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Enjoy a safer life
without the hassle of online scams

Hackers, scammers, and thieves have all kinds of tricks—but you can spot and avoid them. A little knowledge helps, and we’ve put it all together right here just for you.

Did you receive a suspicious message or phishing email using the McAfee brand? Report it here to: spam@mcafee.com

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Spoofed Website

How to spot McAfee imposters​​

Recently, some of our customers have been targeted by messages that appear to be actual McAfee communications but are from cybercriminals trying to steal personal and financial information. Here are a few examples of fraudulent McAfee communications.

Listen from our Online Safety Expert about McAfee Imposter Scams

 

Examples of imposter McAfee messages
Senior Citizen Scams
Verifying genuine McAfee messages

How to tell if your subscription, renewal, invoice, or receipt notice is real

We recommend logging on to McAfee.com to confirm your subscription and renewal status. We will never require you to call a phone number in an email or text message.

You can also visit our customer service site at https://www.mcafee.com/support to find a solution to your problem in our Knowledge Base, or contact the official McAfee Customer Support team by phone or chat.

How to tell if the email you receive is legitimately from McAfee
There are many ways to spot phishing emails. Look for:

  • Spelling and grammar mistakes
  • Suspicious links and attachments
  • Requests for personal or financial information
Senior Citizen Scams
Fraudulent customer service websites

If you believe you have used a fraudulent customer service website, you can take actions to protect yourself based on the type of information you provided.

  • Credit card data: Check your credit card statement for any fraudulent or unrecognized charges.
  • Email: Mark spam messages as junk and/or move to your junk folder, add additional spam filters, and change email addresses if you can.
  • Social security number: Enroll in Identity Protection, which you may already be entitled to as part of your McAfee subscription.

How to enroll with McAfee Identity Protection Services

McAfee Identity Protection services are available across 32 countries through an active McAfee subscription. To enroll:

Senior Citizen Scams
  1. Go to protection.mcafee.com. This link is also in your invitation email.
  2. Click Get Started.
  3. Type your McAfee login credentials and sign in.
  4. After clicking the checkbox to confirm you are over 16 years of age, Identity Monitoring will start scanning the dark web for your email address.
  5. Follow the relevant prompts, depending on whether your email address was found on the dark web.
  6. Confirm your email address by completing the one-time-password process.
  7. Follow the additional prompts to complete the setup of Identity Monitoring.
Additional customer service and email address info
Senior Citizen Scams

More information about McAfee customer service

McAfee provides free customer service and will never call to ask you to pay for Customer Service.

If you receive calls that claim to be from McAfee, but are of a harassing or abusive nature, contact McAfee Customer Service and report the call to one of our team members.

McAfee Customer Service and the Customer Service teams of our partners don’t require, and will never request sensitive information such as your social security number, PINs, and bank or payment details.

List of legitimate McAfee email addresses

McAfee sends email communications from several email domains and for different purposes. Click on this support article to view an example of each legitimate email address.

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Phone Scams

Anyone who has a phone knows that scam calls happen all too often. The scammer can pose as a legitimate company, or even a government organization, all to steal your personal information, funds, or both.

Common phone scams:

Tech help scams​
Tech support scams ​

The scammer may say they’re from a big software or online security company and then warn you that your device has an issue that only they can fix. Of course, your device is fine. Yet they’ll promise to fix it for a fee—effectively taking your money for nothing. Others will trick you into installing malware as part of the “repair,” which can steal personal information from your device.

Credit repair scams​
Credit repair scams

Like the tech support scam, these calls often use the threat of an outstanding debt or urgent credit alert to lure you in. For a fee, the scammer promises to resolve the issue—an issue that doesn’t exist. Moreover, the scammer may do more than charge you for a phony fix. They may re-use any account or credit-related information you provide to commit further identity theft.

Charity scams​

​These calls often crop up during the holidays when people have charitable giving on their mind, yet they can happen any time. Here, scammers will play on your emotions. They’ll paint a picture of people or a cause in desperate need, followed by an urgent plea for your donation. One that ends up in the scammer’s pocket, along with your payment information.

Extended car warranty scams​

Here, scammers may pose as a car dealer, manufacturer, or insurance company and pitch you on renewing your warranty. These calls are often pre-recorded and instruct you to provide your personal information. These can be tricky. Sometimes the scammer may have specific information about your car, likely pulled from online resources, which makes the call seem legitimate.

Avoiding phone scams:

Ways you can avoid phone scams:

 

Screen your calls

Scam calls sometimes look like an unfamiliar number on your caller ID. Let unknown numbers go to voicemail. From there, you can determine if the message is legitimate.

 

Hang up if you pick up

Sometimes those calls can slip through (see below). If you find yourself on a scam call, simply hang up. Don’t press any buttons or offer any response. No need to worry about manners.

 

Don’t rely on caller ID as proof

Phone scams have gotten better at making you think it is a legitimate number by “spoofing” an ID and displaying some type of official name. Some people even report seeing their own number calling them.

 

Use call blocking

Some carriers offer services that can help screen out scam calls for you. They draw on known lists of suspicious and known scam numbers and can alert you if a call could be a scammer.

 

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam?

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps. Your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery.

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Phishing Scams

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam?

Realizing you’ve become a victim of a scam carries plenty of emotion, which is understandable—the scammer has taken you in, along with your money and information. Once that initial rush of anger and surprise has passed, it’s time to get clinical and get to work on the following steps.

Phishing Scams

Steps for protecting yourself

 

1. Notify the companies involved

If you spot a curious charge, a potentially fraudulent account, or get an alert from your monitoring service, let the bank or organization involved know as soon as possible. Also, forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, which includes ISPs, security vendors, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies at: reportphishing@apwg.org

2. File a police report

Some businesses will require you to file a local police report to acquire a case number to complete your claim. Beyond that, filing a report is a good idea in itself. Identity theft is still theft and reporting it provides an official record of the incident. 

3. Contact governmental agencies and authorities

The identity theft website from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a fantastic resource should you find yourself in need. Further, filing a complaint with the FBI through their Internet Crime Complaint Center can help the FBI and its partners bring cybercriminals to justice.

Contact your national tax or revenue agency if you believe your tax ID number was involved in the scam. They will have their own reporting mechanisms and processes to assist you with the recovery process.

Phishing Scams
4. Put on a credit freeze or lock

If you think you got scammed, a credit freeze or lock can help minimize and prevent further harm. See what the credit bureaus in your region offer, along with the terms and conditions of each. You can set freezes and locks right from our app with certain McAfee plans.

5. Continue to monitor

Use a monitoring service to help you continue to keep tabs on your identity. The unfortunate fact of identity theft and fraud is that it can mark the start of a long, drawn-out affair.

6. Work with a recovery pro

Given the time, money, and stress that can come along with setting your financial record straight, leaning on the expertise of a professional can provide you with much-needed relief on several counts.

Common chat and text scams include:

Foreign lottery scam
Identity theft coverage

up to $2M for lost funds or expenses involved in restoring your identity with assistance from licensed restoration experts to repair your identity and credit.

Survey scam
Credit monitoring and alerts

helps you keep an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action if needed.

Banking scam
Security freeze

prevents unauthorized access to existing accounts or from new credit, bank, or utility accounts being set up in your name.

Idenity monitoring

monitors up to 60 unique pieces of personal information on the dark web and sends timely alerts up to 10 months sooner than competitive products.

Personal Data Cleanup

finds and removes your information from data broker and people search sites, then continuously monitors those sites for ongoing protection. 

Web Scams

Web Scams

Cybercriminals have many tools for defrauding you while you go about your day online. Phony websites, bogus apps, and malware-loaded attachments are some of the ways they come after you and your personal information. 

Common web scams include:

Fake commerce sites​​
Phony shopping and e-commerce sites​​

Scammers will prop up sites to sell products that they will never deliver. However, they will take your money and debit or credit card info. 

Credit card fraud​
Credit card and credential capture

Some scammer sites will ask for credit card information or other account information (Apple ID or Google account) to proceed or browse on their site.

Malware​
Malware attacks

Suspicious links or malicious email attachments are used to install viruses and other malware on your devices. Some apps from uncommon app stores can have malware too. 

Ransomware attacks

Another form of malware that holds your device and data for ransom — locking it up until you pay. Even then, you have no guarantee they’ll set your data free. 

Avoiding web scams:

Ways to avoid web scams: 

 

Keep things updated

Your operating system, web browsers, and apps are constantly updating to adjust to the scammers’ new tricks. This includes keeping your McAfee subscription updated as well.

 

Be careful what you click

The long-standing advice still holds true. You can use web protection that warns you of suspicious links and websites that may appear on some search results.

 

Only download apps from official web stores

Device manufacturers like Apple and Google have measures in place that help prevent malware-loaded apps from ending up in their stores.

 

Look out for alternative forms of payment

Online scams often ask for payment by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency. Consider using a credit card instead of a debit card for more protection against fraudulent activity.

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Phishing Scams

Messaging Scams

Scammers will try to reach you in many ways – phone, chat, text, email, direct messages on social media, with phishing scams, and they even target senior citizens. They’ll try to get your guard down by posing as someone, business, or organization you trust.

Common messaging scams:

The mobile phish​
Phone scams​​

Phone scams imitate real calls you might expect to receive. Scammers try to get your personal information and money with tech support, credit repair, charity, and extended car warranty scams.

File sharing & DocuSign
Chat and text scams​

These messages mention free prizes and cheap goods, fake package delivery, debt and student loan assistance, payment issues, or a “wrong number” text can lead to a friendship or romance scam.

Surveys
Email scams

Scammers use emails to pose as reputable brands to get your personal information or money by offering deals or assistance to make payments. They’ll often include links to fake sites and attachments that are really malware.

Senior citizen scams

Scammers see senior citizens as less technically savvy and as people who lack daily contact with others. They use these assumptions to pose as relatives, a security pro or rep for tech support, and government employees.

Phishing scams

Scammers send dangerous links through requests for files, document signatures, survey completion, and payments. They often pose as a company’s CEO or executives to get company, employee, or contract information.

Avoiding phishing scams:

Avoiding messaging scams:

 

Be cautious and resist pressure to act quickly

Watch out for unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door services offers—particularly those that create a sense of urgency or use scare tactics to lure you into immediate action. Those are telltale signs of a scam.

 

Verify the message

If a friend, family member, bank, or any other business asks you for personal information or money, validate the request by going directly to the company’s website or by calling the company or person making the request.

 

Don’t click on links and attachments

If you don’t do business with a particular company, don’t click on any links, attachments, or take any surveys it may send. Likewise, if the email comes from someone or business you do know, follow up with them to see if they in fact sent it.

Avoiding phishing scams:
Confirm you’re on the correct site

Phishers often set up bogus websites that look legitimate hoping to trick you into entering your login details. In fact, 
it’s safest to directly type in the address of the site you wish 
to visit. 

 

Lean on the experts

Several banks, financial institutions, and the American Association of Retired People (AARP) offer resources, such 
as the AARP fraud hotline, to help protect elder customers. 
Our McAfee Safety Series include guides that cover topics 
like phishing, identity theft, and staying safe on social media.

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Email Scams

Email Scams

You’ve probably seen your share of them. Emails that don’t look or read right. Others that that offer questionable deals and some that try to bully into action. These scams have been around for some time, yet they’re getting more sophisticated—which makes knowing how to spot them all that more important. 

Common email scams:

Foreign lottery scam
Foreign lottery scams

You get an email that says you just won a big prize, often in a foreign country. But here’s the catch: you must pay a small amount of money up front to gain the larger reward. The scammers end up with your money, and possibly your payment information as well. 

Survey scam
Renewal scams ​

Similarly, we have lots of accounts nowadays, some of which require renewal from time to time. Scammers will pose as a reputable brand in an email, making an urgent renewal request. Like the other scams, they end up with your money and payment information as a result. 

Banking scam
Banking and online payment service scams

You receive an email saying there is something wrong with your bank or online payment service that needs your attention. You’re then directed to a fake site where you attempt to log in so they can steal your username and password for the actual site.

Tracking notice, coupon, and invoice scams

Each of these give scammers an excuse to slap an attachment on their email—making you think that they’ve included an important or valuable document of some kind. Instead, it’s really malware that can steal information or otherwise harm your device.

Avoiding email scams:

Avoiding email scams:

 

Don’t click on links and attachments 

If you don’t do business with a particular company, don’t click on any links, attachments, or take any surveys it may send. Likewise, if the email comes from someone you do know, follow up with them to see if they in fact sent it. Same for any business communications. 

 

Look at the sender’s email address 

Scammers often “spoof” email and web addresses. They’ll take a recognized and reputable address and modify it slightly so that it looks real at first glance. Look at the email address without clicking on any links. Does it match the sender? Does it look familiar, yet altered? These are signs to delete the email and go on your way. 

 

Go the direct route 

If you still have concerns that the email about your account or service may be legitimate, visit the company’s website by directly typing in its address directly and contact their customer service team from there. 

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Senior Citizen Scams

Senior Citizen Scams

Scammers directly target elders and seniors for several reasons. Scammers see them as less technically savvy, people who have retirement income ready for the taking, and people who perhaps lack daily contact with others—all making them prone to several scams. 

Common senior citizen scams include:

Grandparent scam
Grandparents scam

Criminals pose as a relative—usually a child or grandchild—claiming to be in immediate financial need. The stories vary, yet they typically involve an urgent call for help, like being stranded somewhere with an expensive car repair. 

The romance scam
Friendship and romance scams 

Scammers will prey on loneliness. Pure and simple. As with other victims, scammers will reach out with a “wrong number” text that leads to a longer conversation. As the relationship develops, the scammer then starts asking for money, gift cards, or even payments into phony investments. 

Tech support scams 

The scammer will reach out to seniors under the guise of a security pro or as a rep from a major software or computer company, and then falsely claim there’s something wrong with their device. They’ll promise to fix this non-existent issue for a fee and take their money for nothing in return. Some may even install malware on the senior’s device to cause further harm, all as part of the “repair.” 

Government impersonation scams​

Scammers will pose as a government employee and threaten victims with arrest or prosecution if a payment or demand is not met. In some cases, the scammer will pose as an IRS agent and demand immediate payment for back taxes. Other versions of this scam include impersonating an immigration agent. 

loved one encounters a scam

Avoiding scams—for seniors: 

 

Be cautious and resist pressure to act quickly 

Watch out for unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door services offers—particularly those that create a sense of urgency or use scare tactics to lure you into immediate action. Those are telltale signs of a scam. 

 

Keep your personal information to yourself 

Scammers will pose as a person of authority in the hope that you will follow along. They’ll ask for things like your Social Security number, credit card number, and other financial details—and may bully or pressure you into doing so. If you find someone asking these questions, particularly on a call you didn’t expect to receive, it could be a scam. 

 

Beware those seeking gifts 

Whether it’s money, jewelry, or gift cards, scammers will often ask for funds in payment methods that are tough to track and even tougher to refund in the event of fraud. This is often a top sign of fraud and that the friend who asked you for those funds really isn’t your friend, as difficult as that may feel to realize. 

 

Be careful what you click and download

Sending money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses puts you in danger.

 

Avoiding scams—for their friends and family: 

 

Keep in touch 

Being there to lend an ear or a helping hand goes a long way toward keeping the elders in your life safe from scams. Chat about what they’re doing online. Questions about their devices and what they’re doing online will inevitably come up as a natural part of the conversation. It’ll be a great comfort to them knowing that you’re around to lend them a quick answer as needed.

 

Lean on the experts 

Several banks and financial institutions offer resources that can help protect elder customers. See what they have to offer. Also, look to resources from the American Association of Retired People (AARP), such as the AARP fraud hotline. Also, you and your family can learn plenty more about scam prevention in our McAfee Safety Series, a set of straightforward guides that cover topics like phishing, identity theft, and staying safe on social media.

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam? 

We’re here to help. Head over to our “Report a scam” page for next steps you can take and for ways your McAfee subscription can help you get on the path to recovery. 

Senior Citizen Scams

Do you think you’re the victim of a scam?

Realizing that you’ve become a victim of a scam carries plenty of emotion with it, which is understandable—the scammer has taken you in, along with your money and information. Once that initial rush of anger and surprise has passed, it’s time to get clinical and get to work on the following steps.

loved one encounters a scam

Steps to protecting yourself

 

1. Notify the companies involved

Whether you spot a curious charge on your bank statement, discover a potentially fraudulent account when you check credit report, or get an alert from your monitoring service, let the bank or organization involved know when you suspect fraud or theft. With a visit to their website, you can track down the appropriate number to call and get the investigation process started. Also, forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, which includes ISPs, security vendors, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies at: reportphishing@apwg.org

 

2. File a police report

Some businesses will require you to file a local police report to acquire a case number to complete your claim. Beyond that, filing a report is a good idea in itself. Identity theft is still theft and reporting it provides an official record of the incident.

 

3. Contact your governmental agencies and authorities

In the U.S., the identity theft website from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a fantastic resource should you find yourself in need. Further, filing a complaint with the FBI through their Internet Crime Complaint Center can help the FBI and its partners bring cybercriminals to justice. Outside of the U.S., our knowledge base article on identity theft offers suggestions for the specific steps you can take in specific countries, along with helpful links for local authorities that you can turn to for reporting and assistance. Also contact your national tax or revenue agency as well if you believe your tax ID number was involved in the scam. They will have their own reporting mechanisms and processes to assist you with the recovery process.

Outside of the U.S., our knowledge base article on identity theft offers suggestions for the specific steps you can take in specific countries, along with helpful links for local authorities that you can turn to for reporting and assistance.

Also contact your national tax or revenue agency as well if you believe your tax ID number was involved in the scam. They will have their own reporting mechanisms and processes to assist you with the recovery process.

4. Put on a credit freeze or lock

If you think you got scammed, now is a good time to review your options for a credit freeze or lock. See what the credit bureaus in your region offer, along with the terms and conditions of each. With the right decision, a freeze or lock can help minimize and prevent further harm. As you’ll see below, you can set freezes and locks right from our app with certain McAfee plans.

5. Continue to monitor

Strongly consider using a monitoring service to help you continue to keep tabs on your identity. The unfortunate fact of identity theft and fraud is that it can mark the start of a long, drawn-out affair. One scam can possibly lead to another, so even what may appear to be an isolated bad charge on your credit card calls for keeping an eye on your identity all around.

6. Work with a recovery pro

A recovery service can help you clean up your credit in the wake of a scam, fraud, or theft, all by working on your behalf. Given the time, money, and stress that can come along with setting your financial record straight, leaning on the expertise of a professional can provide you with much-needed relief on several counts.

How your McAfee subscription can help 

Foreign lottery scam
Up to $1M Identity theft coverage

to reimburse lost funds or expenses in restoring the customer’s identity—which also includes assistance from licensed restoration experts who can take necessary actions to help repair identity and credit issues.

Survey scam
Credit monitoring and alerts

can help you keep an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action to tackle identity theft. 

Banking scam
Security freeze

events unauthorized access to existing accounts or new ones being set up in your name with a credit, bank, or utility freeze.

Identity monitoring

for up to 60 unique pieces of personal information on the dark web with timely alerts up to 10 months sooner than competitive products.

Personal data cleanup

finds and removes consumer data from data broker and people search sites, then continually monitors the sites should a consumer’s information reappear.