I fell for a tech support scam while trying to access my health patient portal today, October 24, 2025. After encountering a barrage of pop-ups and a loud alarm claiming my computer was locked, I panicked and called the number they provided. I ended up speaking with individuals who told me to download Ultraviewer so they could supposedly help. In my anxious state, I complied and shared a code with them, allowing them access to my computer. They frightened me with warnings about criminal activity and tried to pry personal information, like my nonexistent bank account details, out of me. Fortunately, I recorded our conversation and contacted Microsoft later to have Ultraviewer removed from my system. Now I'm worried about how much trouble I'm in and what steps to take next. I'd really appreciate any advice or guidance on what to do to secure my computer and myself.
3 Answers
If you're really worried, create a Linux USB recovery stick on another computer. Boot from this USB, back up any important files to an external drive, then format your PC and reinstall Windows. After what they did, it's better to start fresh to ensure everything's secure.
First and foremost, don't ever call a number that pops up on your screen during such warnings. That’s always a scam. They're usually trying to trick you into giving them money or access to your accounts. Once you uninstall Ultraviewer, you should be in the clear. Just remember to change any passwords you might have entered while they had access.
Yeah, I totally understand how panicking can mess with your judgment. It's just a lesson learned, but no more calls to random numbers!
Just make sure to uninstall Ultraviewer completely. Since you didn’t actually log into anything important while they were on your computer, you should be okay. Microsoft won't be able to do anything more, so just focus on moving on from this. Don’t worry too much about it.
I did try logging into my accounts when they were connected. Do you think I’m still alright?
Could you please explain how to create that USB step by step? I’m not very good with tech.