How to Spot a Windows Defender Security Warning Scam - Make Tech Easier

Cyber ​​criminals are constantly exploring new strategies to achieve their evil ends. When users who are not familiar with such problems encounter scams, the Windows Defender security warning scams have a shocking success rate. This tutorial will explain how this scam works and how to distinguish between legal warnings and scams.

Worth knowing : Learn how to disable Microsoft Defender (not to be confused with Windows Security, formerly known as Windows Defender).

Table of contents

• What is Windows Defender warning scam?
• Legal and fake Windows Defender Security Center warning
• Why do you see Windows Defender security warning
• Block Windows Defender security warning scams

What is Windows Defender warning scam?

You can browse easily online, probably looking for new recipes or checking out the latest news. You clicked on a seemingly harmless link or ad. But suddenly, a warning page titled Windows Defender Alert appears on your screen.

This page claims that Windows Defender (now known as Windows Security) has detected certain viruses or malware on your computer and that your data may be under threat. It advises you not to turn off or reset your computer, but rather to call a number or download a specific fix.

But here's a trap: Windows Defender Alert pages are nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It is a scam that mimics real security alerts, urging users to take immediate actions that may harm their systems or disclose personal information.

More specifically, Windows Defender Warning Scam (also known as Windows Defender Security Center Scam) is a kind of intimidation software. It is a malware designed to scare users into thinking that their computer has been hacked or faces immediate threats. The problem with intimidation software alerts is that they can closely mimic real security warnings, using official style logos, languages, and layouts. This makes it difficult for some users to distinguish between legal alerts and fake alerts.

Tip : If you have Windows Defender, you don't need additional antivirus software, but you can still view the best third-party antivirus software solutions.

Legal and fake Windows Defender Security Center warning

How do you tell if you are actually dealing with an impostor? If you remember a few things, it's actually pretty simple.

• Legal Windows Defender warnings pop up in desktop windows; they will never ambush you in the form of web pages when you are just browsing online.
• Fake Windows Defender security warnings come in the form of web pages, because scammers can easily create web pages that look like real alerts.

Additionally, a true Windows Defender alert will not require you to download third-party software, make free calls, or prompt you to enter sensitive information such as your credit card details. These are instant warning signs.

By contrast, Microsoft's official alerts are all about letting you remove discovered threats, run a full scan, or update your security settings. They certainly won't send you to another website or ask you to download a "fix" program.

Why do you see Windows Defender security warning

Most fake Windows Defender alerts are triggered by:

• Visiting a malicious website - Sometimes, you may find yourself on a seemingly legitimate website, but in fact it is a disguise. These sites typically host scripts that can redirect you to scam pages (including fake Windows Defender alerts).
• Click on damaged links or ads - When you browse the web, you see an ad that caught your attention. It looks harmless, right? wrong. Some ads are designed to seem harmless, but are actually a breeding ground for malware or intimidation software.
• Install malware - You might think you're downloading a simple tool or game, but what you don't realize is that it also comes with adware or worse. This extra software can run in the background, triggering false alarms, trying to scare you to take some unwise actions.
• Open spam - We've all received those emails that look a little bit wrong. They may offer too good to be a deal that doesn't look like real, or fake an organization you trust. But when you click on a link or download an attachment, you may have invited malicious code in, triggering annoying fake security alerts.
• Using Illegal Windows Copy - If you are using pirated Windows, you are already at a disadvantage in terms of security. Uncertified copies of Windows often lack critical security updates and may have been injected with malware from the beginning.

Identifying scams is just half the battle - knowing how to prevent it from happening again is the loop that completes your cybersecurity. If you don't take steps to get rid of the root cause, you're basically opening the door for these scammers to be able to repeat attacks at any time.

By the way : Did you know you can use Windows Defender directly from the command prompt? Learn how to do it in this guide.

Block Windows Defender security warning scams

Naturally, you want to avoid all the common fake Windows Defender security warning triggers, but sometimes that's not enough. If you keep seeing these alerts despite caution, it is a sign that something more stubborn has penetrated into your system.

In this case, you should run a full malware scan and restore your web browser to default settings. Running a comprehensive scan is essential to identify and remove hidden malware that can trigger these false alarms. Additionally, restoring your web browser settings to defaults can help undo any changes that the malware may make, such as changing your startup page or search engines.

Tip : Learn how to view and manage saved passwords in Microsoft Edge.

To run a full malware scan on Windows, navigate to Settings -> Privacy and Security . In the Windows Security section, click the Open Windows Security button.

Go to the Virus and Threat Protection tab and click Scan options .

Select the full scan option and click Scan now .

Wait for the scan to complete. If Windows discovers any malware, follow the on-screen instructions to remove it.

When done, restore Edge to its default value. Launch the browser and click on the three horizontal dots in the upper right corner. Select the settings option.

Use the search bar in the upper right corner to find the "Restore settings to default values" option.

Click the results and confirm your decision to reset Microsoft Edge settings by clicking the Reset button.

If you are using another browser, such as Chrome, Opera, or Firefox, reset in a similar way: Go to Settings and look for an option to reset to default.

Tip : Can't Windows Security be turned on for you? Check out our list of solutions to solve your problem.

Cybersecurity skills are important

Learning how to identify Windows Defender Security Center scams is critical to your digital security. To further improve your cybersecurity skills, we recommend you familiar with how to remove viruses without antivirus software. After all, you never know when your antivirus software will fail or be unavailable.

Image source: Unsplash. All screenshots were taken by David Morelo.

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