Last night I received an email supposedly from the company whose anti-virus software I use. It told me that my subscription for their software was about to run out and that I needed to renew my subscription for 1 or 2 years. It gave me more details and a link to click on to go through the renewal process. It looked like a very normal official email from my anti-virus software provider.
Except that my anti-virus software is not provided directly from that company... Like Dave ~ simplyconnected, my anti-virus coverage comes as a result of the ISP I am with, in this case AT&T, as does Dave's as a result of the ISP he is with. It is part of our package and in my case does not have to be renewed. It continues in effect as long as I am with AT&T. I just verified this with AT&T a few minutes ago.
So I called the anti-virus company directly whose software I am using. I read to them the email that I supposedly got from them regarding renewals. Since I do not get my anti-virus software directly from them, they have no account on me. They checked my name, my phone number, address and told me that they have no record of me, which is the way it should be.
Then I read them the two email addresses that were used in sending this email I received, and the return email address I was supposed to use to renew. She told me that neither of these emails addresses are valid for their company....
Soooo, it looks like someone is sending out fake phishing emails trying to get you to renew. They will be asking for your credit card information for a renewal of your anti-virus software. I am sure it would not be renewed since you won't be communicating with the authentic company whose anti-virus software you are using! In the meantime, they will be busy loading up your credit card with bogus purchases....
There are a lot of sharks in the water these days, and I thought I would post this to warn you. Watch out for this, and if you have doubts, pick up the phone and call you anti-virus software company to verify if that was a valid email that THEY sent or not. In my case, it was NOT.
Except that my anti-virus software is not provided directly from that company... Like Dave ~ simplyconnected, my anti-virus coverage comes as a result of the ISP I am with, in this case AT&T, as does Dave's as a result of the ISP he is with. It is part of our package and in my case does not have to be renewed. It continues in effect as long as I am with AT&T. I just verified this with AT&T a few minutes ago.
So I called the anti-virus company directly whose software I am using. I read to them the email that I supposedly got from them regarding renewals. Since I do not get my anti-virus software directly from them, they have no account on me. They checked my name, my phone number, address and told me that they have no record of me, which is the way it should be.
Then I read them the two email addresses that were used in sending this email I received, and the return email address I was supposed to use to renew. She told me that neither of these emails addresses are valid for their company....
Soooo, it looks like someone is sending out fake phishing emails trying to get you to renew. They will be asking for your credit card information for a renewal of your anti-virus software. I am sure it would not be renewed since you won't be communicating with the authentic company whose anti-virus software you are using! In the meantime, they will be busy loading up your credit card with bogus purchases....
There are a lot of sharks in the water these days, and I thought I would post this to warn you. Watch out for this, and if you have doubts, pick up the phone and call you anti-virus software company to verify if that was a valid email that THEY sent or not. In my case, it was NOT.
Comment