Computer Security Alert Response Card

If a screen says your computer is infected, locked, or disabled and tells you to call a number, do not call. It is most likely a fake browser-based security alert designed to create fear and urgency.

How to Recognize a Fake Security Alert

A warning is likely fraudulent if it includes any of the following:

Claims that your computer is locked, infected, disabled, or being monitored
Instructions to call a phone number immediately
Urgent language about fraud, stolen data, or permanent damage
Company names that sound official but do not match real Apple language
A warning that appears inside Safari, Pinterest, Facebook, email, or another website

Important truth: Apple does not send virus warnings through web pages, and Apple does not ask users to call phone numbers from browser popups.

Immediate Response Steps

Step 1

Do Not Interact

Do not click any buttons. Do not select authorize. Do not call the phone number.

Step 2

Force Quit Safari

Press the keys below together, select Safari, then click Force Quit.

Command + Option + Escape

Step 3

Reopen Safely

Hold the Shift key while opening Safari. This helps prevent the same page from reopening.

Step 4

Clear Website Data

Open Safari and go to Safari, Settings, Privacy, Manage Website Data, then Remove All.

Step 5

Check Notifications

Go to Safari, Settings, Websites, Notifications. Remove anything unfamiliar.

Step 6

Restart the Mac

Restart the computer normally after clearing browser data and checking notifications.

Never Do These Things

Never call a number from a popup

Never allow remote access from a stranger

Never enter passwords or financial information

When to Ask for Help

Contact a trusted person immediately if any of the following happened:

You clicked a button on the alert
You called the phone number
You downloaded anything from the page
You gave someone remote access to the computer
The screen will not close after force quitting the browser

One rule to remember:

If a message creates urgency and tells you to call someone, stop and verify first.

Reassurance

These alerts are designed to look serious, but they usually do not mean the computer has been compromised. In most cases, the browser has been trapped by a deceptive webpage. Closing the browser and clearing the browser data resolves the issue.

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