Consumers across the U.S. are reportedly receiving emails that appear to come from software firm McAfee that seek to confirm a purchase that never took place. Law enforcement officials say it’s one of the latest incarnations of the imposter scam.
Imposter scams are dangerous because the scammer is impersonating a person, company, or government agency that is familiar. In the case of the latest McAfee scam, the scheme is designed to elicit a panicked response.
“Thank you for your purchase!” the subject line reads. The body of the email says the consumer’s account has been reapproved and that a debit or credit card was charged several hundred dollars.
The email encourages the recipient to call a telephone number if they would like to cancel. Other versions ask recipients to click a link. Either method puts the victim in touch with a scammer.
The scammer presumes the recipient doesn’t have a McAfee account and will react emotionally to what appears to be an erroneous charge. In the process, a number of dangerous activities could take place.
“If you click on a link, it may install malware on your computer,” said Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. “Malware can cause your device to crash and can be used to monitor and control your online activity, steal your personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.”
If you end up on a phone call with the scammer, Rosenblum said you will probably be asked to either provide…
