Trading Standards - Antivirus Provider Email Scams

13th February 2026

There have been recent reports of scam emails which impersonate antivirus providers such as McAfee, AVG and Norton.

This week, one consumer received an email that appeared to be from McAfee and said their name had appeared on the dark web.

They were asked to click a link to find out more and resolve the issue.

Other scam emails say your antivirus protection has expired and that if you do not click on a link to make a payment, your device could become infected with malware. In some cases they offer a bogus discount if you renew your subscription immediately.

The links in these emails lead to copycat websites which use the branding of the antivirus company and ask for your personal and payment details.

Some consumers have also received messages saying their antivirus subscription is set to be renewed automatically. They are asked to contact a 'support team' if they want to cancel the subscription.
The phone number provided in these emails usually connects you with a scammer who will ask you to confirm your own contact details and bank account information in order to secure a 'refund'.

How to Avoid
Don't click on links in unexpected emails - if you are not sure about the status of your subscription to a particular software or product, log in to your account via the official website/app to check or contact the company using details found on their official website.

Contact your bank immediately if you think you may have made a payment to a scammer or if you are worried that a fraudulent transaction has been made from your account.

You can also send suspicious emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk

Find out more
Advice from McAfee on avoiding scams: www.mcafee.com/support/s/article/000002097
Advice from Norton on recognising genuine emails from them: support.norton.com/home/current/solutions/v71088498
Advice from AVG on recognising and avoiding scam emails: https://support.avg.com/SupportArticleView?l=en&urlname=recognize-avg-premium-tech-support
Advice from the National Cyber Security Centre on avoiding email scams: www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams