Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

A red screen appeared on my Windows desktop home page with a number to call regarding a Trojan threat. Do you ever give a number to call in a case like this?

more options

When I first got on the Firefox browser a full page red screen came up with white letters, telling me I should call a certain number (I didn't write it down - didn't call either). On the main red page it said my passwords may be compromised and I should alert my bank accounts, etc., Other smaller alert boxes came up, but I don't remember what was in them. I eventually cancelled all those alert boxes and logged of. The next time I got on Firefox was fine. Does Firefox give out numbers to call in a case like this? Is my computer infected? Thank you/

When I first got on the Firefox browser a full page red screen came up with white letters, telling me I should call a certain number (I didn't write it down - didn't call either). On the main red page it said my passwords may be compromised and I should alert my bank accounts, etc., Other smaller alert boxes came up, but I don't remember what was in them. I eventually cancelled all those alert boxes and logged of. The next time I got on Firefox was fine. Does Firefox give out numbers to call in a case like this? Is my computer infected? Thank you/

Isisombululo esikhethiwe

A lot of times this is a bogus window from one of your browsers, a scam to charge your for tech support services you don't need. They can be spread through ads on popular sites, or links that look legitimate but lead to such fake warnings.

I'm glad to hear you were able to easily cancel the dialogs, and that they have not come back.

I agree with FredMcD that it is worth scanning your system with reliable cleaning tools.

Also, if you do not use an extension that blocks ads on websites, you could try one to see whether that helps with this problem. Some sites will detect ad blockers and tell you to turn them off in order to view their content, but otherwise, they mostly work automatically without causing serious problems. Here's one, for example: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/

Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 6

All Replies (3)

more options

. Whenever you get a message / popup like that;

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PROVIDED LINKS OR ANY PHONE NUMBERS ! !

Such messages are only Spam that could lead you to Fake Support. Not only can they damage or hack your system, they charge you to do so.

You can report such a site at; Google Report Phishing Page {web link} which is the same when done while on site by going to Help > Report Web Forgery

Help us safeguard Mozilla’s trademarks by reporting misuse {web link}

more options

You may have ad/mal-ware. Further information can be found in this article; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-caused-malware?cache=no

Run most or all of the listed malware scanners. Each works differently. If one program misses something, another may pick it up.

more options

Isisombululo Esikhethiwe

A lot of times this is a bogus window from one of your browsers, a scam to charge your for tech support services you don't need. They can be spread through ads on popular sites, or links that look legitimate but lead to such fake warnings.

I'm glad to hear you were able to easily cancel the dialogs, and that they have not come back.

I agree with FredMcD that it is worth scanning your system with reliable cleaning tools.

Also, if you do not use an extension that blocks ads on websites, you could try one to see whether that helps with this problem. Some sites will detect ad blockers and tell you to turn them off in order to view their content, but otherwise, they mostly work automatically without causing serious problems. Here's one, for example: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/