The most common form of Microsoft Security Alert fraud occurs through malware pop-ups on everyday websites that you might accidentally visit.

If you download an app or play an online game from the wrong site, you can introduce Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) to your computer. In addition to redirecting your web browsers to unsafe sites, the programs record information about you and your systems while spamming you with malicious pop-ups.

Cybercriminals have developed several variations of this program, but the basic version of the scam has a few distinguishing features.

First, you receive a fake pop-up that closely resembles a legitimate antivirus alert from Microsoft Security Alert. The pop-up informs you that a virus has infected your system and that you need to download and install the necessary antivirus software and call the provided number to contact technical support.