A friend received a popup, saying his computer had malware. What should he do?
Popups are nerve-wracking and extremely manipulative. Most are out to get your money, like this account:
A Pennsylvania man lost $18,832.53 in an online tech support scam after being tricked into sending cash to a fake address in San Diego, California.
The scam started with a pop-up message, claiming the victim's computer was infected with malware and prompting him to call a phone number provided in the message. He made the call, and the thieves demanded money from him to fix his computer. https://www.wfmj.com/story/50608138/lawrence-county-man-falls-for-dollar19000-online-tech-support-scam (Mar. 25, 2024).
To combat intrusive pop-up messages on Windows computers, users can press "Ctrl + W" to remove the pop-up or current window. This keyboard shortcut is commonly used to close programs or tabs.
The final takeaway is work with your IT department or local vendor to address malware if you receive such messages. You may not have ransomware, but just a simple malware code that can be easily addressed and eliminated with a system scan.
Jack McCalmon, Leslie Zieren, and Emily Brodzinski are attorneys with more than 50 years combined experience assisting employers in lowering their risk, including answering questions, like the one above, through the McCalmon Group's Best Practices Help Line. The Best Practice Help Line is a service of The McCalmon Group, Inc. Your organization may have access to The Best Practice Help Line or a similar service from another provider at no cost to you or at a discount. For questions about The Best Practice Help Line or what similar services are available to you via this Platform, call 888.712.7667.
If you have a question that you would like Jack McCalmon, Leslie Zieren, or Emily Brodzinski to consider for this column, please submit it to ask@mccalmon.com. Please note that The McCalmon Group cannot guarantee that your question will be answered. Answers are based on generally accepted risk management best practices. They are not, and should not be considered, legal advice. If you need an answer immediately or desire legal advice, please call your local legal counsel.