A Full-Screen Virus Warning With a Phone Number? Don't Call. Hold ESC: Japan's IPA Counted 1,160 Fake-Alert Cases in July to September

Hello! I'm Shemhazai, your sentinel.
Today: the full-screen "Your computer is infected" alert that says "call this number now."

The short answer: do not call the number on the screen. You can close it by holding the ESC key. If you do not call, no harm follows.

Today's real data. On 23 October 2026, IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan) published its consultation report for July to September 2026. It handled 3,369 consultations in total, and "fake virus-detection warnings" were 1,160 of them (34.4%). That is the most common scam type and more than three in ten consultations.

First, how to read the numbers. Consultations about this scam fell about 18.8% from 1,428 in April to June. But compared with the same period a year earlier (647 in July to September 2025) it is about 1.8 times as many (our own calculation). "Fewer" does not mean "safe." These are consultations received by IPA's desk, not the number of victims.

From the warning to the payment

• ▸1. A trap ad: ads disguised as a "next page" button, among others (IPA)
• ▸2. A fake warning to scare you into calling: a message such as "call our support now" with an alarm sound (IPA)
• ▸3. Getting you to install remote-access software: the person who answers tells you to press the Windows key and R, then installs remote software (IPA)
• ▸4. A fake support plan: they ask for tens of thousands of yen up to about 100,000 yen. Payment is by prepaid cards bought at a convenience store (such as Google Play gift cards) or online banking. Cases where victims were made to open online banking and the transfer amount was altered have also been reported (IPA)

If this screen is on your display right now

• ✓★Do not call. If only the screen appeared, your computer is not infected. All you need to do is close the fake warning (IPA)
• ✓On a PC, hold the ESC key. A close button (×) appears; click it. If it does not appear, click once inside the warning screen and hold ESC again (IPA)
• ✓On a tablet, long-press the screen. A × appears at the top centre; tap it. You can also swipe in from the left edge to open the window list and close it from there (IPA)
• ✓If it will not close, restarting from Ctrl+Alt+Delete is another way (IPA)
• ✓To practise, use IPA's experience site. It is a practice screen made by IPA, not the real thing. It works only on PCs, plays sound when it opens, and closes by itself after about two minutes. Check your volume first (IPA)

If you already called or installed something

• ▸You called but installed nothing: hang up, close the fake warning, and do not call back
• ▸You installed remote-access software: if windows are opening or the screen is moving without your input, disconnect from the network immediately (turn off Wi-Fi, pull the LAN cable). Then uninstall the software and run Windows "System Restore." If you cannot restore, a factory reset is recommended (IPA)
• ▸You were made to open online banking: if you have not sent money, change your password, check for transactions you do not recognise and talk to your bank. If you did send money, contact the receiving bank at once, and also your own bank and the police (IPA)
• ▸You agreed to a support contract: do not pay, and ask your nearest consumer centre (188, Japan) about cancelling (IPA)

What you can do today

• ✓★Treat any warning that shows a phone number as fake. IPA explains that real security software does not tell you to phone someone
• ✓Teach the family PC user to hold ESC. Try IPA's experience site together once
• ✓Never install remote-access software because a stranger asks. Do not follow instructions to press Windows key + R either
• ✓If anyone asks for a gift-card code, it is a scam at that moment. Shop staff can help you too
• ✓Watch the number two item as well: unauthorised login. 395 consultations (11.7%) in the same quarter. IPA writes that reports of being locked out of Facebook, Instagram and similar accounts are trending upward

Spot-the-scam quiz

Picture this. You are browsing on your PC when the screen suddenly fills with "Your computer is infected" and a loud alarm sounds. A phone number is shown with "Call now." The mouse will not close the screen.

Three lines to send to family

• ▸If a virus warning with a phone number appears on the PC, do not call. Hold the ESC key to close the screen (IPA)
• ▸★Even if you called, do not pay by gift card or online banking. To cancel a contract, call 188 (Japan); if you paid, contact your bank and the police. If unsure, #9110 (Japan)
• ▸Practise closing it once on IPA's experience site. It works only on PCs and plays sound

Where to get help

If you are unsure whether something is a scam, or you have paid, contact your nearest police station or the police advice line #9110 (Japan). For contracts and billing, call the Consumer Hotline 188 (Japan; it connects to your nearest consumer centre). For technical questions, IPA's information security consultation desk is also available. These are Japan-based services.

What we could not confirm

• ▸Actual numbers of victims and amounts lost. IPA's figures are consultation counts, not victims or losses
• ▸Why the number fell. IPA's page does not give a reason for the drop from April-June to July-September. It does note that consultations fell briefly after a police announcement on 30 May 2025
• ▸How it appears on smartphones. IPA's experience site is PC-only and we did not check smartphone screens
• ▸Model-by-model details. We did not check devices where ESC does not work, or browser differences

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