GoKawiilNetskope tracks Google Ads scam campaign faking locked-computer warnings
Security firm Netskope reported a malicious Google Ads campaign that displayed fake security alerts telling Windows and Mac users their computers were locked, urging them to call fraudulent tech-support numbers. The ads appeared on legitimate sites like maps, weather and real estate pages, and used full-screen takeovers, hidden cursors and blocked keyboard shortcuts to simulate a system failure. Netskope says it observed clicks from users at 619 customer organizations between August 31 and September 14, mostly in the US, Japan and Australia, across more than 250 ad campaign IDs and 284 publisher sites.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The campaign didn't rely on malware but on psychological manipulation, showing how convincingly a browser can be made to mimic system failure to pressure victims into costly phone calls. Netskope's data covers only its own customers, suggesting the true scale of exposure could be far larger. The reliance on Google's ad network to reach trusted, high-traffic sites also raises questions about how such campaigns evade ad-platform screening.
- Fake lock-screen ads pushed users toward scam tech-support phone numbers rather than installing malware.
- Netskope observed the campaign hitting 619 customer organizations across 284 legitimate websites in about two weeks.
- The US, Japan and Australia were the most affected countries, with over 250 distinct Google Ads campaign IDs involved.
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See Malwarebytes Premium Security Software on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Skye Jacobs, 2026-09-28
Published there as: “Fake "locked computer" alerts in Google Ads are tricking users into calling tech-support scammers”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.