GREENSBORO, N.C. — Timing is everything, right? My mom's computer was outdated, so she just recently bought a new computer. She bought anti-virus security software to protect her new computer.
And wouldn't you know, a few days later she got an email, it seemed to be from McAfee, the email read, ‘mcafeerenewalteam’. The email confirmed her purchase of four devices at 259.99 USD.
My mom got really upset thinking the company had made a mistake and overcharged her, but instead of calling the number in the email, mom took a deep breath and thought it could be a scam. She did what experts recommend, she waited and asked someone else to put eyes on it.
Let's take a look at what you see when you slow down and really look at this email.
While the McAfee name is in the address, it had a ‘.red@gmail’ ending.
You and I use Gmail, the company does not. The real site address is mcafee.com. When the company emails you, it will come from their site.
The other big tip-off to me was the way the charge was listed: 259.99 USD. Nope. We always write it out this way: $259.99.
Now, there are other issues with this letter, but these are the ones that quickly stuck out to me.
My point is this, take a moment. Really think about the email, text, or call you're getting. Give it some time. Loop someone else in. It could save you from getting scammed.
SCAMMERS
Scammers work around the clock during every season of the year. They try to reach you by phone, text, email, and even Facebook. They'll pretend to be the IRS, an insurance company, or someone you know.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein came back to share what red flags you need to be on the lookout for. Remember, if someone asks you to pay with a gift card, it's always a scam.
There's a toll-free number that citizens can call if they feel there is a scam going on or if they believe they are a victim of one. The number is 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.