Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Note! Your computer might be affected by "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam and other threats.
Threats such as "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created with the main idea to help you understand what is the “This Computer is BLOCKED” tech support scam and how to remove the unwanted program causing them on your computer.
Yet another tech support scam has been found to roam around in the web. The scam has been detected by Twitter user @Takedownscammer. The scam, called “This Computer is BLOCKED” has been reported to display fake error messages, whose primary goal is to scare users into calling the tech support number. It may also lock the web browsers of victims and then show pop-up that Is very difficult to remove from victim PCs. If you have started seeing the “This Computer is BLOCKED” scam message on your machine, we recommend that you read this article and learn how you can remove those scamming messages thoroughly from your PC.
Threat Summary
Name
"This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam
Type
Fake Tech Support
Short Description
Displays a scamming message whose main goal is to get the victim to call the tech support scammers.
Symptoms
A fake Microsoft Web Page appears, headed “This computer is BLOCKED”. Aims to convince victims to call a fake tech support number.
Distribution Method
Likely caused by a redirect from a compromised website or a PUP installed on the victim PC.
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam
Join Our Forum to Discuss "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam.
This Computer is BLOCKED – Distribution Methods
The This Computer is BLOCKED page may start to appear as a result of several possible scenarios. One of them is if you have a PUP (potentially unwanted program), such as adware or browser hijacker that pretends to be a useful program, but comes standard with a lot of advertisements that are added, like browser redirects, pop-ups and banners, one of which may have led your browser to be locked by the “This Computer is BLOCKED” screen. Such programs can be recognized by several symptoms, the main of which include the general computer slowness as well as different types of advertisements appearing on your PC. These unwanted programs are usually spread via various different types of third-party programs downloaded for free from websites that bundle the installers with optional offers.
Another way via which you may have started seeing the “This Computer is BLOCKED” message is if you have visited a compromised website. In some scenarios, cyber-criminals aim to deliberately compromise WordPress sites with low security level and then use this to their benefit by injecting JavaScript code into the WordPress site, which causes web browser redirection to the scamming page, each time you visit the site in question.
“This Computer is BLOCKED” – Analysis
Once you visit the web page, your web browser may become locked and you may start seeing the following page:
The web page also comes embedded with a pop-up that is extremely difficult to close, because it has a script which makes it reopen each time you close it. The pop-up has the following text:
VIRUS ALERT FROM MICROSOFT x Microsoft Store Products Support “3 “Mp‘m’ b BLOCKED l ERROR 25803 W Sign in Do not close this window and restart your computer Your computer‘s registration key is Blocked. Why we blocked your computer? The window‘s registration key is illegal. This window is using pirated software. This WlfldOW IS sending Virus over the mternet. This window is hacked or used from undefined location. We block this computer for your security Contact microsoft helpline to reactivate you computer. Microsoft Security Tolfree: +1-855-333-6776
When the tech support number itself is called, users are contacted with tech support “employees” with an Indian accent that often ask victims to give them remote access to their computers. In addition to this, the scammers may also request the victim to pay them a lot of money in order to fix an issue on their PC – an issue that positively does not exist. In addition to this, we have done a check up on the scammers themselves by checking if the number has been reported anywhere and the following reports have come to our attention in relation to 855-333-6776:
Charles This company is operating a technical support call center that scams customers. They place advertisements on high traffic websites that imply there is something wrong with a user’s computer. Fake pop ups claiming your computer is infected are used to reel in innocent victims. After convincing a user to pay over the phone, the ‘technician’ requests to have remote access to your computer (taking control of it) using logmeinrescue.com. Once logged into your computer, the remote technician will attempt to trick you by fabricating errors or even viruses on your computer.
Clark Roda He tricked me into paying him 350 CANADIAN DOLLARS.
K I fell , for the popups on the computer and called, my husband then took over because I was late going somewhere and thank God our credit card company declined the sale. We had someone clean the computer the next day and they didn’t do anything. Again thankful that this computer is used solely for school work.
Remove “This Computer is BLOCKED” Scam PUP and Stop Ads
In case you continue to see advertisements showing the “This Computer is BLOCKED” web page or similar such, we recommend that you remove any programs that might be causing these pop-ups to appear and then installing an adblocked for future protection. One way to try and remove the “This Computer is BLOCKED” is by following the removal instructions underneath this article. They have been created to help you delete these pop-ups either manually or automatically from your PC. Be advised that the best method you can try according to security professionals is to download and run a system scan with an advanced anti-malware software. Such program aims to automatically detect and remove any programs that might be causing such web pages and intrusive ads to appear on your machine.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam or other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam. Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam follow these steps:
1. Uninstall malicious programs from Windows
OFFER
Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!
We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria
How to Uninstall malicious programs from Windows:
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs.No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Hold the Windows Logo Button and “R” on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear (fig.1).
In the field type in “appwiz.cpl” and press ENTER (fig.2).
This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press “Uninstall” (fig.3).
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
2. Clean your Browser and Registry from "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam
Remove "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam by cleaning your Browser and Registry.
Remove an extension from Mozilla FirefoxRemove an extension from Google Chrome Remove an extension from Internet Explorer Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge Fix registry entries created by "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam on your PC.
Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window
Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu.
Select the unwanted extension and click “Remove“
After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.
Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Move the cursor over “Tools” and then from the extended menu choose “Extensions“
From the opened “Extensions” menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its “Remove” button.
After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.
Start Internet Explorer:
Click on the gear icon labeled ‘Tools’ to open the drop menu and select ‘Manage Add-ons’
In the ‘Manage Add-ons’ window.
Select the extension you want to remove and then click ‘Disable’. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click ‘Disable’.
After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red ‘X’ button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Start Edge
Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
From the drop menu select “Extensions”.
Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
IMPORTANT! Before starting the Automatic Removal below, please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode. This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created with the main idea to help you understand what is the “This Computer is BLOCKED” tech support scam and how to remove the unwanted program causing them on your computer.
Remove an extension from Mozilla Firefox
Remove an extension from Google Chrome
Remove an extension from Internet Explorer
Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge
Fix registry entries created by "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for "This Computer Is BLOCKED" Scam and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
