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My laptop screen is locked and gives me a tech support number to call. I have gone into task manager and ended the two browser apps but still have the message on the screen

Judy Hagen 0 Reputation points
2026-06-12T18:40:14.7366667+00:00

Screen is locked and and gives me a tech support number to call. I have gone to task manager and ended the 2B browser apps. I still have the message on my screen. What do I do now?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Security and privacy
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  1. EmilyS726 238.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-12T19:20:14.5233333+00:00

    Can you please hold down Ctrl+Alt+Del, then launch Task Manager, and then end all browser items there to close it. That page is definitely scam, but as long as you didn't call the number and engage in any of the requested activities, your computer is not hacked. It is just a pop up page that can have some audio effect (sometimes) and display in full screen mode, so it appears the computer is locked.

    Scammers use various methods to trigger these pop-ups. Pop-ups are a form of online advertising. They are often integrated into websites or applications through ad services. Many websites use third-party advertising services to display ads. Sometimes, these ad services might inadvertently allow scam ads to be displayed. This does not mean the website itself is malicious, but it indicates a lack of stringent ad vetting.

    You can read more about this type of support scam here: https://support.microsoft.com/windows/protect-yourself-from-tech-support-scams-2ebf91bd-f94c-2a8a-e541-f5c800d18435

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-12T18:40:32.3166667+00:00

    Use the following steps in order until the fake tech support message is gone:

    1. Try exiting full-screen mode
      • Press F11 to exit full-screen in the browser window that is showing the message.
      • If it exits, close that tab or window immediately.
    2. Close the window with keyboard shortcuts
      • Press Alt + F4 repeatedly to close the active window.
      • If that does not work, press Ctrl + W to close the active tab (if it is a browser tab).
    3. Use Task Manager again to close all browser processes
      • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
      • In the Processes tab, find all instances of your web browser (for example, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox) and any related background processes.
      • Right-click each one and select End task until no browser processes remain.
    4. Force shutdown if the screen is still stuck
      • Press and hold the power button on the laptop for about 10–20 seconds until it turns off.
      • Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.
    5. After restart, prevent the page from reopening
      • When the browser asks to restore previous pages, select No.
      • Clear the browser cache and site data (history, cookies, cached files) so the malicious page does not reload from history.
    6. Avoid calling the number
      • Microsoft error and warning messages never include a phone number to call.
      • Do not call the number, do not provide personal or financial information, and do not allow remote access to the device.

    If support is needed afterward, open the Get Help app from Start, or go to the official Microsoft Support site, and initiate contact from there rather than from any pop-up.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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