My spouse recently encountered the “Your Computer Is Locked” scam message, which instructed her to contact 833-324-0303. When she reached out, the individual claimed to be a Microsoft representative.

Title: Navigating the “Your Computer Has Been Locked” Virus: A Cautionary Tale

In today’s digital landscape, staying vigilant against online threats is essential. Recently, my wife encountered a troublesome situation when her computer was hijacked by a virus that flashed the alarming message: “Your computer has been locked up.” The message urged her to call a number, claiming to be from Microsoft: 833-324-0303.

As any tech-savvy spouse would do, I immediately advised her to restart her device. When she inquired about the legitimacy of the caller and asked how to confirm his identity online, the individual dismissed her with, “This is the way we do it — having a site doesn’t help.” This tactic raised red flags for us, as it’s common knowledge that legitimate companies like Microsoft have established online presences for verification.

After following my suggestion, my wife rebooted her Apple computer, and to our relief, the ominous warning vanished. Interestingly, I’ve encountered similar warnings on my Windows computers approximately every couple of years, and shutting down the machine has consistently resolved the issue.

This experience serves as a reminder to exercise caution when dealing with unexpected alerts that prompt you to call unfamiliar numbers. If you ever find yourself in a similar predicament, restarting your device could be a simple yet effective solution.

I welcome any feedback or insights from those who have dealt with similar issues. What steps do you take to safeguard your devices against such threats?

Thank you for reading!