TLDR
A recent court case exposed how a call tracking company knowingly sold phone numbers and routing services to tech support scammers impersonating Microsoft and Apple. The pattern is familiar: a pop up warns of a virus on your computer,...
How it works
A recent court case exposed how a call tracking company knowingly sold phone numbers and routing services to tech support scammers impersonating Microsoft and Apple. The pattern is familiar: a pop up warns of a virus on your computer,...
Red flags
- Unsolicited pop up claiming your PC is infected and urging you to call a number Caller insists on installing remote access software (AnyDesk, TeamViewer) to "fix" the issue Pressure to pay immediately via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency for fake support
What to do
- 1Close the pop up via Task Manager
- 2never call the number displayed Never grant remote access to someone who contacted you unexpectedly Report the incident to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and your bank if you paid
Source
malwarebytes
Source reviewed by Mythos Forensic Team
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/05/scammers-pretending-to-be-microsoft-had-help-from-us-executivesFAQ
Is Fake Microsoft pop up scam: how call infrastructure providers fuel tech support fraud a real scam pattern?
Yes. Treat the message, call, or payment request as suspicious until you verify it through an official channel.
What are the first warning signs?
Unsolicited pop up claiming your PC is infected and urging you to call a number Caller insists on installing remote access software (AnyDesk, TeamViewer) to "fix" the issue Pressure to pay immediately via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency for fake support
What should I do first?
Close the pop up via Task Manager; never call the number displayed Never grant remote access to someone who contacted you unexpectedly Report the incident to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and your bank if you paid
Can LegalAudit check my case?
Yes. Start a free chat and paste the message, link, sender, or payment details for triage.