Screen blocked with a number to call: spotting a tech support scam

A frightening screen is a reason to pause, not to pay.

The answer in 2 lines. Treat an unexpected browser warning demanding a call or payment as a likely scam. Do not ring the number, install software or enter banking details. Close the browser through your device's own controls, forcing it to close if necessary. Reopen without restoring the suspicious page. If someone gained remote access, disconnect the affected device from the internet and use another device to contact your bank and secure accounts. A pop-up alone does not establish that the device is infected.

Close the warning safely

Stop interacting: ignore the telephone number, payment demand and buttons inside the warning.
Close the browser: use your device's normal application controls. If it will not close, use the system's application management controls to force it to quit.
Reopen carefully: decline to restore the suspicious tabs. Update your existing security software and run its scan if you downloaded anything or remain concerned.

Stop: danger

Remote access already granted: disconnect the device from the internet. Do not log into banking while the caller can watch or control it.
Money or card details shared: end the call and contact your bank immediately using independently obtained details.
A caller demands a transfer to protect your money: do not make it. Treat the demand as a further stage of the scam.

What gives the scam away?

Common signs are an alarming security claim, a familiar-looking logo and an instruction to telephone someone immediately. The same approach can start with an unsolicited call claiming your computer or internet connection needs repair.

West Yorkshire Police's tech support scam guidance explains the pattern. Compare the request being made with its warning signs: the aim is often to obtain access, payment or financial information. A logo or convincing technical language does not establish who is contacting you.

When the page refuses to close

Use the controls belonging to your device, rather than a close button drawn inside the warning. Force-closing the browser may lose unsaved work, but you do not need the caller's permission to do it.

The recognised consumer association Which? explains how to close persistent scam pop-ups. Follow the application-closing instructions relevant to your device. If alerts keep appearing afterwards, check the browser's website notification permissions and remove permission for unfamiliar sites. Do not install a cleaner advertised by the alert.

What not to do

Calling the displayed number to check whether the warning is genuine.
Giving a stranger remote access because they know technical terms.
Opening your bank account to demonstrate that you can pay.
Paying a later caller who promises a refund or recovery of your losses.

If you called, installed something or paid

Write down what actually happened: a conversation alone, a download, remote control, disclosed passwords or a payment. Keep the caller's details, messages and receipts without reopening suspicious links.

Follow Citizens Advice's instructions after a scam: reset exposed passwords from a trusted device, tell your bank about potentially stolen financial information and update security software. If remote access was installed, arrange its removal and a competent IT professional's check. A clean scan alone cannot tell you what information someone already viewed.

Report it and ask about recovering money

Open Report Fraud's reporting page. Choose the suspicious-content option if you did not respond or lose money; use the cyber crime or fraud route if you were victimised. This route covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the page explains the separate Scottish route.

Ask your bank which recovery process applies to your payment. The Citizens Advice money-back guide separates cases by payment method: select how you paid and follow that section. Refund rights depend on the circumstances, so avoid assuming every scam payment receives the same treatment.

Good to know

Seeing the warning does not by itself prove that your files or bank account have been accessed.
Remote access changes the situation: explain it explicitly when speaking to your bank or an IT professional.
For a work device, report the incident to your organisation's IT team through your usual internal contact.

Illustrative example: Martin in Bristol sees a warning demanding a telephone call. He closes the browser through the device controls and declines to restore its tabs. He had not downloaded anything or shared details. He records the suspicious website address for reporting instead of calling the supposed technician.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 5 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for scam recognition, immediate banking precautions and reporting; medium for device-specific closing instructions and the extent of any compromise. A pop-up cannot establish a technical diagnosis.