Avoid getting scammed by sites claiming your PC is infected and Norton has expired

What is "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!"?

Our research team discovered the "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" scam while inspecting rogue webpages. This scheme claims that the device might be infected since the Norton AntiVirus subscription has expired.

However, these statements are false, as no website can detect threats/issues present on visitors' computers. Furthermore, it must be stressed that this scam is in no way associated with Norton AntiVirus or NortonLifeLock Inc.

"Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" scam overview

This scam presents users with what is supposed to be the Norton anti-virus. The program's imitation then performs a fake system scan. Afterward, the threat report claims that the visitor's device might be infected as the Norton subscription may have expired. The scheme urges immediate action since unprotected devices are at risk of virus and malware infections.

While the statement that a computer is more at risk of various infections if an anti-virus does not protect it - is true, this does not change the fact that "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" is a scam. Additionally, it must be mentioned that this deceptive content is not associated with NortonLifeLock Inc.

The aim of this scheme is to trick users into downloading/installing promoted software. When we inspected "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!", it did not redirect anywhere as the link was broken. However, this may be rectified in the future.

Although there are cases where such scams redirect to the sites of real security software, the promotion itself is illegitimate. Scammers often abuse the affiliate programs of genuine products in order to fraudulently acquire commissions.

Typically, scams of this kind endorse fake anti-viruses, adware, browser hijackers, and PUAs. We have even observed instances where such content was used to proliferate trojans, ransomware, and other malware.

To summarize, by trusting scams like "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" - users can experience system infections, financial losses, severe privacy issues, and identity theft. Therefore, we strongly advise caution when browsing and downloading only from official/verified sources.

Threat Summary:

Name	Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses! pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Device might be infected and the Norton AntiVirus subscription has expired.
Disguise	Norton
Related Domains	totaldatadefencereport[.]com, nonadvertised[.]com, securityanalysisreport[.]com, lifetimedesktopdefence[.]online, desktopanalyticscenter[.]site, reliabledesktopguard[.]site, alltimetopdefender[.]site, reportyourdefenderdata[.]site, securitysupportinfo[.]live, alltimesecuritysystem[.]live, yourdatadefencebulwark[.]live, reportyouridentity[.]site, mydailysecurityguard[.]site, mywebsecurityguard[.]site
Detection Names (totaldatadefencereport[.]com)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (totaldatadefencereport[.]com)	18.235.21.239
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Similar scam examples

We have analyzed thousands of online scams; "Keep Your PC Updated With Norton!", "McAfee - Act Now To Keep Your Computer Protected", "Your Computer May Be At Risk With An Expired McAfee License", and "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" are merely some examples of ones similar to "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!".

The Internet is rife with misleading, deceptive, and malicious material. Scams can wear various disguises and use different models, e.g., software updates, virus alerts, prize/cryptocurrency giveaways, lotteries, and so on. However, regardless of what such schemes claims, their end-goal is the same - to generate revenue at victims' expense.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam pages are usually accessed inadvertently. Websites that use rogue advertising networks can force-open these pages immediately upon access or when hosted content is clicked (e.g., buttons, links, text input fields, ads, etc.). Misspelling a site's URL can also result in a redirect (or a redirection chain leading) to a deceptive webpage.

Spam browser notifications and intrusive advertisements promote online scams as well. Furthermore, adware can display adverts pushing this content and/or force-open sites that run scams.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Deceptive websites are primarily entered via redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks, mistyping a URL, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware.

We recommend being vigilant when browsing since fraudulent and malicious content typically appears harmless. We advise against using sites that offer pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming or downloading, etc.) - as they are usually monetized through rogue advertising networks.

It is essential to pay attention to URLs and be careful when entering them. To avoid receiving unwanted browser notifications, do not permit suspicious websites to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification delivery requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

We also advise downloading only from official and verified channels. When installing, it is crucial to read terms, inspect available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out of all supplementary apps, tools, features, etc.

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Text presented in "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" pop-up:

Norton Security

Your PC might be infected with viruses!

ACTION REQUIRED!

Your Norton Subscription may have Expired!

Renew now to keep your pc protected.

If your PC is unprotected, might be at risk for viruses and other malware.

[Proceed...]

The appearance of "Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses!" pop-up scam (GIF):

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is Norton Security - Your PC Might Be Infected With Viruses! pop-up?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are deceptive messages designed to make users perform specific actions. Victims can be lured/scared into downloading/installing software, purchasing products, making monetary transactions, subscribing to services, disclosing private data, calling fake helplines, and so on.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Like all scams, pop-up scams aim to generate revenue. Cyber criminals can profit by obtaining funds through deception, abusing or selling sensitive information, promoting content (e.g., software, products, services, etc.), spreading malware, and so forth.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are run on rogue websites. Most users enter such webpages through redirects caused by mistyped URLs, sites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and alert you if they are detected as rogue, deceptive, or malicious. Furthermore, it can restrict all further access to such sites. Combo Cleaner can also detect whether downloaded content is harmful. It is capable of removing all manner of threats, including practically all known malware infections.

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