pop-up · SafeNet Billing is invented
The Pop-Up with a Phone Number
A full-screen warning appears on the laptop, saying the machine is infected and that the householder must ring the support number shown on the screen.
The story being told
A full-screen warning appears on the laptop, saying the machine is infected and that the householder must ring the support number shown on the screen.
How it really works
The warning is a web page, not a diagnosis. Anything can draw a red box and a siren, and the number in it belongs to whoever made the page. The alarm is designed to be frightening enough that the householder rings before thinking, and the person who answers has one job: get remote access, then charge for a "clean-up" that does nothing.
What to do instead
A browser warning is a web page and can always be closed. Do not ring the number on it. Close the tab or the window, and if the browser will not close, restart the computer. If a browser keeps doing it, clear the site data or ask someone you trust to look, using software you installed yourself.
Sources
- US Federal Trade Commission: tech support scams
- Netsafe (New Zealand): recognising scam calls and pop-ups
Checked 18 October 2026. Every statistic on this site is re-checked at publish time, and the reporting resources on the Help page are re-checked quarterly.