Hey, yesterday I just received robot call from 800-558-9204 announcing EMERGENCY, Microsoft Windows license key has expired. To renew license please call 800-558-9204.” I returned the call and a woman’s voice (American accent) directed me to call a number regarding a Microsoft license key that had expired and told me my computer would be “shut down” if I did not renew my license key. I am not a computer literate and don’t understand if this phone message from real Microsoft. I’m afraid if someone will hack my computer but now my computer is really blocked by a license key needs to be renewed warning and I can’t go any further. Could you please help me?
Got a call from Microsoft saying my Windows license key was expired – Is it real?
Call from Microsoft saying my Windows license key was expired is a scam phone message which is from those scam tech support actually. Scam tech support mainly uses this scaring phone call message to scare and defraud people out of money. Scam tech support call and tell phone this fake message “Windows license key was expired” illegally in the name of Microsoft. Once people scare and trust this phone message is from Microsoft, they will continue to redirect victims to call some toll free number, and then the person on the other side of phone will state your computer is seriously in terrible condition and urgently need a Microsoft Windows license renew as your Windows license key was expired, and you may asked to purchase their products or service at a high price or you may be asked to be remotely controlled by someone from other side of that phone number. Here, you should notice that the produces or services are not secured and even be bundled with malicious software, if you buy and install the products they offer, it would be a bid threat to computer security once malicious software is installed into system. Besides, if you let someone remotely control and check your computer, that person may put virus or malware into system or hack your system and get some important data and privacy. Anyway, don’t trust any words from scam phone message “Windows license key was expired”, as it just pretends to be Microsoft company, but there is no real Microsoft technician.
Here below is the screenshot of this fake Warning “Your Windows Licence was Expired” Lock Screen:
How You can Get “Your Windows Licence was Expired” Scam Message?
Got a Call from Microsoft Saying My Windows License Key was Expired, don’t know how do you get this warning screen? Now the scam becomes upgraded by cyber criminals or these tech support scam. They even create ransomware, malware or scareware and put these malicious software on the internet to expect victims’ computer get infected. Once the computer gets infected, the computer will soon blocked by a big warning message “Windows license key was expired”. You are not allowed to go any further in traditional way, which looks like victims have to call the number it offers on that blocking warning message. “Windows license key was expired” blocking warning comes when you click phishing links, ads, lottery, coupon, discount or flash picture or video from malicious and hacked websites. Therefore, in order to avoid getting this kind of malware. You pay more attention to online popups and links. Even though you receive this scam warning, you should first logically figure out what is it or search some information about this “Windows license key was expired” from Microsoft.
NOTE: If you find any of symptoms mentioned on your computer, your PC is under attack and seriously infected with this or other kind of ransomware. If you are not a computer savvy, Please contact YooSecurity Online PC Experts to remove this fake warning message for you.
Manual Removal Guide of This Fake Alert Message Windows license key was expired (For Computer Literate)
There is a removal guide of “Windows Licence has Expired” Lock Screen provided here; however, expertise is required during the process of removal, please make sure you are capable to do it by yourself.
Step 1: Press CTRL, SHIFT and ESC these three keys together at the same time to pull up Windows Task Manager; click Processes tab on top and scroll down the list to find and end odd processes causing this lockout. Names of the processes are random.
Step 2: Open Control Panel from Start Menu, then open Programs, click on Uninstall a program. Find suspicious programs or tool-bars related to the “ Windows Licence has Expired” malware. Right click on it and select Uninstall.
Step 3: Go to Folder Options in Control Panel, select the View tab, and then mark “Show hidden files, folders, and drivers” and unmark “Hide protected operating system files” (Recommended) and then click Apply or OK.
Step 4: Go to Registry Editor to delete the path of the related items with the fake warning alert lock screen.
Step 5: Clear all history, data and cookies of your infected web browser.
This fake “Windows Licence has Expired” Popup has the ability to insert into web browser and spy on user’s online activities, so it is suggested to delete all history, data and cookies of the infected web browser before a complete removal. Take Internet Explorer for example:
a. From the “Tool” menu button in the upper-right corner of the Internet Explorer window, choose “Safety” > “Delete browsing history…“.
b. Then tick Cookie and website data and History, click Delete.
Step 6: Change your homepage of the infected web browser (Take Internet Explorer as Example)
From the Navigation toolbar in Internet Explorer, click Tools menu and select Internet Options, then click General tab, and input the URL you want into the Home page box and then click OK.
Similar video on browser hijacker removal:
Conclusion:
If you get any phone message saying your “ Windows Licence has Expired”, you should notice this is actually a scam thing created by cyber criminals and scam tech support guys. similarly, if your computer is blocked by Windows Licence has Expired notification, don’t trust it and dial that given free toll number. On the phone, the person will continue to falsely direct you and ask you to purchase something useless or contract with junk service. In reality, Windows Licence has Expired scam warning is not from legitimate tech Support Company like Microsoft even though it pastes a phone number on this fake error screen. And don’t be a fool to call the toll free number to ask so-called technical assistance to fix the problem. This false message is actually caused by adware, scareware or malware thing. It aims at displaying fake message to scaring people and then convinces people that there is risk on computer. Then it can redirect people to call and sell their product or service at a high price. Actually you don’t connect with a real tech support but a scammer when you call the number. What you should do is to remove the malicious adware or malware causing fake Windows Licence has Expired as early as possible.
Suggestion: Got a Call from Microsoft Saying My Windows License Key was Expired but can’t get out of this lock screen scam message? Contact online experts for help now!
Published by Tony Shepherd & last updated on February 23, 2017 2:11 am
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