I think I may have been hacked

Deborah Price 0 Reputation points
2026-10-07T22:01:17.6166667+00:00

This afternoon my screen on my laptop locked up and had page that said to call 844-404-2642 to get unlocked. He said his name was Peter. He took me through a bunch of stuff and said I had been hacked along with a lot of other stuff. He supposedly fixed my problem and said someone used my account to purchase child porn and he was having FTC call me that was associated with my bank. I don't know if any of this was legit and wanted to know if you have a report of someone fixing my account todaay,

Windows for home | Other | Security and privacy
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-07T22:01:31.3566667+00:00

    This was a tech support scam, not legitimate Microsoft support. Microsoft will never proactively contact someone to provide unsolicited PC or technical support, and genuine Microsoft error or warning messages never include a phone number to call.

    Since remote access was allowed, take these steps immediately:

    1. Disconnect the laptop from the internet.
    2. Uninstall any applications the scammer asked to install.
    3. Run a full antivirus scan:
      • Open Virus and threat protection
      • Select Scan options > Full scan > Scan now
    4. Apply security updates as soon as they are available.
    5. Change passwords after the malware scan completes. If sign-in fails, use the Microsoft account password reset flow.
    6. Check Microsoft account settings for unexpected changes, especially:
      • connected accounts
      • forwarding
      • automatic replies
    7. Monitor sign-in activity and watch for unusual account activity.
    8. Contact the bank or financial institution if any payment information was shared.

    If the Microsoft account may have been compromised, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper. It can provide self-help steps or offer the chance to talk to an agent.

    There is no supported way here to verify that a person named “Peter” legitimately fixed the account, and the behavior described matches documented tech support scam patterns.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. CrazyKats 19,925 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-07T22:09:08.0233333+00:00

    Hi Deborah,

    You have indeed been hacked.

    Never ever call those type of popup

    phone #'s or allow someone into your

    PC or give them informatin.

    Change ALL your passwords and notify

    your bank and all your credit card companies.

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