Do these, in order
You don’t have to do all of these at once, and you don’t have to do them alone. Start at the top and work down.
- 1Take a breath — you have timeA pop-up cannot hurt your computer just by appearing, and a scary caller cannot do anything you don’t allow. The fear is the scam. You are not in trouble, and nothing has to happen this minute.
- 2Hang up, or close the windowIf it’s a phone call, just hang up — you’re not being rude. If it’s a pop-up, close the browser tab or window. If it won’t close, turn the computer all the way off by holding the power button for ten seconds.
- 3Did you let them control your computer? Disconnect itIf you installed anything they asked you to, or let them “take over” your screen, unplug the computer from Wi-Fi or pull out the internet cable. That instantly cuts their access while you get help.
- 4Do not pay — especially not with gift cardsNo real company is ever paid in gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. If anyone tells you to buy gift cards and read off the numbers, it is a scam, full stop. Stop the payment and keep your money.
- 5Change your important passwords — with someone you trustFrom a different, safe device (your phone, or a family member’s computer), change the passwords to your email and bank first. It’s perfectly fine to ask a trusted person or a patient helper to sit with you while you do it.
- 6Watch your bank and card statementsOver the next few weeks, glance at your accounts for charges you don’t recognize. If you gave out a card number, call the real number on the back of your card and ask them to watch for fraud.
What not to do
- Don’t call the number in the pop-up. It rings straight to the scammers. The pop-up itself is the bait.
- Don’t let anyone “remote in” to fix it. Real help never starts with a stranger taking over your screen out of the blue.
- Don’t buy gift cards for anyone over the phone. No legitimate business, agency, or relative is ever paid this way.
“But did I get a virus?”
Almost always, a scary pop-up is just a web page designed to frighten you — not a real virus. As long as you didn’t install anything they told you to, or hand over a password or a payment, you’re very likely fine. If you did let someone in, that’s fixable too — it just means having someone trustworthy check the computer, remove any program the scammer added, and reset the passwords you used on it.
The goal isn’t to make you afraid of your computer. It’s to help you feel steady and in control again — which you can be in an afternoon.
If you’d like a patient person to walk you through it
You don’t have to sort this out by yourself. We’re a calm, local neighbor who helps with exactly this — no judgment, no scare tactics, no jargon. We can often help right over the phone or a video call: we’ll check whether anything was installed, help you safely change the right passwords, and show you what to watch for. We do this for folks in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and across South Orange County every week.
Start with a free 15-minute help call — talk to a real person and get a clear next step. Talk to a real, patient person. Get a straight answer or a clear plan — no cost, no card, no commitment.
OC Tech Neighbor · (949) 800-8491
Want to be ready next time? Read our free, printable scam checklist or see how we help with scam awareness and safe browsing.