Pop ups on my grandmas computer

[Babs2392]

My grandma was working on her computer than she had a thing pop up saying the server dissault.com is asking for your user name and passord. The server reports that it is from Windows & Internet browser. .......... than it gives me a number to call. Also misspelled things on there too. The background as a webpage pulled up with windows and computer coding on it. Her antivirus stuff says page is infected and critical alert. 

[Dragon-Fur]

@Babs2392 

Well, there is no question in your post.

Usually, if your security software says something is infected AND if you do not know whether it is true, ACT like the message is true and do NOT click on anything you do not know.

Security software in a browser can alert the user to "scams" and things that the browser thinks are "bad".  If you (or Grandma) is unsure, treat the pop-up as hostile. 

Do NOT click on random pop-up messages.

Browser security differs by the particular browser - read more at your browser website or help pages.

Computer security varies - some is "free" (installed on the computer with Windows) and other software can be purchased.

Some security software also does a decent job of protecting you when you are on the Internet.  Details vary widely, of course.

So, as long as you warned your grandma that she should never click on sudden, random pop-up messages, especially those asking for information or sound threatening (for example, claiming: "Your computer is infected - Call this number!!"..)

Then 

Grandma will likely be OK.

From personal family experience with older computer users:

Elder people (those in late seventies and eighties, for example) are sometimes easily mislead by things that just a few years ago would have seem obvious.  This does NOT mean older people are not smart - it does mean that the older we are, the more likely we are to be tricked by the very sophisticated scammers that have flooded every aspect of our lives.

Warn Grandma and ask her to ask for help if she sees anything at all that is new, weird, threatening, or "out of place".

Semi-related, though the article is directed at using our community and using HP services:

HP Fraud Alert: Protect Yourself from Scams, Report Suspicious Calls

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