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By , IT support technician

Quick Answer

A real Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) never displays a phone number or asks you to call anyone. If your blue screen shows a phone number, it is a scam — press Ctrl+Alt+Delete or hold the power button for 10 seconds to close it.

Understanding Fake BSOD Scams — How to Tell a Real Blue Screen from a Fake One ​

Estimated Time to Fix: 2 minutes

Applies to: Windows 11, Windows 10, General Security
Article Type: Informational
Last Updated: 2026-07-20

Summary ​

This article explains how to identify a fake "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) generated by a malicious website, how it differs from a real Windows crash, and what to do if you encounter one.

Prerequisites ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

1. Identify the Warning Signs of a Fake BSOD ​

  1. It has a phone number: A real Windows Blue Screen of Death will never display a phone number and tell you to call "Microsoft Support". This is the biggest giveaway of a scam.
  2. It happens inside a web browser: If you were browsing the internet (especially streaming or downloading sites) when the blue screen appeared, it is likely a fake screen drawn over your browser window.
  3. It plays an alarm or automated voice: Real Windows crashes are completely silent. If you hear a loud beeping alarm or a robotic voice reading the error message, it is a scam.

2. Identify a Real Windows BSOD ​

  1. A genuine Windows BSOD will typically display a sad face emoticon :(.
  2. It will state that "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart."
  3. It will usually have a percentage counter (e.g., "20% complete") as it gathers error data.
  4. It will provide a "Stop Code" at the bottom (e.g., CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA).
  5. After a few moments, the computer will automatically restart itself.

3. Escape a Fake BSOD Safely ​

  1. Do not call the phone number. Do not click any buttons on the screen.
  2. Press the F11 key on your keyboard to exit the browser's full-screen mode.
  3. If F11 doesn't work, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  4. Find your web browser (e.g., Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) in the list, right-click it, and select End task.
  5. When you reopen your browser, do not click "Restore Pages".

Troubleshooting ​

DANGER

If you called the number on a fake BSOD screen and allowed the "technician" to remotely access your computer, disconnect your PC from the internet immediately, then contact your IT Help Desk (or a local computer repair shop if you do not have one). Tell them the website address you were on, the phone number shown on the screen, whether you called it, and whether you typed any password or let anyone connect while they were watching — that last answer decides which passwords need changing. Your computer may now be compromised.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Task Manager won't openScreen lock scriptPress Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Sign out. This will force-close all applications, including the fake web browser popup.
The screen won't go away even after restartingStartup malwareIf a simple restart doesn't fix it, the scam may have installed malware. Run a full Windows Defender scan.