Ransom Ware on Microsoft Edge

The other day I was helping Penny install a clean version of Windows 10 on her laptop.  After the installation was complete we needed to set up her Email in Microsoft Edge.  I made a search for the Outlook Email web site.  The query resulted in a number of different web sites and I didn’t examine them as closely as I should have and clicked on one.

Up came a web page window along with a window with a voice saying “Your system has reported a virus and you need to call this number immediately”  It would not allow me to “X” down Microsoft Edge and the computer was locked with the voice repeating that we needed to call that number.  I then used task manager to exit Microsoft Edge and got control of the computer back but when I launched Edge again it came up to the exact same web site with the annoying voice requesting I call the telephone number.

I have heard of a few people who have actually called the number provided them with a credit card to pay $500 to get the problem fixed.  One person managed to negotiate them down to $300 and another who paid the amount, got the computer fixed and then called Visa to have the transaction cancelled.

There is a wide variety of Ransom ware but here is how I fixed this one:

1.       To exit Microsoft Edge:

a.       While holding down the Ctrl and Shift key hit Esc

b.      When the task manager comes up select Microsoft Edge

c.       Then click “End Task”

2.       Where you see “Ask me anything” (Cortana)

a.       Type any web site e.g. google.com

b.      This will bring up Microsoft Edge in another tab.  The Ransom ware site is still in the first tab but your site will appear and you still have control of Edge

c.       Click on “…” ( Three Dots) in the top right corner

d.      Click on “Settings”

e.      Look for “Clear browsing data” and click on “Choose what to clear”

f.        Select every box and then hit “Clear”

3.       Close Microsoft Edge

Now when you bring Microsoft Edge up the Ransom ware web page will be gone.