Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam: how to spot it and what to do
Your Connection To This Site is Not Private is a scam that is designed to trick people into calling fake tech support. It is displayed on a shady website and claims that the user should be concerned about its privacy.
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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Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam: summary
| Name | Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam |
|---|---|
| Type | Phishing message |
| Symptoms | A phishing e-mail asking you to sign in and a support phone number shown on screen |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Arrives as | |
| Pretends to be | Microsoft |
| 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 5 more facts
| Claim | Your account needs urgent attention |
|---|---|
| Asks for | Your password |
| Phone number | +1 877 247 8999 |
| First seen | 2 July 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
How to tell the Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam message is fake
- Phone number:
+1 877 247 8999
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam
- Fake alert appears during your browsing sessions, and you are asked to call the support to fix the issue
- Adware programs deliver such fraudulent messages.
- Thus, you can uninstall them and get rid of Your Connection To This Site is Not Private with quickly
Is Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam dangerous? What the senders want
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
Your Connection To This Site is Not Private is a phishing campaign using a legitimate Microsoft name
Your Connection To This Site is Not Private is a scam that is designed to trick people into calling fake tech support.
It is displayed on a shady website and claims that the user should be concerned about its privacy. The attackers try to lure the person into believing that his/her computer is infected with a virus. Although, none of these claims are true.
IT experts warn that users can start receiving Your Connection To This Site is Not Private alert once their systems are infected with ad-supported applications, also known as adware . These potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) start delivering bogus messages to help scammers generate illegal profits.
Once the victim calls via the indicated number on the scam message, he/she can be lured into purchasing enormously expensive and ineffective antivirus software for the elimination of non-existent malware. Usually, scammers can try to promote affiliate programs that are in fact useless.
Furthermore, there is a strong possibility that the criminals can trick you into giving remote access to your computer to supposedly resolve Your Connection To This Site is Not Private problem. However, you should never fall for these empty promises since they will more likely install more cyber threats to make sure that you will continue to pay for their services.
For these reasons, we advise you to remove the threat immediately. You can temporarily stop the false alert if you simply close the window or tab. However, the adware programs will continue to display this message for as long as they are on the system.
Therefore, it is vital to uninstall the adware which will complete Your Connection To This Site is Not Private removal. The wisest decision would be to get a professional antivirus, like , . Automatic elimination is the quickest way to clean your system from potentially unwanted programs.


From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
Attentive installation of freeware can help protect from PUPs
Cybersecurity experts continue to warn people that adware and other potentially unwanted programs are distributed with the help of bundling schemes.
This marketing technique allows the developers to spread their software together with third-party applications and increase the number of infected computers.
Likewise, it is essential to pay close attention during the installation of free software. For that, we suggest following a simple 5-step guide showing how to avoid the infiltration of PUPs:
- Read Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and EULA of the software you attempt to download ;
- Pick only Custom/Advanced settings instead of Quick/Recommended ones;
- Carefully read every step of the procedure and make sure that no pre-selected marks are allowing to install of additional programs;
- If you have found any, make sure to de-select them;
- Protect your system automatically by employing robust malware removal software.
What to do after the Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam e-mail
If you only received the message and clicked nothing, step 3 is all you need.
If you clicked the link or typed anything on the page it opened, do every step, starting with the password.
Step 1: Change the password you typed on the fake page
If you entered a password after clicking the link in the Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam message, treat that account as known to the sender.
Open the provider's real site by typing its address yourself, not through any link in the e-mail, and change the password there. Choose a new one you have never used before, and change it on every other account that shared the old one.
Then use the option to sign out of all other sessions or devices, if the provider has one. This works the same in any browser on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Microsoft account, Security page (account.microsoft.com/security): Change password. Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Step 2: Turn on two-step verification
Two-step verification asks for a code from your phone or an authenticator app whenever someone signs in from a new device. A stolen password alone is then not enough to open the mailbox.
Turn it on in the security settings of the e-mail account first, then for the bank, shop and social accounts that send their reset links to that address.
While you are there, check the recovery e-mail and phone number and the forwarding rules, which attackers sometimes change to keep access. The settings pages look the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Microsoft account: Manage how I sign in, where two-step verification and the sign-in methods are. Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Step 3: Report the e-mail and delete it
Report the message instead of only deleting it. In Outlook choose Report > Report phishing, in Gmail the three-dot menu > Report phishing; the provider then blocks the same message for other people.
Do not reply and do not click anything else in it. On a work account, forward it to your IT team as an attachment first. Web mail and the mail apps on Windows 11 and Windows 10 offer the same options.

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web: Report > Report phishing. Full procedure with screenshots: Report a phishing e-mail
Step 4: Scan the PC if you opened a file from the message
A page that only asked for a password installs nothing, so most readers can skip this step.
If the Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam e-mail or the page it opened made you download or open a file, delete it and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10 open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes, so save your work first.

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
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)
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.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
Ways how to uninstall adware and stop Your Connection To This Site is Not Private virus
If you have started to receive fake alerts, it indicates that your system is infected with an ad-supported program.
Luckily, there are multiple ways how you can get rid of it and stop fraudulent messages from appearing during your browsing sessions.
First, you can remove Your Connection To This Site is Not Private automatically with the help of professional anti-malware software. For that, we advise using the ones indicated below. They are tested and recommended by cybersecurity experts from NoVirus.uk .
Also, you can choose manual virus removal. However, this elimination process is only for advanced computer users. The instructions given below will guide you through the removal procedure.
Questions about Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam
Is +1 877 247 8999 a real Microsoft support number?
No. Microsoft does not put phone numbers in warnings, pop-ups or error messages, and its support never calls you first about a virus. The number +1 877 247 8999 is used by a scam call centre that pays for traffic to fake warning pages.
If you need help from Microsoft, go to support.microsoft.com yourself and start from there. Never use a number that appeared in a pop-up, an unexpected e-mail or a search ad that looks like a support listing. If you already called, follow the steps in this guide for callers:
- remove any remote tool
- change passwords from another device
- contact the bank if you paid
They called me back from +1 877 247 8999 offering a refund. Is it real?
No. The refund call is a second scam by the same people. They say they will return your money, ask you to log in to online banking while they are connected, then claim they sent too much and ask you to send the difference back, by transfer or gift cards.
In reality they moved your own money between your accounts or edited the page. Hang up on any call from +1 877 247 8999 or anyone who mentions your earlier repair.
If you want a refund, ask your bank or card issuer directly. If they had remote access, remove their tool and change your passwords from another device.
Is Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam really from Microsoft?
No. It is sent by scammers who copy the name and look of Microsoft. The sender address and the links do not belong to it, and the message asks for your password, which a real company does not request through an unexpected message.
If you want to be sure about your account, open the website or app of Microsoft the way you normally do, not through the message, and look for notices there. Then delete the message and report it as phishing. If you already followed its instructions, use the steps in this guide for your case.
I called +1 877 247 8999. What should I do?
+1 877 247 8999 is answered by the scammers behind Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam. If you only talked, hang up, do not call back and block the number.
If you installed a program or let them connect, disconnect the PC from the internet, uninstall the remote access tool and run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Change passwords you typed during the call from another device. If you opened your bank during the call or sent money, call the bank immediately on the number on your card. Write down everything they said for the police report.
Is it true that your account needs urgent attention?
No. The claim that your account needs urgent attention is the hook of Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam, invented to give you a reason to act quickly.
Scammers pick a story that could plausibly apply to many people, so it may feel relevant to you, but nothing in the message is based on your real accounts or devices.
If the claim concerns a service you use, check it there directly, by opening the website or app yourself. You will find no such problem. Then delete the message and report it as phishing.
What happens if I do what Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam asks?
The scammers get your password, and they use it quickly. Passwords are tried on the real service within minutes, cards are charged or added to phone wallets, remote access is used to open your bank, and crypto is moved on at once.
Documents surface later as accounts in your name. If you already did what the message asked, do not wait to see what happens; follow the steps in this guide for your case today. Speed matters more than anything else here.
Who should I contact about Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam?
Start with the company whose account is involved, through its official website or app, never through links or numbers in messages. If money moved, call your bank or card issuer using the number on the card.
Then report the incident: in the US to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, in the UK to Action Fraud, in Canada to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and in Australia to ReportCyber. Keep notes of A warning that tells you to call +1 877 247 8999, with dates and amounts; banks and police will ask for them.
How quickly do scammers use a phished password?
Often within minutes. Phishing kits send each password to the operators as soon as it is typed, and many test it automatically on the real service. Some kits also pass the two-step code through in real time.
That is why the first hour matters: change the password, end all sessions and check that the recovery details are still yours. If nothing has changed by then, you were probably fast enough, but keep watching for login alerts and password-reset e-mails for a few weeks.
How can I spot messages like Your Connection To This Site is Not Private scam in future?
Check the sender's actual address, not only the name. Hover over links before clicking and compare the domain with the real one. Be suspicious of urgency, threats, prizes, unexpected invoices and requests for passwords, codes, card data or crypto.
Do not call phone numbers from unexpected messages; use the number on the official site or your card. When in doubt, go to the service directly through its app or a bookmark. Phishing protection and two-step verification limit the damage when a scam gets through.
Will Fortect remove Your Connection To This Site is Not Private 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 Connection To This Site is Not Private 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
- FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: Recognize and report phishing (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Protect yourself from phishing (read October 7, 2026)
- NCSC: Phishing attacks, dealing with suspicious e-mails and messages (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)