Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked POP-UP Scam

What is Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked?

"Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" is one of many fake error messages (similar to Your System Data Has Been Compromized, Window's Security Certificate Is Expired, Windows Support Alert, and others) that are displayed when visiting a deceptive website.

Most users visit these websites unintentionally - they are redirected to them by potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) or through an intrusive advertisement that was clicked when visiting another rogue site. In most cases, PUAs are installed without users' knowledge, deliver intrusive ads, and collect information.

The displayed pop-up message states that the computer is blocked for one or more reasons: the Windows registration key is illegal; pirated software is being used; the user is sending viruses, or; the software is hacked and being used from an undefined location.

It also states that the computer cannot be restarted, the pop-up window cannot be closed, and the computer is blocked for your safety. According to the fake security message, you must contact the Microsoft 'support team' using the toll free number ["+1-866-394-4845"] provided so that they can reactivate the computer.

This is a scam and Microsoft has nothing to do with it. The statements are false, and your computer is probably not blocked or infected. Cyber criminals who distribute these fake messages usually attempt to generate revenue by tricking users into calling them and paying for assistance.

You are advised to ignore all requests made by the "Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" fake virus message. You should be able to remove this pop-up simply by closing it, or closing the entire website.

In some cases, rogue websites of this type employ scripts to prevent users from closing opened browser windows/tabs. In these cases, use Task Manager to close the browser or simply restart your computer. Do not restore the previous session when you open the web browser, since this will return you to the malicious website/s that triggered this fake virus alert message.

Potentially unwanted applications usually collect data that includes IP addresses, search queries, keystrokes, geo-locations, URLs of visited websites, and other similar details. This information might also contain personal or sensitive details that are shared with third parties (potentially cyber criminals) and misused to generate revenue.

Having these PUAs installed can thus result in privacy or browsing safety issues, or worse, identity theft. Furthermore, most PUAs deliver intrusive ads (coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and so on).

These  are displayed using tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any visited website and conceal underlying content, significantly diminishing the browsing experience.

Clicking these ads will probably cause redirects to untrustworthy websites (potentially malicious) and execute scripts that download/install other potentially unwanted applications or malware. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you uninstall all PUAs immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" virus
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of one's computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

"Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" is just one of the many fake (virus, error, or other) messages. Most claim that the system is infected, computer is blocked, or there are missing files or they are in danger, etc. These statements are simply attempts to trick users into paying for products or services that are not required.

Most potentially unwanted applications share identical goals. They deliver advertisements, collect data, and cause redirects. Frequently, these apps are used to generate revenue rather than providing the features promised.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Most potentially unwanted applications are installed through intrusive advertisements or when software developers use a deceptive marketing method called "bundling". Bundling is used to trick users into installing PUAs by hiding them in "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings of the installation process.

Information regarding bundled apps is not properly disclosed, and users who skip installation steps inadvertently allow installation of PUAs. Generally, skipping installation steps and clicking untrustworthy ads leads to inadvertent installation of unwanted applications and exposure to risk of privacy and browsing safety problems.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Take precautions when browsing the web or installing/downloading software, especially when it is free. Download software from official and trustworthy websites and not using third party installer/downloaders or torrent clients. Check "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings during each software installation process. Deselect all additional offers and only then finish the installation.

Note that not all ads on the Internet are legitimate, even if they appear so. Intrusive ads often redirect users to untrustworthy websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.). If you happen to encounter these advertisements, check for suspicious or unknown applications (extensions, plug-ins, add-ons, etc.) installed on your browser.

Remove all suspicious entries immediately. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in "Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" pop-up:

Your computer is permanently blocked. Call for support at +1-866-394-4845

The appearance of "Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" pop-up (GIF):

Second pop-up of "Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" scam:

Text presented within this pop-up:

VIRUS ALERT FROM MICROSOFT

This computer is BLOCKED
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 window is sending virus over the internet.
This window is hacked or used from undefined location.
We block this computer for your security.
Contact microsoft helpline to reactivate your computer.
Microsoft Security Tollfree:

+1-866-394-4845

Prevent this page from creating additional dialogues.

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Your Computer Is Permanently Blocked" virus?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

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