbers in warnings.
If the page opens again by itself, notifications or an extension are bringing it back. Task Manager works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Close a frozen app (Task Manager, Force Quit) On uGetFix
Step 2: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support 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.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
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.
From our report of Feb 2017 · not reviewed since
Eliminate "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" scam pop-ups
Despite its malicious characteristics, it should not be difficult to remove "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" virus from the infected device.
Nevertheless, we do not recommend doing that manually. It is much more efficient to employ specialized programs, anti-malware or antivirus for this purpose. The professional software will make sure "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" removal is smooth, and these pop-ups don't bother you again.
[GI=method-1]In case the PUP that has infected your computer blocks your antivirus from banishing it out of your computer, try out these decontamination steps.
[GI=method-2]"Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" may fight its way out of your computer, thus you should be prepared to withstand the resistance. The steps below illustrate a way you can do it.
Questions about Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam
Should I trust a page that says "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam"?
No. Genuine security software reports problems in its own window or in the Windows notification area, never on a website you were redirected to. Pages that say "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam" are built to frighten you into calling a support number, buying a licence through a referral link or installing a so-called cleaner.
Do none of those. Close the tab and, if it opens again by itself, remove the sites allowed to send notifications and any extension you do not recognise. If you already called, paid or installed something, follow the matching section of this guide: each case needs a different next step, from calling your bank to removing a remote-access tool.
I clicked on the "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam" 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 "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam" 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.
Which browser settings protect against fake alerts?
Three matter most. First, notifications: set your browser to ask before allowing them, and block sites you do not trust. Second, reputation checks: SmartScreen in Edge and Safe Browsing in Chrome warn you before known scam pages load, and Firefox has its own deceptive-content protection under Privacy & Security.
Third, pop-ups and redirects: keep the default blocking on. Add a reputable ad blocker if fake alerts keep reaching you through ads on sites you use. Review the notification list every few months.
Is my phone affected by Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam?
Not through the PC. A scam page in a Windows browser cannot reach a phone, even if both use the same account. The sign reported, A browser warning that reads "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam", happened in a browser on the PC.
Phones can meet similar pages on their own, usually through ads or notifications, and the fix there is the same idea: remove notification permissions and unknown apps. If you used the phone to call a number shown on the page, follow the steps for callers in this guide.
The page will not close. What can I do?
Press Esc to leave full-screen mode, then close the tab. If the browser is frozen, open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select the browser and click End task. When you restart the browser, do not restore tabs.
If the page loads again on start, open a new window and close the old one, then remove the page from the browser's startup settings. Restarting the PC also works. Nothing was installed by the page, so closing it by force is safe and loses nothing.
How did Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam find me?
It did not target you personally. Pages like this buy traffic from shady ad networks and from hacked sites, and they show A browser warning that reads "Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus' Tech support scam" to whoever is redirected to them.
Mistyped addresses, streaming and download sites, and earlier clicks on Allow for notifications are the most common entry points. Nothing about your PC was scanned or known in advance. Once you remove the trigger in the browser, the page has no way to reach you again unless you meet a similar ad.
The agent knew details about my PC. Were they real?
They looked real but proved nothing. Callers from pages like Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam open the Windows Event Viewer, which shows harmless warnings on every PC, or run a command that lists normal system details, and present them as signs of infection. Some type alarming text into a command window themselves.
Nothing they showed you came from a real scan. If they had remote access, follow the clean-up steps anyway, because they may have installed tools while you watched. Change any password they could have seen.
I closed it, but it appeared again the next day. Why?
A page that returns on its own has a trigger. Look at how it appeared: from a pop-up in the corner of the screen means a notification permission; on start-up means a session restore or a changed start page; while browsing any site means an extension; on one particular site means that site's ads.
Each has a quick fix in the browser settings. If none of them explains it, reset the browser, which clears permissions, extensions and start pages together.
Can Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam harm my PC just by being open?
No. A web page runs inside the browser's sandbox and cannot install programs, read your files or change Windows settings on its own. Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support scam can only make noise, fill the screen and try to persuade you. The risk begins when you follow it:
- calling the number
- paying
- downloading a file
- pasting a command
Close the page, and if it frightened you into doing one of those, follow the matching steps in this guide. Otherwise, nothing on the PC needs cleaning or repairing.
Will Fortect remove Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support 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 Your Computer Has Been Infected With Virus" Tech support 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
- GrahamCluley: Scare tactics! Tech support scam claims your hard drive will be deleted (read October 6, 2026)
- VirusActivity: Technical support scams on the rise: don't become prey for a fraudster! (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)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)