Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461

What is Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461?

Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 can cause some headaches for you if it manages to sneak onto your operating system. Although this fake alert cannot be called as dangerous as a ransomware infection, it can still put your system and your “pocket” into risk. Our malware researchers at anti-spyware-101.com call such malware as a technical support scam, due to its real nature. This fake alert pretends to be an authentic Windows activation window that asks for your product key so that you can go on using your computer. However, this infection blocks your programs and your screen, and you will not be able to normally use your system even if you actually enter your key. This is all about making you call the provided telephone number, 1-877-784-7461, where a supposed technician will assist you with your issue. Unfortunately, you might be scammed to purchase unnecessary software or a support service. But you should know that your issue is non-existent if this fake alert demands your product key. Luckily for you, we are here to help you remove Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 from your system right now. Please continue reading our report for the details.

Where does Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 come from?

User reports and our research both indicate that this fake alert is distributed by the same method applied by Trojans and ransomware programs: spam mails. The executable file arrives as a misleading attachment in a spam e-mail. This file can be disguised as a photo (.jpg), video (.mpg), or text file (.docx or .pdf). These deceptive mails use eye-catching subjects and fake senders to make you believe that you are dealing with a very important and urgent message. This can be a fake hotel reservation issue, a parcel delivery problem, or anything else that would make you want to open the attached file. We hope that you understand now the importance of being much more careful when it comes to checking your mails in your inbox. Unfortunately, a few spams do evade the filters and can pose a huge threat to your virtual security.

We advise you, therefore, never to open e-mails and attachments that come from unfamiliar or suspicious senders. When in doubt, you should always double-check with the sender if the mail and the attached file were really meant for you to receive. This way you can actually prevent similar threats to enter your computer. Prevention is very important when it comes to fake alerts and other infections because once they start their vicious missions, it may be too late to react. Fortunately, in this case you can get away with it if you delete Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461. If this were a ransomware attack, there would be a chance that you lose all your files that such an infection encrypts.

How does Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 work?

Our researchers have found that this fake alert is almost identical to a few recently emerged technical support scams that include “Fake warning (800)-794-3298,” “Windows Security Alert! 1-888-220-3607,” and “Windows Support. Call TollFree: +1 -855-441-4421.” The main purpose of this fake alert is to scare you and trick you into believing that there is a huge system error that requires that you provide your Windows activation key for some reason. When you run the downloaded executable file, this infection starts up and creates some Windows Registry entries so that this fake alert message can auto-run with Windows every time you reboot your system or switch on your computer. This way there is practically no escaping this threat.

The fake Windows Activation window in fact looks very convincing and identical to an authentic one. However, this fake alert blocks out your desktop with a black background and the activation window in the middle. This infection also blocks your .exe programs to stop your attempt to run anything that could help you get rid of it. Of course, even if you provide the necessary product key, your Windows will still not be activated and this threat does not go away. That is why the supposed support telephone number is given at the bottom of the window so you would most likely call it if all else fails. But calling this number could get you into trouble. As a matter of fact, you could be scammed to pay money for some totally unnecessary tools and services or you could also give up personal information. We do not advise you to engage with the potential schemers behind this attack. You should remove Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 right now.

How do I delete Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461?

In order to be able to stop the operation of this malware infection, you need to reboot your system in Safe Mode. Then, delete all related registry entries and folders. If you want to do this manually, please follow our instructions below. It is possible that you would like an automated option instead if you are not an experienced computer user. In this case, we advise you to find and install a reputable anti-malware program that will protect your PC from all existing malware infections. If you still have issues with the removal of Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461, please leave us a comment below.

How to reboot in Safe Mode

Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7

1. Reboot your system.
2. Keep tapping F8 to initiate the Boot Menu.
3. Select Safe Mode from the list and hit Enter.

Windows 8/Windows 8.1/Windows 10

1. Switch to the Metro UI screen and click on the Power icon.
2. Tap and hold the Shift key, and then choose Restart.
3. Go to Advanced options in the Troubleshooting menu.
4. Press Startup Settings and choose Restart.
5. Tap the F4 key to start your system in Safe Mode.

Remove Fake Activation Support 1-877-784-7461 from Windows

1. Tap Win+Q and enter regedit. Hit the Enter key.
2. Delete the "Microsoft Excel" value name from the following registry entries:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Wow6432Node\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (64-bit only!)
3. Tap Win+E simultaneously.
4. Delete the downloaded malicious file.
5. Delete “C:\Windows\Microsoft Excel” folder. (This infection installs its .exe file as “C:\Windows\Microsoft Excel\Microsoft Excel\Microsoft Excel.exe”.)
6. Empty the Recycle Bin.
7. Reboot your computer in Normal Mode.

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