Do not trust fake sites claiming "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date"

What kind of scam is "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date"?

Our research team discovered the "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" scam while investigating rogue websites. This deceptive content makes false claims regarding infections on the user's device. Typically, scams of this type are used to promote untrustworthy/harmful software.

It must be stressed that this scheme is in no way associated with either the McAfee anti-virus software or its developer McAfee Corp.

"Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" scam overview

When we accessed a webpage running the "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" scam, we were presented with a fake system scanning process. The "scan" detected numerous severe threats on the visiting user's system. The scheme then displayed a pop-up window stating – "Your McAfee subscription is out of date. Renew subscription to remove viruses./ Renew subscription".

As previously mentioned, all these claims are false since no website can detect threats/issues present on visitors' devices. It must be reiterated that this scam is not associated with the actual McAfee Corp.

In most cases, scams similar to "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" are used to endorse fake anti-viruses, adware, browser hijackers, and PUAs – under the guise of security software. We have even found instances of such schemes proliferating trojans, ransomware, and other malware.

Alternately, deceptive content of this ilk could be used by scammers to obtain illegitimate commissions for the promotion of genuine products/services. Hence, the user would be redirected by the scam to an official website of legitimate software/service – and the scammers would receive a commission for this abuse of the content's affiliate programs.

However, it is noteworthy that even if a scheme promotes genuine content, there are no guarantees that it will continue to do so. Additionally, scams could redirect to malicious pages that are virtually perfect imitations of legitimate websites.

In summary, by trusting a scam like "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" – users may experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	System is infected and the McAfee subscription is outdated.
Disguise	McAfee
Related Domains	initiatecompletelyfreeinfo-product[.]info
Detection Names (initiatecompletelyfreeinfo-product[.]info)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (initiatecompletelyfreeinfo-product[.]info)	34.200.46.148
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

"McAfee - A Virus Has Been Found On Your PC!", "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!", "Avira Security pop-up scam", "Aura Antivirus Protection", and "McAfee - TROJAN_2022 And Other Viruses Detected" are merely some examples of scams akin to "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date".

There are countless schemes on the Web, and they use a myriad of deceptive claims to gain and subsequently abuse victims' trust. Common themes include system infections, software updates, suspicious activity on online accounts, offers that are too good to be true, lotteries, giveaways, and so forth.

Due to how widespread and well-crafted online scams can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution while browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam webpages can be accessed via sites that use rogue advertising networks; the former can be force-opened immediately upon entry or when hosted content is interacted with (e.g., clicking buttons, text input fields, ads, etc.). Misspelling a website's URL can also result in a redirect (or a redirection chain leading) to a deceptive page.

Additionally, spam browser notifications and intrusive advertisements can promote online scams. Adware installed on a browser/system may display adverts endorsing this content or force-open webpages hosting it.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We strongly advise being vigilant while browsing since fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and innocuous.

It is essential to avoid using websites that offer pirated software/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.) – as such sites are typically monetized through rogue advertising networks. Furthermore, always pay attention to URLs and enter them with care – to ensure entry to the desired websites.

To avoid receiving scam-promoting browser notifications – do not permit suspicious pages to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification requests from such sites (i.e., select "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Another recommendation is to download only from official/verified sources and approach installation with caution (e.g., reading terms, studying options, using "Custom/Advanced" settings, opting out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software from infiltrating the system.

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 "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" scam pop-up:

Your McAfee subscription is out of date. Renew subscription to remove viruses.

Renew subscription

The appearance of "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" pop-up scam (GIF):

Another appearance of "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" pop-up scam:

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 "Your McAfee Subscription Is Out Of Date" 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?

Basically, pop-up scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be lured into calling fake support lines, downloading/installing software, disclosing private information, making monetary transactions, purchasing products, subscribing to services, and so forth.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Scams are designed to generate revenue. Cyber criminals mainly profit by obtaining funds through deception, selling or abusing sensitive information, promoting content, and spreading malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are promoted on rogue webpages, which are seldom accessed intentionally. Most visitors to these pages enter them via redirects caused by mistyped URLs, websites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning the websites you visit and alerting you if they are detected as deceptive/malicious (this includes pages promoting pop-up scams). Therefore, should you enter a harmful webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.

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