I clicked a link in a strange message. What now?

Take a breath. This happens to many people, and it is not your fault. Most of the time, just clicking a link does no harm on its own. Here is what to do, in order.

1. Stop. Do not type anything else into the page that opened. Do not enter a password, a code, or any numbers.
2. Close the page. Close the window or the tab. On an iPhone or iPad without a Home button, swipe up from the bottom and stop in the middle of the screen, then flick the app up and away. With a Home button, press it twice quickly, then flick the app up and away. On an Android phone, tap the button with three lines or a square at the bottom of the screen (or swipe up from the bottom and hold), then swipe the app up and away.
3. Hang up if someone is on the phone with you. A real company will not mind if you hang up and call back on a number you already have.
4. If you typed a password, change it right away. Do it from the real app or the real website, not from the link. Start with your email password, because email is the key to your other accounts.
5. If you typed bank or card numbers, call the number printed on the back of your card. Tell them what happened. They can watch the account and replace the card.
6. Do not let anyone connect to your computer. No real company will ask you to.

You do not need to figure out the rest alone. We can come to your home, look at your devices with you, and check your accounts one by one. We will write down what we did so you have it.

If you are not sure whether anything bad happened, that is fine. Call us and we will talk it through.

Still stuck? Call us at (540) 613-1472.