Get rid of fake pop up virus alerts because my defender is just fine and up to date

These are fake tech support / scareware pop‑ups coming from websites or browser notifications, not from Microsoft Defender. Defender being up to date is good; the goal is to stop the browser-based alerts.

Do the following in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11:

1. Turn off malicious site notifications
   1. Open Microsoft Edge.
   2. Select Settings (three dots … in the top-right) → Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Notifications.
   3. Under the Allow list, remove or block any sites you don’t recognize (these are often random-looking domains, not Microsoft).
2. Close any “locked” or fake warning pages If a page is pretending to lock the screen or shows a fake Defender/Windows error:
   1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del.
   2. Open Task Manager.
   3. End all Edge (or other browser) processes to close the fake page. These scam pages often run full-screen, disable Task Manager, or loop pop-ups, but they are just web pages, not real system alerts.
3. Block pop-ups and intrusive ads
   1. In Edge, go to Settings → Cookies and site permissions.
   2. Set Pop-ups and redirects to Block.
   3. Under Ads, choose to block ads on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads.
4. Keep using Microsoft Defender and Windows security
   1. Ensure Microsoft Defender Antivirus is enabled and up to date.
   2. Run a full scan to confirm there is no actual malware.
5. General protection rules
   • Do not call any phone number shown in a pop-up or “virus alert.” Real Microsoft error messages never include a phone number or ask to call support.
   • Download software only from official vendor sites or the Microsoft Store.
   • Use Microsoft Edge with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen enabled to block known scam sites.

If any site or pop-up asked for remote access or payment, uninstall anything they had installed, run a full Defender scan, change important passwords, and contact financial institutions if any payment was made.

More detailed guidance on these scams and how to protect against them is available in Microsoft’s tech support scam documentation.

References:

• Protect yourself from tech support scams
• Tech support scams
• Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses
• Microsoft Defender Scam or Do I have a virus on my computer - Microsoft Q&A
• How can I remove McAfee Norton Pop Ups on Windows 11? It is not showing up on Apps or Task Manager. - Microsoft Q&A
• I WAS HACKED - Microsoft Q&A
• Windows defender scam - Microsoft Q&A
• why can't you block AnyTech365.com....they are a scam company posing as Microsoft supported, stealing information? - Microsoft Q&A