- A full-screen warning says your computer is infected and to call a number
- Messages keep popping up in the corner of your screen about viruses, prizes or subscriptions
- Your phone shows "your phone is infected" messages
- Don't call any number on the screen and don't click "Scan" or "Fix".
- If you already called and let someone connect to your computer, read what to do if you've been scammed first.
The Windows key is the key with the four-squares logo, usually bottom left between Ctrl and Alt. When a step says Windows key + I, hold the Windows key down, tap I once, then let go of both.
Close a scary full-screen warning
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Try closing the browser normally
Press Alt + F4. If a box asks "Leave site?", click Leave.
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If it won't close, use Task Manager
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Click your browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox) in the list → End task.
The warning disappears. Your computer is fine. -
Open the browser again carefully
If it asks to Restore pages, don't. Close that message, or the scary page comes back.
Stop pop-ups in the corner of the screen
These come from a website that was allowed to send "notifications". Someone probably clicked Allow without realising. Here's how to remove it.
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Google Chrome
Click ⋮ (top right) → Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings → Notifications.
Under Allowed to send notifications, click the ⋮ next to every site you don't recognise → Remove. At the top, choose Don't allow sites to send notifications.
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Microsoft Edge
Click ⋯ → Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Notifications. Under Allow, click ⋯ next to each unknown site → Remove. Turn off Ask before sending.
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Firefox
Click the menu button (three lines, top right) → Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll to Permissions → Notifications → Settings… → Remove All Websites → tick Block new requests → Save Changes.
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Remove unknown add-ons
In Chrome or Edge, open the Extensions page (from the ⋮ or ⋯ menu) and remove anything you didn't add yourself.
On a phone
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Android
When the next pop-up appears, press and hold it. It shows which website sent it. Tap to turn its notifications off.
Or: open Chrome → ⋮ → Settings → Notifications (or Site settings → Notifications) and turn off the unknown sites.
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iPhone or iPad
"Your iPhone is infected" pages in Safari are just websites. Close the tab. Then Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data.
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iPhone calendar full of spam events
Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Subscribed Calendars → tap the one you don't recognise → Delete Account.
Stop it happening again
When a website asks "Allow notifications?", press Block. Real companies don't warn you about viruses through pop-ups, and Microsoft never asks you to call them.
- You called the number or let someone connect to your computer
- Pop-ups appear even with the browser closed after following these steps
- Your browser's home page or search keeps changing by itself
Still stuck? I'm happy to help.
If this didn't sort it, or you'd rather not do it yourself, get in touch. I cover Sheffield S20 and the surrounding areas.
Did this guide help? These guides are free for everyone. If it saved you a call-out, you can say thanks with a coffee.
Buy me a coffeeThese guides are general advice for home users, checked in September 2026. Menus can differ slightly between versions of Windows and between phone makers. If something looks different or you're unsure, stop and ask rather than guessing. Parmar Tech Solutions can't accept responsibility for problems caused by following these steps, so please back up anything important first.