Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Mcafee Scam Email - How to Protect Yourself
Mcafee Scam Email - How to Protect Yourself

A McAfee scam email is a fake message that pretends your antivirus subscription has auto-renewed for a high price or expired. It tries to cause panic so you will call a fake support number or click a link to steal your money or personal data.

Major Red Flags

  • Urgent Demands & Deadlines: Threatens that your computer is infected or that your account will be suspended unless you act immediately.
  • Fake Invoices: Claims you owe hundreds of dollars ($300–$500+) for an automated subscription renewal you never authorized.
  • "Call Us" Requests: Instructs you to call a specific phone number to cancel the order or get a refund. McAfee will never ask you to call a phone number in an email.
  • Suspicious Sender Addresses: The display name says "McAfee," but the actual email address is a generic domain like @gmail.com or an unrelated lookalike address.
  • Requests for Remote Access: Scammers on fake support lines will ask you to download software to control your device remotely.

What to Do?

  1. Do Not Click or Call: Avoid clicking links, opening attachments, or calling any phone numbers listed inside the message.
  2. Verify Independently: Open a separate web browser, manually type in McAfee's Official Website, and log into your dashboard to safely check your true subscription and billing status.
  3. Forward and Report: Send the complete suspicious email directly to scam@mcafee.com. Use your email provider's built-in tools to mark it as Spam or Phishing.
  4. Scan Your Device: If you accidentally clicked a link or downloaded an attachment, immediately run a full system scan with a trusted security tool to check for malware.
  5. Secure Financial Accounts: If you shared bank or credit card information, contact your financial institution immediately to freeze your cards and monitor for unauthorized charges.
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