McAfee may be a household name in the antivirus community. However, it’s also no stranger to threats and scams. A lot of users have complained about a certain “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” scam, tricking them to subscribe to the service again.
In this article, we will discuss what this commotion is all about and hopefully give you better insights on what this “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” scam can do. But before we delve deep into this scam, what is McAfee?
What Is McAfee?
McAfee is one of the most popular antivirus solutions in the market today. It has been in use since the first introduction of viruses and malware. The company is known for its wide range of security products, including firewall, anti-spyware, and antivirus programs. All these programs come with a set of features and functionalities that keep your machines free of worms, Trojans, viruses, and other forms of malicious programs.
What Is “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam?
The “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” scam is classified as adware. It generates a fake error message telling you that your McAfee antivirus license has already expired and that you need to subscribe to the service again to protect your computer. To achieve its goal, you will be encouraged to click the Renew Now button.
As an adware entity, this scam only tricks unsuspecting victims into paying for a fake software program or entering sensitive information that can be used for used fraud and other illegal activities. Although it can pop up in legitimate browsers like Firefox and Chrome, victims are discouraged not to proceed and just ignore the error message.
In general, the scam offers a one-year package to users. But there are victims who reportedly availed of a 3-year McAfee subscription at a discounted amount.
What the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam Can Do?
Apart from showing you fake messages, the scam may display countless pop-ups, banners, unwanted deals, auto-play video ads, and coupons. When clicked, it may collect browsing activity-related information, such as:
- IP addresses
- Bookmarks
- Locations
- Pages viewed
- Search history
Signs of the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam
Like most adware entities, the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” scam may infect your PC without you noticing. However, there are a few signs that you may have to watch out for:
- Ads appear in places where they aren’t expected to be.
- Your web browser’s default homepage has changed without your permission.
- The web pages you visit are not showing properly.
- You are often redirected to unknown websites.
- Unwanted programs are installed without your knowledge.
- Pop-ups appear at random, recommending fake software and updates.
To prevent this scam from stealing important information from you, make sure you remove it right away and clear your browsers.
“Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam Removal Instructions
To remove the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” adware and its related components, you have to go through your system and check all recently-installed apps. Remove any unnecessary browser extensions, plug-ins, and apps that you don’t remember installing. You may also have to reset your affected browsers.
Method #1: Uninstall the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam from Your Windows Device
Here’s how to remove the scam from your Windows 10/11 machine:
- Into the search field, input control panel and hit Enter.
- Navigate to Programs and click Uninstall a Program.
- Look for any entries associated with the scam. Right-click on them and click Uninstall.
- If prompted by the UAC, hit Yes.
- Wait until the uninstallation process is done.
- Hit OK.
Method #2: Get Rid of the Scam on Your Mac
If you are seeing the scam on your Mac device, proceed with the following steps:
- Go to the Menu bar.
- Navigate to Go > Applications.
- Find any entries related to the scam. Click on it and drag it to Trash.
Method #3: Run a malware scan
There are plenty of anti-malware software programs out there that are designed to destroy malicious entities that other software programs tend to miss. Make sure to download and install one to ensure your device is clean and free of these entities.
Once you have one installed on your PC, schedule regular malware scans. Although the steps on how to run a malware scan may vary for each program, they are all pretty straightforward. In fact, in most cases, you only need to click the Scan button and wait for the scan to complete.
How to Avoid the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” Scam
According to reports, many users have gotten involved in this scam without even noticing. This is because it is usually offered alongside legitimate software programs as an added component. Some have unknowingly activated it by clicking on suspicious hyperlinks.
To prevent any damaging consequences brought about by the scam, make sure you practice caution when surfing the web. Avoid visiting dubious and suspicious websites. Do not click links from unknown senders. Most importantly, perform regular malware scans to ensure no malicious entities have successfully infiltrated your system.
In addition, make sure that you download software programs from official and trusted websites. If possible, avoid using installers from other users as they may contain harmful entities within them. Should you need to install freeware, pick the Custom or Advanced installation option so you can remove any additional programs that you don’t need.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations! At this point, your PC should now be free of the “Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired” adware. If you are still having a hard time dealing with it, then seek help from Windows and macOS adware experts.
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