Quick answer
A website cannot scan your computer, Microsoft and Apple do not phone people about infections, and real security software never asks you to call a number shown in a pop-up. If a warning pressures you to call, pay or install something, close it. If you have already paid or given access, contact your bank and then seek help.
How fake warnings usually work
Most fake warnings fall into a few groups. They share a goal: to get you to hand over money, card details or remote access to your computer.
- Browser pop-up scams
- A web page fills the screen with a message that looks like a system alert, sometimes with sound, and claims the computer is locked or infected. It shows a phone number for "support". The page is just a website; nothing has happened to the computer.
- Scareware
- Software or web pages that pretend to run a scan, invent a list of problems and then ask you to buy a product to fix them. The "results" are made up.
- Cold-call tech-support scams
- Someone phones claiming to be from a well-known technology company, an internet provider or a bank, and says your computer has been sending errors or has been hacked. They ask you to install a remote-access program so they can "fix" it.
- Fake renewal or invoice emails
- An email says a security subscription has renewed for a large amount and gives a number to call to cancel. The call leads to a request for remote access or bank details.
Scam methods change over time. The NCSC's Own Your Online site and Netsafe both publish information about current scams affecting people in New Zealand.
Real alerts compared with fake ones
Real security alerts exist, and it is reasonable to want to tell them apart from fakes. The differences are usually clear once you know what to look for.
| Feature | Real alert | Fake warning |
|---|---|---|
| Where it appears | From the security app you installed, or Windows Security or macOS itself. | Inside a web browser tab, an email or a phone call. |
| What it asks | To quarantine or remove a file, or to review a setting. | To call a number, pay, or allow remote access. |
| Tone | Plain and specific, naming a file or setting. | Alarming, with countdowns, flashing text or loud sounds. |
| Phone numbers | None shown. | Prominent, often described as toll-free. |
| Closing it | Closes normally. | Tries to stop you from closing the tab or leaving the page. |
If a warning appears on your screen
- Do not call any number shown. Do not click buttons inside the warning, including ones that say "Cancel" or "Close", as they may be part of the page.
- Close the browser tab. On Windows, you can press Ctrl+W; on a Mac, Command+W.
- If the tab will not close, close the whole browser. On Windows, open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc, select the browser and choose End task. On a Mac, press Command+Option+Esc and choose Force Quit.
- If that does not work, restart the computer. When the browser reopens, do not restore the previous session if it offers to.
- Optionally, run a scan with the security software you already have, opened from the Start menu or Applications folder, not from any link.
In most cases that is the end of it. A pop-up in a browser does not mean the computer is infected.
If you have already responded
People of every age and level of experience are caught by these scams; they are designed to work on anyone in a moment of worry. If you have called a number, paid, or let someone connect to your computer, act in this order:
- Contact your bank or card provider using the number on your card or the bank's official website, and explain what happened. Banks can sometimes stop or reverse payments if told quickly.
- Disconnect the computer from the internet if someone has had remote access, and remove any remote-access program they asked you to install.
- Change passwords, starting with email and online banking, using a different device you trust.
- Turn on two-step verification for those accounts if it is not already on.
- Run a full scan with your security software, or ask a trusted local technician to check the computer.
- Report it using the options below. Reports help agencies warn others.
Where to get help and report in New Zealand
- Own Your Online (NCSC)
- The National Cyber Security Centre's site for individuals, with guidance and a way to report cyber security incidents and scams.
- National Cyber Security Centre
- New Zealand's lead government agency for cyber security, which publishes advisories and reporting information.
- Netsafe
- An independent online safety organisation that offers free, confidential help with online scams and other online harms.
- New Zealand Police
- For crimes where money has been lost. Non-emergency reports can be made by calling 105 or through the Police website. In an emergency, call 111.
Helping others avoid these scams
Older relatives and people who are less confident with computers are often targeted by phone-based scams. A short conversation in advance helps more than any software. Useful points to share include:
- Large technology companies do not phone people about viruses on their computers.
- It is always fine to hang up and call back on a number you find yourself.
- Nobody legitimate needs remote access to your computer unless you contacted them first.
- Gift cards, cryptocurrency and bank transfers to individuals are common payment requests in scams.
- Feeling rushed or frightened is a sign to stop and talk to someone you trust.
About security products and fear. Some advertising for security software uses the same tactics as scams: alarming language, fake scans and countdowns. A legitimate product does not need to frighten you. If an advert for any product, on any site, tells you that your device is already infected, treat it with the same caution as a scam warning. Nexaline does not run simulated scans or alerts, and its general guidance is written to be calm and checkable.
Questions people ask
Can visiting a website really infect my computer?
It is uncommon on an up-to-date system, because browsers and operating systems are patched against known weaknesses. This is one reason automatic updates matter so much. A frightening message on a page is not, by itself, evidence of infection.
Is a message from Windows Security genuine?
Notifications from the Windows Security app itself, appearing in the corner of the screen or in the notification centre rather than inside a browser, are genuine. They never include a phone number to call.
I received an email saying my antivirus renewed. What should I do?
Do not use the phone number or links in the email. Sign in to the vendor's site directly, or check your bank statement, to see whether a charge was made.