Avoid getting scammed by fake "Payment For Bitdefender" emails

What kind of email is "Payment For Bitdefender"?

After inspecting the "Payment For Bitdefender" email, we determined that it is spam. The letter is presented as a notification concerning a product purchase. This spam campaign has all the hallmarks of a refund scam.

It must be emphasized that the "Payment For Bitdefender" email is not associated with the actual Bitdefender or any other legitimate products and companies.

"Payment For Bitdefender" email scam overview

This spam email details the purchase of a "BitDefender System Security" product. Supposedly, the 378.52 USD discharge will soon appear on the buyer's account. If there are any issues with the transaction, the email instructs to call the "Resolution Centre". It must be reiterated that all the information provided by this letter is false, and it is in no way associated with Bitdefender.

It is most probable that this spam mail promotes a refund scam, wherein victims contact fake support to reverse a bogus charge. It may take place entirely over the phone. Victims may be deceived into disclosing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, or downloading/installing malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, cryptominers, etc.).

Targeted information can include log-in credentials (e.g., online banking, email, social media, etc.), personally identifiable details (e.g., ID card info, passport scans, etc.), and finance-related data.

However, refund scams often involve cyber criminals requesting remote access to users' devices. This trait is shared by technical support scams, more information on which can be found in our articles on frequently used remote access software – UltraViewer and TeamViewer.

In refund scams, after establishing the remote connection, scammers ask victims to sign into their online banking accounts. Afterward, the remote program is used to darken victims' screens or overlay them with an image. While users cannot see their screen, they are to enter the refund amount.

Meanwhile, scammers either move funds between accounts (e.g., from savings to checking) or edit the bank page's HTML. This creates the impression that a larger sum was transferred, allegedly, due the user error. It must be stressed that neither of these actions actually affect the funds in the account.

Victims are requested and pleaded to return the nonexistent excess. Cyber criminals use difficult-to-trace methods to acquire money (e.g., cryptocurrencies, gift cards, cash hidden in packages, etc.), thus lowering chances of successful prosecution and funds recovery.

Keep in mind that this scheme could operate differently. Criminals can cause a variety of severe issues when connected to victims' computers, ranging from fake anti-virus installation to malware infiltration.

To summarize, by trusting an email like "Payment For Bitdefender" – users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

If you have allowed scammers to access your device remotely – you must first disconnect it from the Internet. Secondly, uninstall the remote access program that the cyber criminals used since they might not need your permission to reconnect. Lastly, perform a complete system scan with an anti-virus and eliminate all detected threats.

If you have disclosed your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you've provided your personally identifiable or finance-related information to scammers – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Payment For Bitdefender" spam email
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Disguise	Transaction notification for a Bitdefender product purchase.
Support Scammer Phone Number	+1[808] 909_8707
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
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 spam campaign examples

We have written about countless spam campaigns; "Zoom Antivirus Plus Subscription", "AT&T email scam", and "Chase Bank Invoice" are just a couple of our newest articles on emails promoting refund scams.

Spam mail is used to facilitate a wide variety of schemes, including (but not limited to) phishing, technical support, inheritance, lottery, sextortion, and so forth. Additionally, deceptive emails are used to proliferate malware.

Due to how prevalent spam mail is and how well-made it can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution with incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Cyber criminals commonly use spam campaigns to distribute malware. Spam emails/messages can include infectious files as attachments or download links. These files can be documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.

The system infection chain is initiated once a malicious file is opened. Some formats require additional interaction to jumpstart malware download/installation. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click on embedded links or files.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Incoming emails and other messages must be approached with care. Do not open attachments or links found in dubious/irrelevant mail, as they can be harmful or virulent.

However, malware is not spread exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, be vigilant while browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and harmless.

Additionally, download only from official and trustworthy channels. Activate and update software using functions/tools provided by genuine developers, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updates may contain malware.

It is paramount for device integrity and user safety to have a dependable anti-virus installed and kept updated. Security programs must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats/issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Payment For Bitdefender" spam email letter:

Bitdefender

You've sent a payment of $378.52 USD to

BitDefender System Security

It may take a few moments for this transaction to appear in your account.

Transaction ID: 5EE6236687752483C

Transaction date: 09-Sep-2022 17:03:20 GMT+09:30

Seller

 

BitDefender Antivirus, Inc.

Invoice ID: P-00903425

Description

Unit Per: 378.52 USD

Qty : 1 Unit

Amount: 378.52 USD

Issues with this transaction? You have 24 hours from the date of the transaction to contact our Resolution Centre,

+1[808] 909_8707

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 "Payment For Bitdefender" spam email?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Spam emails are not personal, even if they include information relevant to the recipients. This mail is distributed in large-scale campaigns – therefore, thousands of users receive identical (or incredibly similar) messages.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?

If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of or possibly compromised accounts and inform their official support. And if you've disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans/photos, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – contact the corresponding authorities without delay.

I have allowed cyber criminals to remotely access my computer, what should I do?

If you have allowed cyber criminals to access your device remotely – immediately disconnect it from the Internet. Afterward, uninstall the remote access program that the criminals used (e.g., TeamViewer, UltraViewer, etc.), as they might not need your consent to reconnect. Lastly, run a complete system scan with an anti-virus and remove all detected threats.

I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Merely reading an email is harmless; systems are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.

I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?

If the opened file was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes – your device was infected. However, you might have avoided this if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.). These formats may need additional user interaction to begin downloading/installing malware (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded content, etc.).

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and eliminating practically all known malware infections. Keep in mind that sophisticated malicious software typically hides deep within systems – hence, performing a complete system scan is crucial.

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