BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – A tech support email scam is showing up in people’s inboxes, including some members of the WBRC news team.
This particular email states that your personal “McAfee Total Protection” plan is about to be renewed and you will soon be charged more than $350. However, if you believe this transaction is fraudulent or if you wish to cancel your subscription, you can call the company.
The message looks legitimate, but when the recipient clicks on the email at the top, they can clearly see that it’s not from McAfee.
The company issued a warning about these fake emails this month.
McAfee recommends verifying the sender’s email address.
They also provided a list of the emails they actually use.
AARP Alabama adds that tech support scams that try to get people to click on links are also common. Doing so can embed malware and steal credit card numbers and other personal information.
AARP says anyone can fall for technical support scams, especially with emerging technologies.
“They’re very sophisticated now, especially with the use of artificial intelligence, which allows them to impersonate people,” said Jamie Harding of AARP Alabama. “For example, the other day I saw a deepfake video circulating on Twitter that wasn’t easily identified as a deepfake, but it was a deepfake nonetheless. has sophisticated technology, which is why it’s not just people who aren’t tech-savvy who are victims of this type of crime.”
AARP recommended not clicking on links with unsolicited information.
If you are unsure whether the email you received is from that company, you can contact that company’s customer service for further assistance.
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