A ChatGPT “Verification” Asking You to Run a Command? Stop
Scammers are using convincing ChatGPT pages and fake verification screens to trick people into installing malware. Close the page if it asks you to paste a command into Windows.
Back to AlertsIf a page claiming to be ChatGPT asks you to paste a command into Windows to prove you are human, stop. Research published by Island on October 1 describes search ads leading people to attacker-created ChatGPT content, then to a supposed backup website with a fake verification screen.
The instructions can install software that gives criminals remote access to a Windows computer. The familiar website names make the request convincing: some of the deceptive content appeared on real ChatGPT pages created by other users.
PAUSE signs in this scam
- U — Unusual requests: A website asks you to open Windows Run or PowerShell and paste a command.
- E — Examine independently: A sponsored search result or familiar website address does not make every instruction safe.
Safest response: Close the page. Do not paste or run the command.
Learn all five PAUSE warning signs →
✅ What to do
Open the service through your saved bookmark or its official app. Ignore messages directing you to a “backup” site to regain access. A human-verification check should not require you to run commands on your computer.
If you already ran the command, disconnect that computer from the internet and get help from a trusted computer professional. Use a different, trusted device to secure important accounts. If you used banking services afterward, contact your bank through the number on your card.
Read the Island research and Huntress investigation.