Dealing with the “Your Computer Has Been Locked” Virus: Tips and Insights

Recently, my wife encountered a troubling issue when her computer displayed a message indicating it had been locked due to a virus. The alert prompted her to call a number: 833-324-0303. When she reached out, the individual on the line claimed to be a representative from Microsoft.

In this situation, I advised her to simply restart her computer, which is often a quick fix for many technical glitches.

Curious about the legitimacy of the caller, she inquired about the company’s website, to which he responded, “This is how we operate—having a site doesn’t help.” This raised several red flags for us.

After she restarted her Apple computer, the alarming warning disappeared. I’ve encountered similar messages on my Windows machines about once every couple of years, and a simple shutdown has always rectified the issue for me.

I’m interested to hear from others who have faced this problem. How did you handle it? Any tips or experiences to share regarding phone scams or computer viruses?

Thanks in advance for your insights!