McAfee Email Scam Targets Your Credentials

This phishing scheme involves emails that guide users to a malicious webpage, mimicking the design of a simple login site. While scams involving email messages from strangers may employ various tactics, this particular scam impersonates routine notifications from McAfee concerning account details or user licenses. Offers might include a free license for one year, a prompt to approve changes to McAfee policies, or a reminder to renew a soon-to-expire license. However, the phrasing of these messages often renders them suspicious, as genuine communications from McAfee would not include such claims. Is there a specific McAfee scam email circulating in 2023 within the cybersecurity community?

At the bottom of the email, or within the text itself, there is a link or button you can click to get more details. Regardless of the lure, it leads to a phishing page—one that mimics the McAfee login page or a fraudulent survey site. The former is typical of more alarming messages, while the latter usually accompanies offers of gifts. Does McAfee send these types of emails?

The phishing login page features only two states: the default one and a “wrong login/password” notification beneath the credential fields. No matter what you enter, the information is sent directly to fraudsters who can then take control of your account. Additionally, from the phishing page designed to steal your credentials, the site may also include a download button. This button could install software that you would never willingly download, such as adware or rogue applications, which are commonly linked to such scams.

Pseudo-giveaway that promises you a gift will likely ask you for your personal information. Shady persons on the Darknet are willing to pay a lot for a database of users’ information. The pack of name/surname/physical address/email address/system information et cetera gives a lot of advantages for other scams.

Rarely, the message may contain the attached file, and the text allows you to open it instead of following the link. In this file, you’re supposed to see details about the changes in the terms or other stuff they used as a disguise for a letter. This attachment (often a .docx or .xlsx document) contains a virus.

How Dangerous is the McAfee Email Scam?

The main risk associated with following the instructions in a scam email is the theft of your account credentials and personal information. While sharing information with various online services might seem commonplace, these services are typically bound by GDPR rules to keep your data confidential. However, cybercriminals obtaining your information through phishing do not adhere to any rules or laws. Often, this stolen information is compiled into databases and sold on the Darknet, where the new owners are unlikely to have benevolent intentions.

Your McAfee account credentials are particularly valuable as they serve dual purposes. Possession of your account allows a criminal to steal your license key, which might be used to activate a pirated copy of the software or sold online at a fraction of the price you originally paid. If your license covers multiple devices, prepare for potential unauthorized users, or “squatters“, on your account. Additionally, stolen credentials can be added to databases of leaked passwords and logins, which are often utilized in brute force attacks to crack other accounts.

The injection of malware via an email attachment represents another significant threat. Unlike identity theft or account hacking, which may not have immediate effects, malware begins to operate as soon as it is launched. Phishing scams, such as those mimicking McAfee, have become a primary method for distributing malware, posing a serious risk to both individual users and corporations due to human vulnerabilities. The most common types of malware distributed this way include stealers, spyware, and ransomware, which can lead to compromised accounts and encrypted data—a highly undesirable outcome.

How to Protect Yourself from McAfee Email Scams?

The good news about most email scams is that they can easily be mitigated by simple attentiveness. Upon receiving a suspicious email, it is crucial to scrutinize both the body and header of the message. Even the most sophisticated forgeries will contain discrepancies that don’t match the original communications. Simpler scams often exhibit other telltale signs that can help you identify the deceit. So, how can you stop McAfee scam emails?

Typos and Grammatical Errors

Despite the prevalence of online spell checkers, scammers often neglect to use them, resulting in numerous errors in their messages. Poor English, missing punctuation, and subpar design are not features of official communications. The presence of these errors is a clear indicator of a fraudulent email.

Link address

Genuine messages may contain links to their website – for instructions, for example. However, they always belong to the original sender’s domain (mcafee.com for the genuine McAfee email message case). If you see the link to a dubious page, like WebProtectionProgram, or a short link, that is the reason to avoid clicking it. Official mailing never contains links to external sites and never applies using short links.

Sender’s email address

There are official email addresses companies use for mailing or conversations. They are often listed on their website. Receiving a letter that pretends to be sent by McAfee support, but the sender is mikey19137@aol.com does not look trustworthy. In complicated situations, crooks may try to use email addresses that look related to the sender. That’s why it is better to review the contacts on the website. For McAfee, those are the following:

info@authenticate.mcafee.com
Info@notification.mcafee.com
info@protect.mcafee.com
info@smmktg.mcafee.com
info@smtx.mcafee.com
info@mailing.mcafee.com
info@communication.mcafee.com
info@protect.mcafee.com.cname.campaign.adobe.com
donotreply@authentication.mcafee.com
donotreply@mcafee.com
consumersupport@mcafee.com
donotreply@authentication.mcafee.com
mcafeeinc-mkt-prod2@adobe-campaign.com
noreply@mail.idtheftprotection.mcafee.com
research@mcafee.com
mcafee@mail.email-ssl.com
no_reply@mcafee.com
no-reply@mcafeemobilesecurity.com

Strange Offers and Unusual Notifications

Giveaways, quizzes, or notifications about account blocking are not typical for reputable companies. They may contact you if there are issues with your account that need resolving, but you would likely be aware of these issues beforehand. Conversely, offers that require you to share personal information in exchange for a prolonged license are never legitimate. Coupled with the other signs we’ve discussed, these offers clearly indicate a fraudulent message.

Is it Possible to Avoid Email Spam in the Future?

Receiving email spam does not necessarily mean something bad has already happened. Scammers often buy databases filled with random email addresses and send out mass emails hoping to lure someone into a scam. If you do not respond or click on any links, scammers will likely remove you from their list eventually. However, any engagement, such as replying or clicking a link, signals to them that your account is active and susceptible to scams. Experts note that any interaction with a fraudulent email can lead to a significant increase in spam.

Several strategies can help reduce the amount of spam you receive and make it easier to differentiate between genuine and fraudulent emails. First, use a separate email address for registrations on websites or at events where you have concerns about their credibility. Some sites may not prioritize protecting their clients’ data and might sell their databases to third parties. While not always malicious, this practice can lead to unwanted exposure for your primary email address. Using a secondary email address as a buffer can help protect your main accounts from suspicious activities, ensuring greater security for your personal or work emails.

Another tip involves reporting suspicious emails. While most email services employ advanced anti-spam engines to filter out the bulk of spam, no system is perfect. You might still find McAfee phishing emails in your inbox. Reporting these deceptive messages is straightforward: simply click the button with three dots on the message and select “Report Spam.”

Conclusion

In the fight against email scams, especially sophisticated ones like the McAfee email scam, proactive protection is key. While following the tips outlined above can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to these scams, having robust antivirus software can provide an additional layer of security. We recommend using Anti-Malware for its effective detection and removal of malware threats.

Download and install Anti-Malware by clicking the button below. After the installation, run a Full scan: this will check all the volumes present in the system, including hidden folders and system files. Scanning will take around 15 minutes.

After the scan, you will see the list of detected malicious and unwanted elements. It is possible to adjust the actions that the antimalware program does to each element: click "Advanced mode" and see the options in the drop-down menus. You can also see extended information about each detection - malware type, effects and potential source of infection.

Click "Clean Now" to start the removal process. Important: removal process may take several minutes when there are a lot of detections. Do not interrupt this process, and you will get your system as clean as new.

The post McAfee Scam Email appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

Fraudsters Impersonate India Post in SMS Phishing

The wave of smishing messages started flooding mobile phones in India, specifically aiming for iPhones. These SMS look like just regular notifications about the incoming delivery, but with the mentions of some issues “due to incomplete address information”. To fix up the issue and let the service finish the alleged delivery, users should follow the link and fill in the missing details, and also pay a service fee.

As you may have guessed, neither the website by this link nor the message itself has any relation to India Post. What in fact happens is the adversary reaches the victim out through iMessage, using a newly-created iCloud account and the templated text. You can see the most common example below:

Original research published by Fortinet also features the list of domains that scammers use in that campaign. Their number – over a hundred at the moment of writing – gives out the tremendous scale of this phishing. It is unlikely, and simply irrational, to use one domain for just a few victims, so most likely, several thousand victims get through the malicious domain before it is taken down.

Fake India Post SMS Collect Credentials

Main part of the scam is, actually, gathering what users type in the login forms of the fraudulent websites. Despite having different domain names, these sites are made by the same template, and are indistinguishable from one another. Nonetheless, the frauds managed to copy some of the elements from the original India Post page, so for someone who can’t exactly remember how it should look the fake will be rather convincing.

On the site, users are guided into sharing all kinds of their personal data. It requests their name, detailed address (including city, street, building and apartment number), ZIP-code, email and phone number. This pack of data is already enough for a wide range of impersonation attacks. But to add insult to the injury, adversaries also ask for a small fee “to finalize the delivery”. Banking data that one types into this form is likely stolen, too, so what looks like paying 25 rupees is in fact sharing all the savings from your card.

Chinese Smishing Triad Suspected Guilty

Same research says about signs of this fraud being a yet another campaign run by the Smishing Triad threat actor. This is a China-based group of criminals who, as their name supposes, are heavily involved in SMS phishing of different sorts. In previous years, that group was attacking Pakistan, UAE and even the United States. But their interest in a neighboring huge country, with citizens being quite malleable to phishing tactics, is rather expected.

Historically, their frauds were concentrated not only around identity theft or personal data collection. In some of the attacks, Triad were going for credit card data. Further, this info is sold to third parties on the Darknet, or used for cyber espionage purposes – being a Chinese cybercrime group creates some obligations before CCP.

How to Protect Against Smishing?

Same as other types of phishing, smishing attacks rely heavily on lack of user awareness about the possibility of this situation. Only by sharing info about the ongoing phishing campaign will you decrease the chances of your friends and family getting scammed in this, or a similar situation. Another part of personal education is remembering how postal companies typically communicate with their customers. That is not the first time fraudsters use this scheme, but it is SMS all the time – and they did not pick a service that really sends such messages even once.

The post India Post SMS Phishing Targets Mobile Users in India appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

Fake Shop Online Scam

Among all the online scams one that I stumble by particularly often is fake online stores, which today are perhaps the most common type of scam. This is not surprising, as the events of the last 4 years have given a significant boost to e-commerce and online shopping. Unlike legitimate stores, these shops will never send you any goods whatsoever, or, in the best case scenario, just a cheap counterfeit from China. The reason is that the store essentially does not exist. If you have a more detailed look, you will see just a landing page made with a template that contains pictures stolen from other sites and a payment form.

The main signs that a store is fake include overly huge discounts (usually between 50% and 95%) and urgent calls to act quickly (such as “3 hours 59 minutes left in the sale” or “only 4 items left at this price”).This is obviously false, and you may see the countdown resetting upon refreshing the page. Another sign is exclusively positive reviews combined with the inability to leave your own feedback. Also the “About Us” and “Contact Us” pages have some distinctively senseless text. It often contains vague, abstract text, and sometimes this section is unfilled at all. The contact form may also list (if at all) the address of a random pavilion in China and a nonexistent email address.

To make the scam page more visible, con actors launch aggressive advertising campaigns, typically on social media. They often prefer Facebook to other platforms for its massive audience and well-known advertising engine. Interestingly enough, the latter, albeit having sturdy protection against traffic arbitrage, shows a rather poor counteraction to this type of scam.

How Does it Work?

Allow me to briefly explain how this works: using online website builders, crooks create themed online store templates, typically for clothing, shoes, home decor or other popular items. All product photos are usually taken from legitimate online stores; you can verify this by performing a reverse image search. Scammers register it on the cheapest domains like .site, .top, .fun, or .store, and then just wait for the victims to come by. Typically, these are one-day sites that do not stay online for long.

The only functional button on such a site is the “buy” button, which, once clicked, prompts you to enter the recipient’s address and pay for the item. Obviously, no one will send the item. Even when the buyer actually receives something, as I said, it is usually the cheapest replica from Temu or Aliexpress. Some scammers even surprise by sending a box of trash instead of the expected package or an old T-shirt instead of a branded one.

Potential Risks

There are several risks involved here. Firstly, you risk losing your money. Although these sites often guarantee a money-back, be sure, no one will refund your money. The second risk is the exposure of confidential information. Scammers obtain all the details — full name, home address, email, and card information. This is a great jackpot for crooks, who may later attempt to use this information for further scams. In some cases, these details may be sold on the Darknet.

If you have fallen victim to a fraudulent online store, it is important to take the following steps to minimize damage and attempt to recover your money. First, contact your bank and report the fraud. This might help to get your money back. Then, disable the option for online payments on the card you entered on the fake site. If possible, take screenshots of all transactions and any correspondence with the seller (if any).

Crypto Scams

Another prevalent type of online scam is cryptocurrency fraud. This works almost the same way as in the previous example. Scammers use templates to create many identical websites that differ only by name. These sites often associate themselves with celebrities, such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Vitalik Buterin and other renowned persons of the crypto world.

Fake website

Social Media buttons on the fake website

An average guy, that has no idea that the link to their profile is on a fraudulent site

These sites operate in several different modes: as exchangers, trading platforms, or airdrop scams. Modus operandi of all of them is rather simple: pretending to be something, while not being it, and instead either stealing users’ money, cryptocurrency and personal data.

The main risk of this scam is the scammers withdrawing funds from your wallet. By gaining access to your private keys, scammers can easily transfer all your funds to their addresses. In the case of fake airdrop distributions, the website may use a smart contract with malicious code. After connecting, the “drain” script activates, automatically transferring all funds from the connected wallet to the scammer’s wallet. They also happily help themselves to the data that users leave during authentication. Such manipulation may end up with identity theft in future.

Targeting Ways

Main promotion ways for crypto scams differ from ones used by other scams. Frauds typically launch massive ads through TikTok, Instagram and other similar platforms with short content. By abusing indexing mechanisms these platforms use, they can reach an enormously wide audience in just a few days.

If you become a victim of a crypto scam, you must gather evidence. Take screenshots of all transactions, any correspondence (if available), and related websites. Then, contact the bank authority and the service that provided you with the hot wallet. You can also contact their support team to get more detailed instructions on how to report the fraud. After all, change your account login details, especially if you use that password on more than one site.

Online Scam: Phishing

One of the oldest types of online scam is phishing. This attack relies not on technical, but human factors, which in fact makes up for its longevity and effectiveness. Scammers create exact replicas of the login pages for popular legitimate services. Most commonly, these are Microsoft Azure, Apple ID, Amazon, PayPal, and less frequently, social media.

These pages look identical to the real ones, but almost always have a different URL. The most recent phishing scams, as of mid-2024, are hosted on Microsoft Azure service, which adds a well-noticeable particle in URL. This is also the reason why phishing scams bypass most of the filters. Such are extremely short-living, staying online for just a few days.

Falling for this scam risks giving your login credentials to scammers, which can lead to further problems. This could result in losing access to your account, as scammers may log in and try to change the password. If you use the same password for multiple accounts, the security of those accounts is also at risk.

One particular promotion ways phishing scams exploit for all the time is email spam. Crooks that stand behind all this launch a mass-mailing campaign that comes to the users as a routinely-looking message which asks to update some stuff related to the account. The link to the phishing site is additionally masked by anchoring it to a piece of text that contains the legitimate URL.

If you become a victim of phishing, regardless of the account type, the first thing to do is change your password. This action will block the scammers’ access to your account. Next, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on any accounts that might have been compromised if not already enabled. I recommend using 2FA wherever possible.

Fake Job Online Scam

Fake job scams is a particularly novice type of online scam that targets people searching for employment. They particularly aim at ones seeking for a remote job – a rather widespread demand since 2020. Scammers that operate this kind of fraud stand off by being pretty inventive and avoiding using templated websites.

There are several types of this fraud that are met the most often. The first one involves performing simple online tasks for a reward. Tasks might include clicking on links, watching advertisements, or viewing videos. However, the pay for these tasks is so low that earning $10 could take a week of watching videos. In exchange, that site takes quite a lot of users’ personal information, and will likely sell it for much more than the pathetic sum they promise as the reward.

Social Media As a Communication

Another type of job online scam mostly takes place on social media. The victim stumbles upon a site that offers a “well-paid remote job” by seeing an ad on social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn. In most cases, the website the user sees appears legitimate, making it difficult to suspect anything wrong. Further, the site asks the victim to fill out a form on the website and provide information about themselves. In some cases, people may see the payment request, allegedly for handling document processing or training. After this payment, the site completely stops responding; all the ways to reach the site back appear non-functional. Scammers simply disappear with all the users’ personal data and, optionally, the payment.

The third variant of this scam resembles the first but differs in operation. Scammers find potential victims on social networks and offer them a good passive income opportunity. This involves performing simple interactions with a website daily, promising a good reward for these actions. Initially, victims are allowed to “withdraw” a small amount. Later, victims are encouraged to “upgrade their task level” by paying a certain fee. But once they do this payment, the cost of tasks increases. Scammers continually persuade the victim to upgrade again and again. When the victim attempts to withdraw funds at a certain point, the website simply starts spitting out errors. Scammers may reassure the victim that the issue will be resolved soon. Finally, they disappear, stop responding, and the website likely ceases to exist.

Potential Risks

In most cases of this type of online scam, all money transfers occur through cryptocurrency. This practically eliminates the possibility of retrieving funds or identifying the scammers. The main risk, however, is the leakage of personal information. Considering that people happily share SSN, ITIN and other sensitive documents, with fair expectation that it is needed for the job, the possible damage goes far beyond what other scams can do. Another edge of the risk is financial loss, a small one in the case of “document processing”, and a much larger one (up to several thousand dollars) with the “task updating” scheme.

You should practice basic internet hygiene to avoid falling victim to such scams. Approach any offers of easy money with suspicion. If you’re promised large sums for simple tasks, it’s likely a scam. The same, if you’re asked to visit a previously unknown website for job searching and fill out a form, don’t rush. Please perform your own research, Check the site on our URL checker, Google it, and read reviews. In most cases, this will shed light on the situation.

If you’ve become a victim of such a scam, first stop communication and block the scammer. Then, report the user on the platform where they contacted you. Find the website on review platforms and leave a detailed review describing your situation to warn other users. If you’ve provided confidential information (like credit card details), block the online payment option and inform your bank that your card details have been compromised. This will prevent unauthorized transactions using your card. If you’ve entered your passwords anywhere, change them immediately.

The post Signs You’re Dealing With an Online Scam appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

What are McAfee Pop-ups? Is It McAfee Scam?

McAfee pop-up notifications can be divided into two types: legitimate ones, which are sent by a browser extension, and fake ones, which are sent by adware installed on the system. But how to stop them? Suppose you have deliberately installed a McAfee browser extension. In that case, it is expected that you will see pop-up notifications from it. On the other hand, if you have no McAfee installed as the app or the browser extensions in Chrome, these are probably fake McAfee pop-ups. Next, we’ll figure out how to disable unwanted pop-up notifications in Chrome and solve the problem of fake notifications.

How to Stop McAfee Pop-ups on Chrome?

You can use Incognito mode in Chrome, temporarily removing the pop-up notifications from McAfee. However, if you need to block them completely, you can do so in Chrome’s notification settings. Alternatively, you can restore Chrome’s default settings. However, if you need to keep all your saved data and browser settings, we have several other options listed below.

Block notifications from McAfee

First, you can block push notifications from any site in Chrome, including the McAfee site. This is the most straightforward action you can take to hide all pop-up notifications from McAfee.

1. Click the three vertical dots, then “Settings“.
   
2. Click “Privacy and security” ⇢ Site Settings.
   
3. Select the “Notifications” option.
   
4. Select “Don’t allow to send notifications“.
   
5. Click the “Add” button next to the “Not Allowed to Send Notifications” section.
   
6. In the “Add Site” window, add the website URL for what you want to stop receiving notifications and click “Add“. In this case, it is a McAfee site.
   Alternatively, click the “Extra Actions” button (three vertical dots) next to the specific site and click “Remove“.

Remove the McAfee Chrome extension

If the first method didn’t work, and you still get the pop-up notifications from McAfee when you open Chrome, chances are that your system is infected by adware. However, to be sure, you can uninstall the McAfee Chrome extension. If necessary, you can always reinstall it later from the Chrome Web Store.

1. Launch the Chrome app. Click the three dots in the top right corner.
   
2. Then select More Tools ⇢ Extensions.
   
3. Turn off the McAfee Extensions button.
   
4. Restart the Chrome app and make sure it’s not running. Or, click the “Remove” button on the McAfee extension to remove it from Chrome.

Scan Your System for Viruses

It is possible for malware to force the appearance of the McAfee pop-ups and the consequent Subscription Expired page. In particular, adware and browser hijackers are two malware types that do this nasty trick particularly often. They bring profit to their masters by throwing users of infected systems to unwanted websites, with the fake McAfee sites being just one of the examples. And to get rid of the malware, the anti-malware software scan is needed.

Download and install Anti-Malware by clicking the button below. After the installation, run a Full scan: this will check all the volumes present in the system, including hidden folders and system files. Scanning will take around 15 minutes.

After the scan, you will see the list of detected malicious and unwanted elements. It is possible to adjust the actions that the antimalware program does to each element: click "Advanced mode" and see the options in the drop-down menus. You can also see extended information about each detection - malware type, effects and potential source of infection.

Click "Clean Now" to start the removal process. Important: removal process may take several minutes when there are a lot of detections. Do not interrupt this process, and you will get your system as clean as new.

The post How To Stop McAfee Pop-ups appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

Emails are used daily by millions worldwide professionally. Over time, however, this beneficial tool has also become a potential threat. Like anything connected to the internet and technology, email is vulnerable, particularly email attachments seen in most messages. This susceptibility has heightened concerns about email security.

Common Threat Types for Email Security

Before exploring how to protect yourself from the dangers associated with email attachments, it is important to understand the basic types of malicious email threats to which we are all susceptible.

1. Ransomware: Ransomware is a prevalent threat typically delivered through email. In such attacks, the perpetrator hacks the victim’s data and demands a ransom for its return.
2. Phishing: Phishing involves criminals sending emails that appear trustworthy, containing links or attachments that prompt for login details. These credentials are then used for malicious purposes. Many people inadvertently trust and interact with these deceptive emails.
3. Spam: Despite various methods developed to filter out unwanted spam, the issue persists. While some spam is merely bothersome, much of it can carry malware.

Email Safety Tips

The dangers associated with email attachments, as mentioned above, are common challenges faced routinely by users. However, there are numerous ways that your emails could be carrying malware and other threats like ransomware.

To help you stay safe and secure your email communications, we’ve compiled a list of effective email security tactics. These strategies will help you recognize potential dangers and avoid them before they escalate into serious issues. Let’s explore these tips!

1. Check the Sender

Business professionals often receive emails daily from various contacts, necessitating them to open and review each one. However, during a phishing scam, the sender’s name may appear familiar or even if not, the nature of business may compel you to open it regardless. Despite this, there is a precaution you can take: always verify the sender’s email address. Unusual email addresses are a common indicator of scams. Remember, it’s not necessary to open every email. If an email is critical, the sender will likely follow up with a phone call if they don’t receive a response. Trust your instincts; if an email feels suspicious, it’s safer to avoid engaging with it.

2. The Message Inside the Email

Even when you recognize the sender or are anticipating an email, exercise caution before opening it and engaging with its contents. Before clicking on any attachments, consider the following to ensure the email’s legitimacy:

• The subject line of the email is critical. If it lacks a subject line or the subject line is vague, proceed with caution. For example, if the subject mentions an “invoice”, verify your recent purchases. If you haven’t ordered anything that matches the described item, do not open the email and consider marking it as spam.
• Emails that lack detail and use generic greetings like “Hi” are often indicative of phishing attempts. A legitimate email will include specific details about the company and a clear explanation of the email’s purpose. If these elements are missing, it’s best to disregard the email.

3. Digital Signature in Emails

For those engaged in corporate communications, verifying the presence of a digital signature is crucial. Before opening any attachments, check if the email purportedly from a company includes a digital signature at its end. For emails sent through Microsoft Outlook, a digital signature may be indicated by a red ribbon icon within the message, signaling corporate authenticity.

4. Check the Email Links

After confirming the internal contents of the email, including the presence of a digital signature, a relevant subject line, and the company’s logo, you might feel confident about the email’s legitimacy. However, it’s essential to remain vigilant by checking the links as well. Hover your mouse over any link or attachment to preview the destination address. If the address appears suspicious or unrelated to the expected content, it likely indicates a malicious intent such as ransomware or another type of scam. In such cases, it is advisable to delete the email immediately and avoid clicking on any links.

5. Use GridinSoft Anti-Malware for Enhanced Protection

To further secure your email communications from malware and other cyber threats, consider using GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This powerful tool offers robust protection against a wide array of threats, including those commonly disseminated through email, such as ransomware and phishing scams. GridinSoft Anti-Malware provides real-time protection by scanning incoming emails and their attachments for any malicious content before it can harm your system.

Download and install Anti-Malware by clicking the button below. After the installation, run a Full scan: this will check all the volumes present in the system, including hidden folders and system files. Scanning will take around 15 minutes.

After the scan, you will see the list of detected malicious and unwanted elements. It is possible to adjust the actions that the antimalware program does to each element: click "Advanced mode" and see the options in the drop-down menus. You can also see extended information about each detection - malware type, effects and potential source of infection.

Click "Clean Now" to start the removal process. Important: removal process may take several minutes when there are a lot of detections. Do not interrupt this process, and you will get your system as clean as new.

Conclusion

Email has undoubtedly simplified and accelerated communication, revolutionizing business operations and opening countless opportunities. However, as technology has advanced, so too has the susceptibility of email to scams and other security threats. Prioritizing email security is essential for both individuals and businesses. By implementing the straightforward security measures discussed above, you can protect yourself and your business data effectively. Paying attention to the finer details and practicing vigilance can take just a minute or two, but these efforts are crucial in safeguarding against potential dangers.

The post How to Stay Safe When Using Email? appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

Since many of us are still isolated at home, losing access to Netflix is almost as unpleasant as shutting down the Internet. Thus, any email from Netflix claiming that your payment details didn’t go through can get your attention and encourage you to act hastily. Below, we explain how the Netflix trap works and how to recognize a Netflix scam email.

How to Spot Netflix Scam Email?

At first glance, the fraudulent letter looks pretty convincing. It begins with the Netflix logo and the phrase “Something went wrong,” which may seem familiar to those whose streaming show is interrupted at the most critical moment of the show. However, a closer look reveals clear signs that email has nothing to do with Netflix.

Signs of The Netflix Email Scam:

• The sender’s email address has a different domain and is different from the original Netflix.
• A generic address is used instead of your name, which signifies that fraudsters sent this email bulk to thousands of accounts.
• The email contains elements of urgency designed to create panic so that users act quickly. For example, losing access to Netflix could be a threat if you don’t update your payment details immediately.

Sometimes scammers make a decent attempt to mimic genuine Netflix messages, and they almost succeed. But, as with most fraudulent emails, one or two details are usually missing that show it’s not a genuine email. So let’s go over everything you need to know about Netflix scam text 2022, shall we?

How the Netflix Scam Email Works

There are several common scenarios, but it’s worth mentioning a few red flags, to begin with, that suggest how it works.

1. Netflix Payment / Subscription Issues

The email says you need to update your account status by clicking on the attached Netflix phishing email link. The link will take you to a fake Netflix login page, asking you to log in and provide your credit card information. This way, scammers get the credentials and can use them to hijack your account. You can also hover over the link (without clicking) to see the actual destination URL. Still, it may be hidden behind a short link, that says nothing about its content. That is not a common practice in machine-generated notifications, so you should not follow that link either. In some cases, an attachment is pinned to an email. Opening or downloading it can install malware on your computer. This could potentially be ransomware that can lock your device and encrypt files.

2. Netflix Reward / Gift Online Survey

Sometimes the message promises you an exclusive reward, but you must take an online survey to get it. This is how scammers lure you into clicking on a built-in button that takes you to a fake Netflix survey page. It goes on to say that you can win a free one-year Netflix subscription or other “exclusive reward” by taking a simple online survey. Sounds tempting. However, there is, of course, no gift. The ultimate goal of scammers is to elicit your personal information! They will record everything you enter on these fake pages and use it to do their dirty deeds. Don’t fall for this – NEVER share your credit card or other personal information online unless you are 100% sure the website is legitimate!

What Happens if You Click on the Email Scam Link?

First, an important note – do not try to do this from a work computer that has access to your company network and data. Such security mistakes, which are easy to avoid, usually cost companies dearly. The link from the fraudulent Netflix email leads to a landing page that looks very similar to the real one. Next, you are asked to log in with your login and password.

If you’ve entered your genuine credentials, the scammer will have everything they need to log into your account and take advantage of your personal information. This may not be critical for Netflix, but given how many of us are used to reusing the same old passwords repeatedly, it won’t take long for a scammer to try to log into more sensitive accounts. To prevent this from happening, we highly recommend using a password manager.

To ensure you are on a phishing page, you can do a simple trick – enter a non-existent username and password. The original site will give you an error that the account does not exist. In this case, even after entering random credentials, the website prompts you to update your payment details. However, nothing will change – all you typed or will type in the fields on that fraudulent page will be simply transferred to hackers.

What to Do If I Receive a Fraudulent Netflix Email Scam?

Fraudulent emails are an integral part of online life. Although the quality of spam email filters continues to improve, even with services like Gmail, Outlook, and sometimes it’s hard to stay ahead of every threat. However, a few simple actions can keep you safe.

Delete or report

The easiest thing to do is delete obvious fraudulent emails. However, if you feel like a good digital citizen, you can report them first. For example, you can use an exclamation mark icon or flag spam emails. You can also forward the email to the appropriate services, such as phishing@netflix.com. Finally, notify your IT administrator if you encounter fraudulent emails on your work email account.

Do not click the suspicious links

Never click on any of the links in a potentially fraudulent email. Instead, if you want to verify your account information, open a new window or tab and go to the actual website regardless of the links in the email. Clicking the scam message will notify the crooks that your account is active – and you will be spammed even more. Moreover, some tricky techniques include token stealing. If you go by a specifically designed link while being logged into your account on the device, crooks will intercept the token and will be free to manage your account.

Avoid attachments

It’s important to say that users are getting hooked on Netflix by phishing email, as sad as it sounds. Attachments are a clever way to disguise malware and spread threats. If you see an unusual attachment in an email that you don’t expect, never open it. Those are usually MS Office files that contain macros. They only contain a Netflix text scam that asks you to activate macros execution, which is disabled by default. Macros, in its turn, connect to the command and control server, and download malicious payload to your PC. Due to the vulnerability of macros execution mechanism, it easily circumvents the security solution.

Don’t update your payment information

Never update your financial or payment information when asked to do it in an email. Most companies warn you against this. For example, Netflix says: “We will never ask for your personal information in Netflix scam text 2022 messages or emails. This includes bank account details, credit or debit card numbers or Netflix passwords“. Services rarely break their own rules, so only these rows are enough to spot a scam.

Don’t reuse the same passwords

If you use the same password to log in to multiple accounts, attackers only need to crack one of your accounts to access all the others. The effective way is to use a password manager. All you need to remember is one master password. Then the password manager will store and enter complex passwords for you. It’s a simple, inexpensive, and secure way to manage multiple logins.

The post Trending Netflix Scam Email You Should Know appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, hundreds of millions of dollars are lost annually due to social media scams. Knowing the most common scams and taking the appropriate steps to avoid them is how you can prevent them on Facebook.

Most Common Facebook Scams Today

Fraudsters develop new ways and methods to make an attack and remain unseen. Such threats are often the users’ login credentials and financial data. Here is a list of the most common Facebook attacks on the social network.

Phishing Scams, Facebook Email Scams

Facebook Phishing emails are increasingly used in Facebook fraudulent attacks, and Facebook users are exposed to such attacks as well. Such letters will include a link and wording that tells you to go to Facebook. The link will take you to a website that looks like Facebook but is fake. Sometimes, websites will tell you that you’ve gotten your account hacked. Other times, they will ask you to verify your login information. There are many of the most dangerous types of phishing attacks that are carried out using various technologies.

One way that sites are trying to get you now is to email you a link to reset your Facebook account, saying that it has been shut down for security reasons. Cybercriminals want you to give them private information using fake websites or apps. The reason can be anything, but their goal is always the same. When you fall for a phishing scam, criminals have all the information they need to mess up your social media account.

Shopping Facebook Scams

Facebook is a platform where many companies and organizations work; they put their data and do business. Most organizations promote their products there and look for potential customers through various advertising posts, messages, and others. This is another one of the great examples of Facebook attacks to watch out for! Fraudsters, in this case, are no exception; they can also attract the audience to buy a particular product. As a result, the user can believe the banner and pay for the offered thing but never get it.

Bogus Job Facebook Scams

Announcing good online work is always tempting. But it should be understood that such offers can be fake and do not carry profound implications. So before agreeing to such an offer, ensure the legitimacy of the organization that makes such an announcement. Because if you take this job, the first thing you’ll be asked about is your address, your insurance number, a copy of the paperwork, and other important data. In this case, you risk compromising your privacy.

Charity Scams

Fraudsters always try to influence the user’s emotional state. The charity case is no exception. Scammers create fake charity profiles that post photos of outsiders who need immediate help and make money from donations. On this basis, be careful before you make a transaction; explore the organization that does this. Helping the sick or the elderly is good, but address the money to the ones who need it.

How to Avoid Facebook Scams

Below, we will guide you to protect yourself from Facebook fraud. With these tips, you can reduce the risk of fraudulent threats to you and your data.

1. Lock down your Facebook privacy settings

Make sure your privacy is well protected. For example, you can hide pictures and videos from third-party users who are not your friends. To do so, make the following changes in Settings:

1. Launch the Facebook app.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen, tap on the down arrow (on iPhone) or hamburger menu (on Android).
3. Select Settings & Privacy from the menu.
4. On iPhone, choose Privacy Checkup. On Android, tap Settings to open another page where Privacy Checkup is. After that, Facebook will walk you through the most common privacy settings and recommend each option.

2. Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is a good way to log in to your account more securely. It supposes you should enter the one-time code you receive on your phone number, aside from your login and password, when logging in. You will receive this code as a text message or through the application. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. Launch Facebook on your computer or app.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen, tap on the down arrow.
3. Select Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security & Login.
4. At the bottom of the page, find the Two-Factor Authentication and tap Edit.

3. Decline a friend request from anyone you don’t know

Please take it as a habit not to accept all requests as friends. You don’t need extra friends if you are not blogging or interested in publicity. Communicate only with those you know. It’s an excellent way to protect yourself from many phishing attempts.

4. Ignore messages asking for personal information or money

If you have received a letter asking for financial assistance from a stranger, it is better to ignore this. If this character is on your friend list, then better call him and find out if he needs it. Such requests via Facebook are more of a scam than a serious request for help.

5. Don’t click on suspicious links

Avoid clicking on links or attachments no matter what message you receive. Open them only if you know for sure that these are messages from the user you really know. If you do not know how to verify the legitimacy of the sender, then follow these instructions:

1. Launch Facebook on your computer or app.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen, tap on the down arrow.
3. Select Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security & Login.
4. At the bottom of the page, find Advanced and tap Recent Emails from Facebook.

6. Check your login history regularly

Keep an eye on where your account is logged in from. This will help you to detect and remove unwanted sessions. It may also be an indicator of compromised account security.

1. Launch Facebook on your computer or app.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen, tap on the down arrow.
3. Select Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security & Login.
4. At the bottom of the page, find Where You’re Logged In and review it for accuracy. Delete any suspicious logins.

7. Use a strong password

Using the same password for several accounts is undesirable. Therefore, create a strong and unique password that will not be easy to decrypt. To do this, use combinations with different letters and characters. The most specific passwords are easiest to crack with various password dictionaries and brute force tools.

8. Search regularly for accounts in your name

At that moment, too, you should remember and look for profiles with such a name on the network from time to time. Because fraudsters often use cloning accounts to appear like legitimate users. If you find such a counterpart, inform Facebook support about such a profile. To do this, tap on the three dots on a person’s profile and choose to Find Support or Report Profile. That is especially important when you are a public person, and someone may be interested in stealing your identity.

The post Top Facebook Scams 2024: How to Avoid Them appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

The most common types of scams on Instagram

Since Instagram was founded, mobile scammers have devised many ways to scam users. From seemingly lucrative investment offers to fake job offers, scammers can try to carry out their dirty plans differently. Here are the most common and relevant scams on Instagram today that you should avoid:

Instagram Influencer Scams

While many legitimate influencers on Instagram exist, not all influencers are the same. Some are fake accounts created to trick gullible users. Instagram influencer scams include accounts with fake followers and likes, racy profile pictures, and promoting investment opportunities or financial services. In some cases, it is possible that the account was once real but was hacked.

Yeah. I’m sure this Instagram account will really help me succeed financially. pic.twitter.com/QGZdlvazEC

— Gaetano DiNardi (@gaetano_nyc) April 14, 2022

Phishing Instagram Scams

Like classic phishing attacks, Instagram phishing scams come with a sense of urgency. You may receive an urgent direct message (DM) or email telling you to take action, or your Instagram account will be “suspended”. In such messages, scammers impersonate the official Instagram support account and try to convince users that your account is in danger. Such attacks are often accompanied by requests for personal information. This information may include your username and password and alerts that you need to check your account for “suspicious activity”. To avoid this, it’s critical that you keep all account information private from others. And remember, Instagram will never send you a message about your account.

Fake job scams

Unfortunately, many people lost their jobs during the pandemic. Fraudsters have tried to take advantage of the situation by promoting fake job postings on Instagram, and they’ve partly succeeded. Phony job scams often include messages from fake recruiters, links to artificial job applications, and requests for your personal information. However, once you give a so-called recruiter your confidential information, they can use it to steal your identity, emptying your financial accounts. In some cases, it has ended up taking over your Instagram profile.

Music promotion scams

This scam is much more specific and can apply almost exclusively to musicians. If you share music on Instagram, you may fall victim to music promotion scams. The music promotion scams usually start with DMs from fake music promotion accounts. If so, the scammers may ask for money in exchange for a promotional post, claiming they can help increase your music streams. Sometimes, these accounts have many subscribers, views, and likes. At first glance, it may seem like there are thousands of people listening to your music. However, these are often bot accounts. Hence these Instagram views will not lead to new listeners on streaming platforms.

Instagram Ambassador Scams

Fake sponsorship scams (sometimes called Instagram ambassador scams) on Instagram also use fake or hacked accounts. However, these accounts pretend to be legitimate brands instead of posing as an influencer. Similar to the previous points, signs of sponsorship scams start with DM from fake brand accounts, which often ask to pay them to advertise. They may also ask for your personal information and, in some cases, offer to be an ambassador. They may promise a free trip or discounted travel, such as for a private meeting or photoshoot. Such situations are often fake and are only used to steal your personal and financial information. All such contacts require a thorough analysis.

Lottery and giveaway scams

Another standard Instagram scam scheme is a fake lottery and giveaway. Typically, these scams are designed to steal your information by convincing you that you have won a prize or contest. First, they congratulate you in a direct message and tell you that you have won an award. Next, scammers ask for your personal information to send you a prize. Sometimes they ask you to follow a link that redirects you to an insecure website. Rascals sometimes hijack real accounts or pretend to be someone running a legitimate giveaway. That’s why it’s essential always to be careful and keep personal information private from someone you’re not sure about.

Crypto scams

These days, it’s almost impossible to be on the Internet without hearing about cryptocurrency. Unfortunately, scammers here also managed to take advantage of the situation to scam Instagram users. The main signs of a crypto scam on Instagram can be considered any DM from extraneous accounts is claiming they can make you rich. In doing so, they ask you for payment or personal information. The only thing that can happen to your investment if you contact such scammers is that you lose it.

Romance scams

Romance scams can make you and your account vulnerable to hackers. In addition, these scams can be frustrating, often causing emotional and financial pain. Here, too, it’s all classic, DM from a fake account, lengthy romantic communication, then requests for payment, gifts, etc. In such attacks, scammers use the most sophisticated lies and social engineering to manipulate you and extract your money and personal information.

Investment scams

Similar to crypto scams, many scammers target those looking for extra money. They will send DMs and offer investment opportunities, so it’s best to be wary of any cash exchange or get-rich-quick schemes. The red flags of this scam include DMs from people with luxury lifestyles and promises of wealth and financial success. In return, you will be asked for an initial investment, often using mobile payment apps. However, once the scammer gets your initial investment, you will never hear about him again, and he will continue to try to do so with others. Alternatively, the crook will convince you to make another investment, which is promised to cover the previous losses.

Fake product scams

And the most massive scheme is the counterfeit items and online shopping scams on Instagram. Such scammers often buy a promoted Instagram account with many followers, which makes them more convincing. The red flags of this scam are

• Fake products ads
• Heavily discounted prices compared to other stores
• Links to questionable sites
• Requests for personal information to complete the purchase

Not only that, once you’ve given the scammers your personal information, you could lose access to your Instagram account, could get a fake version of the product you ordered, or, even worse, they could steal your identity.

Paid subscription scams

Another scam you should look out for is paid subscription scams. Scammers may offer access to genuine subscription services at a reduced price in these scams. The red flags, in this case, are account advertising of a lifetime or discounted admission to subscription services, requests for payment and personal information, and links to fraudulent sites. Usually, these are popular subscription services such as Netflix, Spotify, or Xbox Live. Again, we recommend only subscribing to a subscription service on the official website.

Blackmail scams

Sometimes hackers can break into an Instagram account and try to blackmail you as a form of harassment or for financial gain. This is all accompanied by threats to reveal personal information and claims that the hacker has access to your files. However, the hacker may not even have any information he claims to have. These are common attempts to scare you into complying with their demands.

What to do if you were scammed on Instagram

To protect yourself and your Instagram account, follow these steps:

• Don’t reply or click on links. Whenever you receive fraudulent messages on Instagram, the best solution is not to respond or click on any links.
• Block the account. The scammer won’t trouble you if he realizes you won’t fall for his tricks. To block someone on Instagram, click on their profile, tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the screen and select “Block.”
• Report the account. Follow the same steps above, but select “Report” and follow the instructions on the screen to let Instagram know the specifics of the scam.

This way, you can protect yourself and help Instagram prevent fraud with these accounts.

How to avoid Instagram scams

To reduce the likelihood of fraud, follow these cybersecurity tips:

• Use common sense. So it is if you’re offered a deal that seems too good to be true. Always be cautious and use common sense when communicating with other Instagram users.
• Enable two-factor authentication. Using 2FA can help prevent outsiders from accessing your Instagram account, even if they gain access to your password.
• Look for the confirmation check mark. If someone texts you from an account claiming to be an influencer or brand account, look for the blue verification check mark next to their name. Luckily, anyone on Instagram can’t buy it for $8, and it’s probably a fraudulent account if there’s no checkmark.
• Don’t link your Instagram with third-party apps. In some cases, third-party apps may request access to your Instagram account. Before you say yes, research and ensure the app is legitimate, as some apps can collect and sell your data.
• Make your account private. If you set your Instagram account to private, then only approved users will be able to view your account. You can do this by clicking “Settings,” selecting “Privacy,” and then turning on the “Private Account” feature.
• Use strong passwords. If you don’t do this item, all others will go to waste. So to keep your Instagram account as secure as possible, it’s essential to use a strong password. This can help prevent scammers from hijacking your Instagram account through password spraying or other tactics.
• Never click on suspicious links. In many cases, Instagram scammers may try to direct you to a malicious website. To avoid this, only click links you’re sure about.
• Shop only from verified accounts. Since Instagram added the shopping feature, many companies have started advertising and selling products online. Unfortunately, scammers pretend to do the same. To be safe, buy only from verified accounts with a blue check mark.
• Use an antivirus app. You can install an antivirus app on your mobile device for an extra layer of protection. This will help protect your phone from mobile threats, including viruses, malware, and spyware.

By following these tips, you can browse Instagram without worrying about scams.

The post Top 12 Instagram Scams in 2024 appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

What happened?

The bankruptcy of Silicon Valley Bank happened on Friday 10, 2023, after a historically fast bank run. Over $40 billon funds were withdrawn in just a couple of days, leading the bank to failure. Such a fast cycle of events confused even experienced analysts – needless to say that ordinary folks and startup founders are completely disoriented. Eventually, this incident has prompted crooks to try their luck and try to cash in by any available method, and there are several reasons for that:

• Many companies and individuals working for companies will question how to pay emergency bills. Won’t there be any problems with payroll?
• How to contact SVB now, what website to use, and what to expect generally?
• Finally, this involves much money, which is bound to lead to many scams.

Unfortunately, scammers are sometimes savvier than you think. Therefore, if you work or are connected in any way to an SVB bank, you should keep your ears open; since, in most cases, this information is more or less publicly available, you will undoubtedly face targeted attacks from scammers. Moreover, you should expect phishing attacks not only via email but also via phone or SMS. Although some fraudulent emails may be indistinguishable from the real ones, Pseudo experts will offer legal services to affected companies, and people will be offered loans. In addition, some law firms now create unique pages to attract clients for possible litigation.

Email spam

Bankruptcy-related spam mailings may contain false information about the bank and its financial situation. In addition, such emails may contain offers to receive compensation. Usually, the user is asked to follow a link and enter their information. Often this link is fraudulent, and it is obvious. However, there is already a mass registration of new SVB-related domains. Unfortunately, not all are harmless – scammers register some specifically to deceive victims.

In addition to emails asking to click on a link, attackers can send emails supposedly from bank employees and ask users to provide personal information such as full name, residence address, etc. We recommend that you be very careful with such email and pay attention to the red flags: the sender’s address, the form of speech, and the style of the letter. For example, official organizations never address customers something like “dear user”. Instead, they use a first-name address.

Social media phishing

Social media is another vector that scammers will take advantage of. They can use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to send messages to bank customers, offering to help them save their money in bankruptcy. Scammers are more likely to create fake profiles and use bank-related logos to make their messages more convincing. So it’s essential to be careful not to trust people who ask for personal information on social media, especially concerning bankruptcy.

Phone calls phishing a.k.a Vishing

Vishing is a scam involving voice communication (a phone call). One common type of vishing is when scammers call the victim and introduce themselves as bank employees that they claim are about to go bankrupt. Since you don’t even have to make anything up here, since the bank is already bankrupt, this is almost a one hundred percent win for the scammers. For example, they can tell you you must transfer your money to another bank account to save it. The standard scheme of asking for information to transfer the money follows. It can lead to the theft of your personal bank account. We only recommend providing information once you are sure you are talking to real bank representatives. You can use the official phone number on the bank’s website to do this.

Race to register domains

We can already observe the registration of new domains that contain SVB. According to statistics, the number of registrations has increased several times over the past two days. Of course, not all of these are outright scams. Some are trying to capitalize on it, not even necessarily by scamming. Here are some of the registrations associated with Silicon Valley Bank:

• login-svb.com (parked)
• svbbailout.com
• svbclaim.com
• svbcertificates.com
• svblawsuit.com
• svbhelp.com
• svbcollapse.com
• svbdeposits.com

This is just a tiny part of it.

Possible SVB Scam Directions

It is also worth mentioning the regional banks affiliated with SVB, which had a stake in it. Since they had heavy relations with SVB, it is probable that SVB’s bankruptcy will affect them as well. First and foremost, First Republic Bank, Western Alliance Bancorporation, Metropolitan Bank Holding, and Signature Bank. It will be reasonably expected if scammers send emails to users saying, “Due to current circumstances, we recommend you protect your savings. Click on the link and update your payment information.” All this is done for one purpose – to get access to the victim’s accounts.

The post Incoming Silicon Valley Bank Related Scams appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

What is Norton Scam?

Norton scam email is a common name for dubious emails that may come to anybody, regardless if they are the users of their products or not. These emails may potentially contain different text and disguise, same as any other phishing. But the most common is a notification about the subscription purchase or renewal. People receive a message that says their card was charged with a hefty sum, and to cancel it and receive a refund you should follow the instructions. The sum varies from $200 to $1000. This is not very realistic as these emails usually come to single users, who will never buy a corporate license or a one for 10+ machines.

Still, the sum is pretty scary and attracts the user’s attention. Phishing Norton emails may occasionally contain a link to a third-party site or a contact number of tech support. Both of them, as you can already guess, have nothing to do with the real services of a company. Villains may use a single phishing page for multiple spam campaigns.

The link may be plain text, as well as inside of the button or email text. It leads you to a phishing page, that will ask for your personal information – name, email address, phone number, et cetera. In some cases, they can ask you about the bank card details, including the security code (CVV/2). Later, this information will be used against you – after selling it to a third party on the Darknet.

The Tech support number is no good as well. There, crooks who mimic the real support will try to lure out your sensitive information, same as in the case with a link. The other thing which repeats the previous method is the behavior around the collected data – they sell it on Darknet forums as well.

How dangerous is the Norton scam email?

Same as any other phishing, it aims at grabbing as much personal information as possible. At a glance, you may think it is not that bad, as you share this information with different online services too. However, most of them keep this data a secret, as there are data protection laws that punish data selling. Meanwhile, phishing actors are not bound by any kind of laws, as the very essence of phishing is outlawed.

It is unlikely to meet a benevolent person among the buyers for leaked information on the Darknet. If you’ve shared your personal information, that will be the base for more precise, spear phishing. Crooks will try to perform a more sophisticated fraud to make you pay them by mimicking a thing you’re expecting. Leaked bank card details, on the other hand, give them the ability to manage your money as they want – and they can find a way to circumvent the bank’s safety measures. Carding has become way less widespread over the last 5 years, but remains a threat.

How to avoid being fooled with email scams?

There are a few rules that will help you to detect and avoid any questionable emails. They do not require anything specific and only rely on your attentiveness. Even the most sophisticated scams cannot be 100% identical to genuine emails. When it comes to some massive mailing with low-quality phishing emails, it is very easy to bust their disguise.

Unrealistic claims or offers

Do you really think Norton will charge you without your knowledge? Or offer a 1-year license for free, just for taking part in a quiz? When the things in the letter look untrustworthy, get some other ways to verify such offers. For example, you can check your bank account and see if there were any debit operations as described in the letter. On the official Norton website, you can see if there are any active subscriptions, and also promotions or giveaways. Still, emails may repeat the promotions, but contain a different link, so you will get into a fraud either.

Email addresses

No one can copy the email addresses of genuine mailing services, used by companies. And phishing actors sometimes don’t even try to – they apply using hijacked accounts or single-use emails, created only for spamming. Hence, seeing a letter that pretends to be a message from Norton, and is sent from ol1209130@bilibili.com is already fishy. In advanced scams, crooks may try to spoof the genuine address by changing the letters with numbers, to make them harder to distinguish from real ones in haste. For example, you may witness the nort0nsupp0rt@norton.com instead of support@nortonlifelock.com. Here is the list of address domains used by Norton in their official mailing – crooks cannot use or counterfeit it in any way.

Typos and poor email design

Can you imagine official letters from a worldwide-known company, whose design is poor and the text is full of errors? Most companies hire several writers who review the patterns used for automated emails and check up on all hand-made correspondence. Seeing a genuine letter that looks like a kid’s scribble is hardly a case. Be sure that it is likely a scam; you can additionally confirm your expectations by looking for the signs we mentioned above.

The post What is Norton Scam Email? Tips to Protect Yourself appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.