Critical Warning 888-412-7389

So, you cannot access your Windows operating system, and Critical Warning 888-412-7389 window showed up. What does that mean? That certainly does NOT mean that your operating system was blocked due to suspicious activity, which is the claim made using the message inside the screen-locking window. That means that your operating system was affected by malware that, most likely, slithered in without any warning. According to our research team, it might be impossible to remove Critical Warning 888-412-7389 malware in normal mode, but it is possible to get rid of it. If you continue reading, you will learn more about the scam. You will learn how to delete malicious components using Safe Mode. Finally, you will learn how to prevent malware from attacking your operating system in the future. Please read thoroughly, and if you come up with questions, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments area.

Critical Warning 888-412-7389 is meant to imitate a BSOD (blue screen of death) message. It does not really achieve that, but the message can intimidate more gullible Windows users. To display the message, the attackers need to lock the screen, which they can do using a launched window. This window is launched as soon as a malicious file named “windows service.exe” is dropped and executed. According to our research team, this file should be found in the Startup folder to ensure that the victim cannot just restart the computer to bypass it. Nonetheless, other locations are possible as well. An alternative location that has been used is the %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\ljs\norton care\ folder. It was found that the file usually travels using bundles, which means that it comes attached to other programs. As you might have figured out yourself, these other programs could be malicious too. Therefore, when you think about deleting Critical Warning 888-412-7389, you also need to think about other threats that might exist on your operating system. Once you regain access to the system, you should employ a legitimate malware scanner to inspect it and determine if there are threats that require removal.

The message represented via the Critical Warning 888-412-7389 window informs that the computer is blocked because the license key is “revoked.” It is stated that “suspicious activity” was detected and that it is necessary to contact the Windows Technical Support. First of all, if you did not do anything illegal, it should be obvious that this is all just a scam. Even if you admit to doing something illegal, we hope that you are smart enough not to fall for the trick. The number that allegedly represents Windows Technical Support is fictitious, and that is not hard to check. All you have to do is enter the number into a search engine on a malware-free PC or smartphone and see what comes up. Alternatively, you can check what the real Windows support number is, and you will see that it does not match 888-412-7389. Our researchers also warn that other numbers could be used in place of this one; for example, 1-844-313-6006. If you call any of these scam numbers, the schemers could trick you into disclosing your Windows license numbers or paying for bogus services. Hopefully, you have not called schemers, and the only thing you need to worry about is how to remove malicious files and regain access to the operating system.

As we mentioned already, closing the Critical Warning 888-412-7389 window in normal mode is not possible. However, you can reboot your Windows operating system in Safe Mode. This mode should be used if you decide to delete Critical Warning 888-412-7389 malware manually, which might not be the easiest of tasks, considering that we cannot give you the exact location of the launcher file. Another option is to reboot in Safe Mode with Networking and install a reliable anti-malware tool that will for sure delete every single malware component. This is especially helpful if other threats exist. When it comes to keeping your system guarded against malware in the future, if you use anti-malware software, all you need to do is remain cautious about the files you download. Hopefully, even if you execute a malicious installer by accident, the anti-malware tool will remove it. If you want to handle protection on your own, you will have to think every time you download, click, and open anything online.

Critical Warning 888-412-7389 Removal

Reboot Windows 10/Windows 8 in Safe Mode/Safe Mode with Networking

1. Tap keys Ctrl+Alt+Delete and expand the Shut down menu.
2. Click Restart while pressing the Shift key on the keyboard.
3. Open the Troubleshoot menu and click Advanced options.
4. Navigate to Startup Settings and then click Restart.
5. Choose Safe Mode (F4) or Safe Mode with Networking (F5).
6. When the PC reboots, delete malware components.

Reboot Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP in Safe Mode/Safe Mode with Networking

1. Press the power button on the computer to restart it.
2. Wait for the BIOS screen to load and start tapping F8 key immediately.
3. In the boot menu select Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and then tap Enter.
4. When the PC reboots, delete malware components.

Delete malware components

1. Tap keys Win+E keys to launch Windows Explorer.
2. Enter the following paths into the quick access field to access the Startup folder:
   • %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
   • %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
   • %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
   • %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
   • %USERPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
3. Delete the file named windows service.exe if it exists.
4. Enter %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\ljs\norton care\ into the quick access field.
5. If windows service.exe file exists here, Delete it.
6. Empty Recycle Bin and then restart the computer back to Normal Mode.
7. Install a trusted malware scanner to check if you have eliminated all threats.