Norton Paypal email scam: How to avoid it?

The Norton subscription renewal email scam is a fraudulent email that claims you’ve renewed your Norton subscription. The scammers may hope you interact with the email in order to steal your accounts or lure money out of you.

The best way to protect yourself is to use an antivirus, such as TotalAV, that can scan attachments for malware and instantly remove any threats with real-time protection.

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But using an antivirus isn’t the only solution. Continue reading what exactly is the Norton subscription renewal email scam, how to spot it, and how to protect yourself from any scams.

What is the Norton PayPal email scam?

The Norton PayPal email scam is an email you get claiming that you've paid to renew your Norton subscription even though you haven’t. It usually includes a fake PayPal customer support phone number, malicious attachments, or suspicious links. The purpose of it is to lure sensitive data out of you or even make you give up your money.

The best way to know if the email is real is simply to check the sender. Here is a list of legitimate Norton domains:

If the domain is nothing like the ones on this list, forward the scam email to [email protected] and delete it immediately. The official Norton provider would only contact you if your plan isn’t renewed, your account isn’t active, or because of any billing failures or renewal reminders.

What to do when you receive the Norton PayPal scam?

If you receive the Norton PayPal scam, there are a few things you have to keep in mind. For starters, never respond to such an email, as scammers are less likely to leave you alone. Naturally, don’t share any of your personal information even if encouraged, as it’s a gateway for scammers to hack your accounts or steal money.

Moving on, it’s highly likely that the fake email will include attachments or links. Don’t click anything on the email to protect yourself from malicious attacks. If you do, run an antivirus scan using a powerful service such as TotalAV to prevent any damage and remove malware as quickly as possible.

How to spot the Norton renewal email scam?

There are numerous ways you can recognize a fake email. Here are some things you should check to see if the Norton renewal email is a scam:

• Warning messages. Some email services like Gmail display warning messages if the email seems dangerous. However, that’s not always the case, so you still have to be cautious even without the warning message.
• Personal information request. Scammers try to get their hands on sensitive data, so if the email asks you to provide any private details, it’s not the real Norton provider.
• Fake invoice. If the email states that you’ve paid for a Norton renewal already even though you didn’t, it’s a fake invoice. Scammers are hoping you’ll contact the fake customer support number they’ve provided and will try to steal your money if you call.
• Urgency. If you sense that the lexicon used in the email includes a sense of urgency, then there’s a high chance that it’s a scam.
• Fake site. If the email includes links to fake URLs, it’s definitely a scam. Do not give out any of your information on these sites.
• Malicious attachments. Don’t download anything that you find in an email if there’s a sense of urgency or you’re simply not sure whether the email is legitimate.

How to protect yourself from similar scams

There are various ways you can protect yourself from threats, the quickest one being using a reliable antivirus. However, here are some of the main practices to adopt so you can protect yourself from scams:

• Use antivirus software. Use a reliable antivirus with real-time protection, such as TotalAV. It prevents you from visiting malicious or suspicious websites and doesn’t allow any threats to infect your device.
• Avoid suspicious contacts. If you receive an email or you get a call from an unknown number that looks or sounds suspicious, don’t answer it or give out any information.
• Never share sensitive information. If you get contacted by email or phone, don’t share any of your private information. It can lead to identity theft, further scam attempts, or account theft.
• Update your operating system and software. Update all of your programs to patch any vulnerabilities that could otherwise result in scams or malware.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi. Public hotspots are a cyber criminal hazard that can be used to steal your information and scam you. Use a high-quality VPN to encrypt your data or don’t type any sensitive data, or visit bank sites while on public Wi-Fi.
• Use only secure websites. Insecure websites can end up infecting your device with malicious software. Make sure all of the websites you visit use https:// in the URL instead of http://.
• Research the contact. If you find an email or phone number suspicious, do your research to find out whether your gut is right or not.
• Don’t make suspicious payments. If you find an email with a suspicious payment request, don’t pay until you’re guaranteed that it’s real. You can contact the company that requests the payment using the contact information on their official website to find out whether it’s a scam.
• Ensure strong passwords. Using the same password on many sites makes it easier for scammers to hack multiple of your accounts. The best way to practice good password hygiene is to use a password manager to eliminate the need to remember strong login credentials.

Conclusion

The Norton subscription renewal email scam is a dangerous scammer tactic to steal your accounts, information, or money. If you call the customer support number, click on any links, or download attachments, scammers will take that opportunity to either infect your device with malware or manipulate you into sending them money.

If you get infected with malware, the fastest way to get rid of it is to use an antivirus program. We recommend TotalAV, which will scan the attachments automatically and keep you safe from insecure websites.

Other ways of protecting yourself from scams are to always check the domain, never share any of your sensitive data, use powerful passwords, and never make suspicious payments until you’re sure that they’re legitimate.

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