Remove “Your Windows Has Been Banned” virus (Support Scam)

If your computer is locked, and you are seeing an “Your Windows Has Been Banned” notification asking you to call a support phone number, then your machine is infected with a piece of malware known as Rogue.Tech-Support.

Your Windows Has Been Banned virus

Microsoft does not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to request personal or financial information or fix your computer. Treat all unsolicited phone calls or pop-ups with skepticism. Do not provide any personal information.

This ransomware program displays an “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen when you start Windows that attempts to scare users into calling a remote tech support number (1-914-465-0012).

These alerts are shown in such a way as to trick the user into thinking their computer has crashed or that a virus has been detected on the computer. It does this to try and scare the infected user into calling one of the listed numbers in order to receive support. In reality, though, they will only be greeted with people who are trying to sell them unneeded support contracts and services.
When you call the number listed in the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen , you will be told that your Windows product key is invalid and that you will need to pay $99.99 USD for a new one.

When the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” malicious program is installed it will also change a variety of Windows settings. This allows it to display the fake “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen, which overlaps your entire screen, without fear that you can terminate it.

The text of the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen is:

Your Windows Has Been Banned
Your PC has been banned because we detected an unusual activity on your computer. To protect the windows service and its member your PC maybe has been infected with viruses that do an usual activity like botnet,ddos,etc to grant access back to your computer please pay some fee to trusted Microsoft Technician and the Microsoft Technician will give you a code to unlock to get a code please click button down to below to contact the nearest Microsoft Technician.

Thanks for buying the unlock code from me! You are fooled i am not microsoft To Remove My Virus Follow the Instructions 1) Enter “123456” as a Unlock Code 2) Open Start Menu 3) Go to Start Up 4) Delete the exe file “AdvancedRansomware1.exe”

Whatever you do, please do not call the phone number for support because it is not Microsoft’s but rather a group of scammers waiting to rob you of hundreds of dollars under false pretenses.

How to remove “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen (Removal Guide)

This page is a comprehensive guide which will remove the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen from Windows. Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance.

STEP 1 : Remove the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen

In this first step we will remove the “Your Windows Has Been Banned” lock screen from Windows.

You can try to get out of the lock screen by typing”123456” in the main form and click on the “Submit” button. You will get a confirmation prompt. Close that prompt and you will be sent back to your desktop.

Because there are many versions of this malware, which behave differently, we have provided multiple options to remove the malicious lock screen.

OPTION 1: Remove the malicious lock screen with HitmanPro.Kickstart

HitmanPro.Kickstart is the solution against ransomware and other persistent malware that has taken your computer hostage or prevents normal computer use.
Because this infection has locked you out of your computer, we will need to create a bootable USB drive that contains the HitmanPro.Kickstart program. We will then boot the infected machine with the HitmanPro.Kickstart USB drive, and use the program to clean the infection.

  1. Using a “clean” (non-infected) computer, please download HitmanPro from the below link.
    HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “HitmanPro”)
  2. Once HitmanPro has been downloaded on the clean machine, insert an USB flash drive and double-click on the file named HitmanPro.exe (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or HitmanPro_x64.exe (for 64-bit versions of Windows).
    To create a bootable HitmanPro USB drive, please follow the instructions from this video:
  3. Once you have created the bootable HitmanPro.Kickstart USB drive, insert the USB into the computer infected with the “This user is disabled” lock screen.
  4. After you have inserted the HitmanPro Kickstart USB drive, boot your machine from the HitmanPro.Kickstart USB as seen in the below video.
  5. The malicious lock screen should be removed from your machine. It’s recommended that you perform a system scan with Malwarebytes and HitmanPro as see in the below steps.

OPTION 2: Start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking

If the above options did not work for your machine, then we will need to start the computer in Safe Mode with Networking to bypass the lock screen.

  1. Immediately after the computer is powered on or restarted (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key in 1 second intervals.
    F8 Key
  2. After your computer displays hardware information and runs a memory test, the Advanced Boot Options menu will appear.
    F8 Safe Mode
  3. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER.
  4. After you have started your machine in Safe Mode with Networking, run a system scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as seen in the below step.

STEP 2: Scan your computer with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a powerful on-demand scanner which should remove the Your Windows Has Been Banned ransomware. It is important to note that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.

  1. You can download download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware from the below link.
    MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “Malwarebytes Anti-Malware”)
  2. Once downloaded, close all programs, then double-click on the icon on your desktop named “mbam-setup” to start the installation of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
    Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Icon
    You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
    Windows asking permission to install Malwarebytes
  3. When the installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard which will guide you through the installation process.
    Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard
    To install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your machine, keep following the prompts by clicking the “Next” button.
    Malwarebytes Anti-Malware setup wizard
  4. Once installed, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically start and will update the antivirus database. To start a system scan you can click on the “Scan Now” button.
    Start a scan with Malwarebytes scan
  5. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for malware. When Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is scanning it will look like the image below.
    Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scanning for malware
  6. When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes Anti-malware has found, click on the “Remove Selected” button.
    To remove malware click on the Remove Selected button
  7. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now quarantine all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. When removing the files, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot your computer, please allow it to do so.
    When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 3: Double-check for malware with HitmanPro

HitmanPro can find and remove malware, adware, bots, and other threats that even the best antivirus suite can oftentimes miss. HitmanPro is designed to run alongside your antivirus suite, firewall, and other security tools.

  1. You can download HitmanPro from the below link:
    HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “HitmanPro”)
  2. Double-click on the file named “HitmanPro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “HitmanPro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows).
    HitmanPro Icon
    Click on the “Next” button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.
    HitmanPro setup process
  3. HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malware.
    HitmanPro scanning for malware
  4. When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the “Next” button, to remove malware.
    HitmanPro detected malware
  5. Click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
    Activate HitmanPro to remove malware

Your computer should now be free of the Your Windows Has Been Banned lock screen.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Your Windows Has Been Banned virus from your machine, you can ask for help in our Malware Removal Assistance forum.

10 Rules to Avoid Online Scams

Here are 10 practical safety rules to help you avoid malware, online shopping scams, crypto scams, and other online fraud. Each tip includes a quick “if you already got hit” action.

  1. Stop and verify before you click, log in, download, or pay.

    warning sign

    Most scams win by creating urgency. Verify using a trusted method: type the website address yourself, use the official app, or call a known number (not the one in the message).

    If you already clicked: close the page, do not enter passwords, and run a malware scan.

  2. Keep your operating system, browser, and apps updated.

    updates guide

    Updates patch security holes used by malware and malicious ads. Turn on automatic updates where possible.

    If you saw a scary “update now” pop-up: close it and update only through your device settings or the official app store.

  3. Use layered protection: antivirus plus an ad blocker.

    shield guide

    Antivirus helps block malware. An ad blocker reduces scam redirects, phishing pages, and malvertising.

    If your browser is acting weird: remove unknown extensions, reset the browser, then run a full scan.

  4. Install apps, software, and extensions only from official sources.

    install guide

    Avoid cracked software, “keygens,” and random downloads. During installs, choose Custom/Advanced and decline bundled offers you do not recognize.

    If you already installed something suspicious: uninstall it, restart, and scan again.

  5. Treat links and attachments as untrusted by default.

    cursor sign

    Phishing often impersonates delivery services, banks, and popular brands. If it is unexpected, do not open attachments or log in through the message.

    If you entered credentials: change the password immediately and enable 2FA.

  6. Shop safely: research the store, then pay with protection.

    trojan horse

    Be cautious with brand-new stores, “closing sale” stories, and prices that make no sense. Prefer credit cards or PayPal for dispute options. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto payments.

    If you already paid: contact your card issuer or PayPal quickly to dispute the transaction.

  7. Crypto rule: never pay a “fee” to withdraw or recover money.

    lock sign

    Common patterns include fake profits, then “tax,” “gas,” or “verification” fees. Another is a “recovery agent” who demands upfront crypto.

    If you already sent crypto: stop paying, save evidence (wallet addresses, TXIDs, chats), and report the scam to the platform used.

  8. Secure your accounts with unique passwords and 2FA (start with email).

    lock sign

    Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. Enable 2FA using an authenticator app when possible.

    If you suspect an account takeover: change passwords, sign out of all devices, and review recent logins and recovery settings.

  9. Back up important files and keep one backup offline.

    backup sign

    Backups protect you from ransomware and device failure. Keep at least one backup on an external drive that is not always connected.

    If you suspect infection: do not connect backup drives until the system is clean.

  10. If you think you are a victim: stop losses, document evidence, and escalate fast.

    warning sign

    Move quickly. Speed matters for disputes, account recovery, and limiting damage.

    • Stop payments and contact: do not send more money or respond to the scammer.
    • Call your bank or card issuer: block transactions, replace the card if needed, and start a dispute or chargeback.
    • Secure your email first: change the email password, enable 2FA, and remove unfamiliar recovery options.
    • Secure other accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, and log out of all sessions.
    • Scan your device: remove suspicious apps or extensions, then run a full malware scan.
    • Save evidence: screenshots, emails, order pages, tracking pages, wallet addresses, TXIDs, and chat logs.
    • Report it: to the payment provider, marketplace, social platform, exchange, or wallet service involved.

These rules are intentionally simple. Most online losses happen when decisions are rushed. Slow down, verify independently, and use payment methods and account controls that give you recourse.

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