What is + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam? And how does it work?
+ 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam is a tech support scam, as its name suggests. It was discovered recently and is designed to trick users into thinking that there is some Trojan/worm/ransomware infection in their computers and that they have to call “Microsoft Technical Support” at “+ 1 (888) 512-5801” in order to eliminate the malware.
Tech support scams like this one are often found on suspicious websites. You can get redirected to sites that host such scams when you click on some ads or when there is an ad-supported program or adware installed in your computer that’s causing redirects to this tech support scam. So if you get redirected to a site displaying this scam, you should know better than to call the fake tech support number for the one’s that will answer your call are not tech support but cybercriminals that will try to coax you into installing a shady program or make you pay for unnecessary service.
Aside from that, you might also unknowingly grant them remote access to your computer so you must not be fooled by this scam. If you keep seeing this scam every time you browse the web, then that only means that there is some adware program installed on your computer and unless you get rid of this adware, you will keep seeing this tech support scam as you browse the web. When you get redirected to a site that hosts this tech support scam, you will see the following message on your screen:
“Trojan.worm! Ransomware! Infection!
Call Microsoft Technical Support
Immediately at + 1 (888) 512-5801
Serious danger of data stealth!
If you will continue, the following information can be compromised:
-
Passwords history
-
Browser history files
-
Your Credit Cards Data”
How does + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam circulate the web?
As mentioned, this tech support scam circulates the web via ads and malicious sites. Aside from that, adware programs can also trigger redirects to this scam. Adware programs are commonly found bundled with another unwanted program in a package known as software bundles. If you just recently installed a software bundle, then that might be the reason why you keep seeing the scam. To get rid of the scam, you need to get rid of the adware installed on your computer.
Get rid of the + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam by following the removal guide prepared below.
Step_1: Close the tab or the browser displaying the + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam. However, if your browser is forced to go into full-screen mode because of the fake alert, tap F11 on your keyboard to exit full-screen mode.
Step_2: After that, try to close the browser manually. If you find it hard to do so, close the browser through the Task Manager.
Step_3: Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to launch the Task Manager.
Step_4: After opening the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the affected browser’s process and end it by clicking End Task or End Process.
Step_5: Close the Task Manager and reset all the affected browsers to default.
Google Chrome
- Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
- After that, click on Settings.
- Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
- After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
- Now restart Google Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox and tap Ctrl + Shift + A to access the Add-ons Manager.
- In the Extensions menu Remove the unwanted extension.
- Restart the browser and tap keys Alt + T.
- Select Options and then move to the General menu.
- Overwrite the URL in the Home Page section and then restart the browser.
Internet Explorer
- Launch Internet Explorer.
- Next, click the wrench icon for Settings.
- Then click Internet Options.
- After that, go to the Advanced tab.
- From there, click the Reset button. This will reset Internet Explorer’s settings to their default condition.
- Now click OK to save the changes made.
- Restart your computer.
Step_6: Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and then type in “appwiz.cpl” to open Programs and Features in Control Panel.
Step_7: From there, look for the adware program or any unfamiliar program that could be related to the + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support Scam under the list of installed programs and once you’ve found it, uninstall it.
Step_8: Close the Control Panel and tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
Step_9: Navigate to the following directories and look for the adware installer like the software bundle it came with as well as other suspicious files and delete them.
- %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
- %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
- %TEMP%
Step_10: Edit your Hosts File.
- Tap the Win + R keys to open then type in %WinDir% and then click OK.
- Go to System32/drivers/etc.
- Open the hosts file using Notepad.
- Delete all the entries that contain Search.watchtvnow.co.
- After that, save the changes you’ve made and close the file.
Step_11: Now you have to flush the DNS cache of your computer. To do so, right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator). From there, type the “ipconfig /flushdns” command and hit Enter to flush the DNS.
Step_12: Close the File Explorer and empty your Recycle Bin.
Congratulations, you have just removed + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support scam in Windows 10 all by yourself. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit fixmypcfree.com daily.
Now that’s how you remove + 1 (888) 512-5801 Microsoft Tech Support scam in Windows 10 on a computer. On the other hand, if your computer is going through some system-related issues that have to get fixed, there is a one-click solution known as Restoro you could check out to resolve them.
This program is a useful tool that could repair corrupted registries and optimize your PC’s overall performance. Aside from that, it also cleans out your computer for any junk or corrupted files that help you eliminate any unwanted files from your system. This is basically a solution that’s within your grasp with just a click. It’s easy to use as it is user-friendly. For a complete set of instructions in downloading and using it, refer to the steps below
Perform a full system scan using Restoro. To do so, follow the instructions below.
