Navigating the “Your Computer Has Been Locked” Scam: A Personal Experience

Recently, my wife encountered an alarming issue on her computer that many users dread—she was greeted by the ominous “Your computer has been locked” message. The alert urged her to call a number, 833-324-0303, claiming to represent Microsoft.

Concerned, she reached out to this supposed “support representative.” However, I strongly advised her to restart her computer instead. When she inquired about the representative’s official website, he responded, oddly, that “having a site doesn’t help”—a red flag that raises questions about legitimacy.

Fortunately, after restarting her Apple device, the troubling warning vanished. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered such a situation; my Windows computers have faced similar threats approximately every one to two years, and in each case, shutting down the device effectively resolved the issue.

I’m curious to hear from others about their experiences with this type of scam. Have you encountered the “computer locked” message? What steps did you take to resolve the situation?

Thank you for your insights!