McAfee is proud to be recognized with the SE Labs Home Anti-Malware Award 2026, one of the most respected independent recognitions in consumer cybersecurity. This marks the second year in a row that McAfee is being recognized with the Home Anti-Malware Award, proving our continued excellence and efficiency.
Now in its eighth year, the SE Labs Awards honor cybersecurity providers delivering outstanding protection across consumer, small business, and enterprise markets. And McAfee has earned top recognition in the Home Anti-Malware category two years in a row.
SE Labs is an independent cybersecurity testing and certification organization. Unlike awards based on self-reported data or marketing claims, SE Labs recognition is grounded in:
This makes the SE Labs Award a comprehensive measure of real-world security performance, not just lab scores.
The Home Anti-Malware category specifically recognizes consumer security products that demonstrate exceptional ability to detect, block, and remedy malware threats targeting everyday users.
Winning this award means McAfee’s protection performed at a level SE Labs considers outstanding, not just effective on paper, but proven against the kind of threats real households face: ransomware, trojans, spyware, phishing-delivered payloads, and more.
Simon Edwards, Founder and CEO of SE Labs, offered this comment on the 2026 winners:
“The SE Labs Awards recognises the vendors that are making a real difference in keeping systems secure. Winning an award is a significant achievement. It reflects not only strong product performance in our tests but also the commitment of the teams behind the technology. Congratulations to McAfee on its success.”
There’s an important distinction between a company saying its product is effective and an independent lab proving it.
SE Labs operates separately from the vendors it tests. Its methodology is transparent, its testing is repeatable, and its results are used by journalists, analysts, and buyers to make real purchasing decisions.
When SE Labs names McAfee a winner, that recognition carries the weight of a process that can’t be paid for or manufactured.
That’s what makes this award meaningful, and what separates it from a badge a company designs for itself.
Malware today doesn’t just arrive as a suspicious download. It hides in phishing texts, fake links, malicious QR codes, and compromised websites. And by the time most people realize something is wrong, the damage is already done.
McAfee is built to stop threats at every point in that chain.
Scam Detector flags suspicious texts, emails, links, QR codes, and even deepfake videos before you engage
Secure VPN keeps your data private, especially on public Wi-Fi
Web Protection helps block risky sites, even if you do accidentally click
Password Manager doesn’t just help you make unique, strong passwords, it keeps them stored and organized for you
Device Security helps detect malicious apps or downloads
Identity Monitoring alerts you if your personal info shows up where it should not, so you can act fast
Personal Data Cleanup helps remove your information from sites selling it.
Online Account Cleanup assists in taking down your old, forgotten accounts across the web
Social Privacy Manager helps you monitor and change privacy settings across your social platforms in just a few clicks
Together, these protections are designed to address the broader range of online risks people face every day.
The same AI-powered threat protection that earned the SE Labs Home Anti-Malware Award is available across every major McAfee plan:
Whether you’re protecting one device or an entire household, you’re getting independently verified, award-winning malware protection under the hood.
Ready to get protection recognized by the industry’s toughest independent testers? Explore McAfee+ Plans →
The post McAfee Wins SE Labs’ Highest Honor for Home Anti-Malware Protection appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Most people don’t get scammed because they ignore warning signs.
They get scammed because they find a reason to explain those warning signs away.
The website looks a little off, but the deal is incredible. The text message is unexpected, but they’re already waiting for a package. The seller is unfamiliar, but the discount is too good to pass up.
That’s what makes major shopping events such fertile ground for scammers.
New McAfee research suggests that economic pressure may be making that problem worse, as 40% of consumers say they would trust a lower priced deal without verifying it. That means as costs are climbing, shoppers are less likely to second guess a too-good-to-be-true deal that could be a scam.
“Anyone who has ever fallen for a scam thought they would recognize one first,” McAfee’s Head of Threat Research Abhishek Karnik reminds shoppers.
“That confidence is part of what scammers count on,” he says. “Tools like McAfee exist precisely for those moments, flagging suspicious links, messages, and offers in real time, before a split-second decision becomes a costly one.”
While most shoppers believe they can spot a scam, McAfee’s new research suggests many are engaging in behaviors that increase their risk.
Economic pressure is changing how people shop online.
The same behaviors that help shoppers find bargains can also make them more vulnerable to fraud.
“What the data reflects is that economic pressure has effectively done some of the scammer’s work for them,” says Karnik. “When consumers are already primed to move quickly and prioritize price over authenticity, it takes far less effort to push them toward a bad click or a fraudulent purchase.”
The financial impact is significant:
Consumers are increasingly aware that artificial intelligence is changing the scam landscape.
According to McAfee research:
“The signs people have historically relied on, poor grammar, low-quality images, obviously off branding, are no longer reliable,” advises Karnik. “AI has lowered the production cost of a convincing fake to nearly zero.”
It’s not just a fake landing page fraudsters are creating.
“AI is being used to make fake review sections, impersonation messages that look exactly like it came from a major retailer, realistic logos, believable URLS,” Karnik says. “When you’re shopping online, you need to adjust your expectations to match that new AI reality.”
Scammers follow consumer attention.
Whenever millions of people are searching for deals at the same time, scammers create fake websites, impersonate retailers and delivery companies, and use urgency to pressure shoppers into acting before they think.
Here are some of the most common shopping scams consumers encounter during major sales events, as well as the red flags consumers can watch for:
| Scam Type | How It Works | Red Flags |
| Fake shopping websites | Fraudulent websites mimic real retailers and disappear after collecting payments | Prices far below competitors, little company information, newly created websites |
| Fake social media ads | Ads promote products that never arrive or are counterfeit | Too-good-to-be-true discounts, limited reviews, unfamiliar brands |
| Delivery notification scams | Fake package alerts claim there is an issue with your shipment | Unexpected texts, suspicious links, requests for payment |
| Retailer impersonation scams | Messages claim there is a problem with your account or order | Urgent language, login requests, unfamiliar sender addresses |
| QR code scams | QR codes redirect shoppers to fraudulent websites | Codes placed on flyers, posters, packages, or public locations |
| Brushing scams | Unsolicited packages arrive at your home | Items you never ordered, requests to scan codes or leave reviews |
| Fake recall scams | Messages claim a recent purchase has been recalled | Requests for payment, account credentials, or personal information |
According to McAfee research, consumers most commonly report encountering fake shipping notifications, delivery scams, retailer impersonation scams, account alerts, and suspicious discount offers during major shopping periods.
With McAfee+ Premium, multiple layers work together before any damage is done:
Together, these protections are designed to address the broader range of online risks people face every day.
Plus, click here to get McAfee’s limited-time deals on real-time protection this Amazon Prime Day, from June 23 to June 26.
About our consumer research
McAfee surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in May 2026 as part of a broader study of 5,000 respondents across the U.S., UK, France, Germany, and Japan, focused on online shopping intentions, scam awareness, and purchase behaviors.
The post New Research: Rising Costs Are Driving Consumers to Ignore Scam Instincts for Better Deals appeared first on McAfee Blog.
One gaming cyberattack this week exposed nearly 64,000 users.
Another has already infected more than 116,000 players.
Both are connected by the same common gaming behavior: looking for a cheat, mod, or shortcut.
This week in scam news, a popular Grand Theft Auto V cheat service was hacked, exposing tens of thousands of users. At the same time, McAfee researchers uncovered a massive malware campaign spreading through fake Minecraft mods, cheats, and game clients.
The takeaway is simple: some of the biggest threats facing gamers aren’t happening inside games. They’re hiding in the downloads, websites, and tools players use around them.
Let’s start with the GTA breach.
Atlas Menu, a cheat service for Grand Theft Auto V, was reportedly hacked, exposing data belonging to nearly 64,000 users.
According to reports, the leaked information included:
The hacker who claimed responsibility later posted the data online.
Many players think of cheats as harmless tools that unlock special abilities, provide advantages, or simply make games more entertaining.
But unofficial cheat services often operate outside the protections offered by legitimate gaming platforms.
That means users may be:
And that brings us to an even bigger threat.
McAfee researchers recently uncovered a large-scale malware operation targeting gamers searching for Minecraft mods, clients, and cheats.
The campaign is called WeedHack.
WeedHack is a type of Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS).
That means cybercriminals package malware into a subscription service that other attackers can use.
Researchers found that:
Premium versions reportedly cost as little as $5 per month and include tools that allow attackers to remotely access victims’ devices and webcams.
Once installed, the malware can collect:
Premium versions can also provide:
Gaming malware campaigns rely on three things:
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together before any damage is done:
Together, these protections are designed to address the broader range of online risks people face every day.
Here are some other important headlines to be aware of:
Carnival Corporation disclosed a data breach affecting nearly six million customers after a social engineering attack allowed an unauthorized individual to gain access to part of the company’s IT systems.
Exposed information may include:
Affected customers should be alert for phishing emails, fake customer support calls, and identity theft attempts.
Instagram says it has fixed an issue that reportedly allowed attackers to manipulate its AI-powered support chatbot and gain access to other users’ accounts.
According to reports, attackers were allegedly able to influence the account recovery process and associate new email addresses with targeted accounts.
The incident highlights a growing challenge for AI-powered customer support systems: convenience cannot come at the expense of identity verification.
Voice cloning scams continue to grow as AI tools make it easier than ever to imitate friends, family members, and coworkers.
According to FBI data cited this week, Americans lost more than $893 million to AI-related scams last year.
These scams included:
If someone calls claiming to be a loved one in distress and urgently requests money, verify the situation through another communication channel before taking action.
Whether you’re downloading a Minecraft mod or answering an unexpected phone call, the same rule applies:
Slow down before you click, download, or share information.
Here are a few ways to stay safer:
We’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post GTA Cheat Users Exposed in Breach as Minecraft Malware Hits 116,000 Players appeared first on McAfee Blog.
McAfee Labs has discovered a massive, ongoing malware campaign called WeedHack that disguises itself as free Minecraft mods and game clients to infect players’ computers. Since January 2026, it has logged more than 116,000 victim infections, averaging 2,000 to 3,000 new hits every single day.
What makes WeedHack different from most malware is how cheap and easy it is to use.
Typically, a hacker would pay hundreds of dollars per month to access attack tools through underground criminal networks. WeedHack offers a free version to anyone with a Discord account and an internet connection. A premium upgrade, which includes the ability to secretly watch victims through their own webcam, starts at just $5 a month.
This low barrier has attracted a younger crowd of would-be attackers, many of them appear to be teenagers or young adults. Our researchers were startled to discover teens using these tools not just for financial theft, but to harass and bully their peers, a pattern we’ve documented and that makes this campaign especially concerning.
The good news for McAfee users: Web Protection actively blocks the sites distributing WeedHack, and Threat Explainer tells you exactly why a flagged file is dangerous, so you’re never left guessing.
| What | Details |
| Campaign name | WeedHack |
| Active since | January 2026 |
| Total victims logged | 116,464+ |
| New infections per day | ~2,000–3,000 |
| Malicious files discovered | 3,820+ unique files |
| Malicious download URLs | 240+ |
| Free tier available? | Yes. Anyone can sign up |
| Premium price | Starting at $5/month; $24.99 lifetime |
| Who is being targeted | Minecraft players worldwide |
| Most affected country | United States, followed by Germany, India, the UK, Italy, and others |
| What attackers can access | Once installed, it can steal passwords, hijack accounts, and, for paying customers, it can give the attacker live access to the victim’s screen, webcam, and files. |
| The financial impact | It can steal Discord tokens, crypto wallet credentials, Minecraft account credentials.
Hackers will hold your information for ransom, requiring a large payment in exchange for your data. |
Read our research team’s full report here.
WeedHack is a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) campaign, meaning it’s a criminal business that sells hacking tools to customers, the same way a legitimate software company sells subscriptions.
The “product” is malware that gets secretly installed on a victim’s computer when they download what they think is a Minecraft mod or client. Once installed, it can steal passwords, hijack accounts, and, for paying customers, it can give the attacker live access to the victim’s screen, webcam, and files.
The campaign operates a polished, professional-looking dashboard hosted openly on the internet (not the dark web). That dashboard lets customers track their victims, download stolen data, and launch remote access features, all from a browser.
One of the most disturbing findings from our investigation is how WeedHack is being used.
While monitoring the campaign’s Telegram channel, which had over 850 members during the time of our research, we observed that many customers appear to be teenagers and young adults, and a significant portion are using the remote access tools not for financial gain, but to harass and intimidate other players.
We observed attackers recording victims through their webcams without consent and sharing those recordings in the Telegram channel as trophies. Others used knowledge of victims’ IP addresses and system access to threaten them.
It’s important to note that, at the current time of publishing, the Telegram channel has been taken down, and no replacement channel has appeared. McAfee is continuing to monitor any new channels that may be established by the threat actors for further communication.
Still, what we observed is a form of cyberbullying with unusually invasive tools behind it. If you or your child has been contacted by someone online claiming they have hacked your computer, have your webcam footage, or know your IP address, take it seriously.
What to do if this happens:
WeedHack spreads in two main ways, and the campaign even provides its customers with step-by-step tutorials on how to carry out both.
Attackers create convincing YouTube videos reviewing or demonstrating Minecraft clients and mods.
The videos are well-produced, some include voiceover narration, and link to malicious download sites in the description and comments.
One video McAfee identified had over 7,500 views before being flagged. Comments are also sometimes planted by the attackers claiming the files are safe.
WeedHack instructs customers to build convincing-looking websites that mimic official Minecraft mod pages. These sites are deliberately designed to show up high in search engine results for popular mod names, a tactic called SEO poisoning.
Some fake sites include fake security warnings, Discord links, and GitHub references to appear legitimate. In one case, a site warned players to “only download from us,” while actively distributing malware.
Minecraft clients and mods specifically targeted include: Meteor Client, Radium Client, Wurst Client, LiquidBounce, Impact Client, Future Client, and others.
Infection happens in four stages that happen silently in the background after a victim opens the downloaded file.
Stage 1 – First Contact: The malicious file launches quietly (without showing a console window), connects to a hidden network, and phones home to receive further instructions. It uses a sophisticated technique involving the Ethereum blockchain to locate its command server in a way that’s difficult to block or take down.
Stage 2 – Taking Hold: The malware disables Windows Defender protections, gathers detailed information about the victim’s computer (processor, graphics card, RAM, operating system), and takes a screenshot of their screen. It then steals Discord tokens and browser passwords and cookies. For McAfee users, this is where Web Protection would prevent users from visiting the site, and where our Antivirus would prevent any downloaded malware from taking hold.
Stage 3 – Digging In: The malware installs itself so that it automatically restarts every time the victim logs into their computer. It sets up a hidden scheduled task that runs continuously, even at the highest system privileges.
Stage 4 – Full Access: For premium customers, an additional component is installed that connects the attacker to the victim’s computer in real time. This includes live screen sharing with keyboard and mouse control, webcam access, keylogging (recording every keystroke), a reverse shell (full command-line access to the computer), and the ability to upload or download any files.
A separate component specifically hunts for Telegram credentials and cryptocurrency wallets, sending that data to a different server every five minutes.
Visit our guide: How to Quickly Remove Malware in 2026.
Free tier steals:
Premium tier adds:
Minecraft’s mod ecosystem is enormous and largely unregulated. Kids routinely search YouTube and Google for performance-boosting clients, cosmetic mods, and gameplay cheats, exactly the kinds of things WeedHack exploits.
Here’s a practical guide for families:
| Red Flag |  Safe Practice |
| The mod isn’t on the developer’s official website | Only download from CurseForge, Modrinth, or the mod’s verified GitHub |
| A site or video tells you to disable your antivirus to run the file | Never disable antivirus for a game mod. Legitimate mods don’t ask you to |
| A site you’ve never heard of claims to be the “only official” source | If you can’t verify the site is official, don’t download from it |
| Download links are in YouTube comment sections | Treat comment section links as a red flag, always |
| Your antivirus flags a file as malware, but they try to tell you to ignore it, it’s a “false alarm” | Use McAfee’s Threat Explainer to find out why this is malicious. Don’t disable antivirus |
One of the best ways parents can protect their families is with McAfee’s award-winning antivirus and Web Protection, which are specifically designed to detect threats like WeedHack and help block malicious downloads before a device can be compromised.
McAfee has been actively tracking WeedHack samples and detects this threat under the following signatures:
McAfee provides multiple layers of protection against threats like WeedHack.
Together, these protections help proactively block risky downloads, reactively stop malware, and explain what to watch for next.
McAfee Labs continues to monitor WeedHack and will update coverage as new samples and domains are identified. For the full technical report including indicators of compromise, see the McAfee Labs analysis.
| Term | What it means |
| Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) | A criminal business model where hackers sell or rent attack tools to other people, just like a software subscription |
| RAT (Remote Access Trojan) | Malware that gives an attacker remote control over a victim’s device — screen, files, camera, and more |
| Infostealer | Malware designed to silently collect and transmit passwords, cookies, and account credentials |
| SEO Poisoning | Manipulating search engine results so a malicious website appears near the top when someone searches for a legitimate product |
| Minecraft Client/Mod | Third-party software that modifies or enhances the Minecraft game experience. Legitimate ones are common; WeedHack fakes them |
| Minecraft Session ID | A token that proves you’re logged into Minecraft. Stealing it lets an attacker take over your account without your password |
| Keylogger | Software that secretly records every key a person types — including passwords, messages, and search queries |
| Reverse Shell | A connection from the victim’s computer back to the attacker that gives the attacker full command-line control |
| EtherHiding | A technique that hides a malware’s server address inside the Ethereum blockchain, making it very difficult to block |
| Discord Token | A credential that lets someone access your Discord account. Stealing it gives attackers full access without needing your password |
The post New Malware Targeting Minecraft Infects 2K Daily, and Teens are Becoming Attackers appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Authored by Aayush Tyagi
Minecraft is a 2011 sandbox game developed and published by Mojang Studios. It is the best-selling video game in the world and has sold over 350 million copies worldwide. Its popularity has spanned over a decade due to its versatile gameplay, offering multiple game modes, including one of the most memorable Story Mode in gaming history.
It allows players to create and host multiplayer servers with a variety of gameplay options and offers a wide range of custom launchers, game mods, and cheats to choose from.
Its massive popularity and widespread use of third-party tools have also given rise to a dark side of the Minecraft ecosystem, which is filled with Remote Access Trojans (RATs), credential stealers, keyloggers and other malware threats.
McAfee Labs has recently uncovered a colossal Minecraft-focused Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) campaign named ‘Weedhack’, that allows threat actors to remotely access and manipulate the victims’ screen, webcam and file system through a dashboard hosted on the clear net, making it easily accessible to anyone with a Discord account and an internet connection.
The post Game Over: WeedHack – The Rise of Minecraft Malware-as-a-Service Campaigns appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or just hoping to catch a match while it’s in your city, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already driving a surge in ticket searches, travel bookings, and last-minute plans.
But where there’s high demand and big money, scammers aren’t far behind.
“The World Cup is one of those events where excitement and cost collide,” says Abhishek Karnik, Head of Threat Research at McAfee. “Tickets have been expensive, and for many people, especially families or fans traveling, the costs add up quickly between tickets, flights, hotels, and everything else that comes with attending.”
“When prices feel out of reach, people naturally start looking for better deals or cheaper options. That is where things can get tricky. If someone suddenly offers what feels like a great price compared to everything else out there, it can feel like a rare opportunity worth jumping on. Scammers understand that.”
Let’s break down the new McAfee research, what scams to watch for, and how McAfee’s tools help you stay safe.
New research from McAfee shows that while most fans are aware of World Cup-related scams, many are still willing to take risks to secure tickets.
In fact, 40% say they would consider buying from an unofficial source if they can’t get tickets through the official FIFA site, as many expect tickets to sell out and hope to find affordable resale options.
That tension is what makes events like the World Cup especially vulnerable for scams.
With limited ticket availability, rising prices, and the pressure to act quickly, even informed fans can find themselves making decisions they normally wouldn’t, like buying tickets from a reseller on TikTok.
And scammers are counting on it.
Survey takeaways:
“Usually, it is not just one thing that gives a scam away,” Karnik says. “It is when a few warning signs start adding up at once, pressure to act quickly, prices that feel unusually low, or details that seem slightly off.”
“One of the biggest is urgency around pricing. If someone is pushing a deal that feels dramatically cheaper than similar tickets, claiming prices are about to go up, or creating pressure to buy immediately, that is worth paying attention to. Creating artificial urgency around a ‘great deal’ is one of the easiest ways scammers get people excited enough to move quickly.”
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the most common scams tied to major global sporting events like the World Cup, including how they work and what to look for.
McAfee’s Scam Detector, Safe Browsing tools, VPN, and Password Manager work together to help you spot scams like these as they happen by flagging suspicious messages, blocking risky websites, and helping you make safer decisions before you click, pay, or share information.
 Scam Type |
What It Is | How It Works | Red Flags |
| Fake Ticket Resale Scam | Fraudulent tickets sold through unofficial sites or individuals | Scammers create fake listings or duplicate real tickets and sell them to multiple buyers | Prices far below or above market, refusal to use official transfer systems, pressure to act fast |
| Social Media Ticket Scam | Tickets sold through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or X | Fake or hacked accounts post “last-minute” ticket offers and move conversations to DMs | Urgent language (“only 2 left”), new or suspicious profiles, requests to pay outside the platform |
| Duplicate QR Code Scam | One legitimate ticket is resold multiple times | Multiple buyers receive the same QR code, but only the first scan works | Screenshots instead of official transfers, identical tickets sold repeatedly |
| Fake Ticket Website Scam | Websites designed to look like official ticket platforms | Victims enter payment info or purchase tickets that don’t exist | Slightly misspelled URLs, unfamiliar domains, lack of official branding verification |
| Travel & Accommodation Scam | Fake hotels, rentals, or travel packages | Listings appear legitimate but either don’t exist or are already booked | Prices that seem unusually low, requests for upfront payment, lack of verified reviews |
| Booking Impersonation Scam | Fraudsters pose as airlines, hotels, or booking platforms | Victims receive messages about “issues” with bookings and are asked to click links or provide info | Unexpected messages, requests for login or payment details, links that don’t match official sites |
| Public Wi-Fi & Phishing Scam | Data theft through unsecured networks while traveling | Scammers intercept data or create fake login portals on public Wi-Fi | Open networks with no password, login pages asking for unnecessary information |
| Fake Giveaway Scam | Promotions claiming free tickets or VIP access | Victims are asked to enter personal data, click links, or pay “processing fees” | “You’ve won” messages you didn’t enter, requests for payment to claim prizes |
| Betting & Prediction Scam | Fake betting tips or “guaranteed wins” tied to matches | Scammers sell fake predictions or direct users to malicious betting sites | Claims of guaranteed outcomes, requests for upfront payment, unfamiliar platforms |
| Merchandise Scam | Counterfeit World Cup gear sold online | Buyers receive low-quality or no product at all | Unverified sellers, poor site quality, deals that seem too good to be true |
Unfortunately, with the continued improvement of AI, these scams are becoming more convincing.
AI tools allow scammers to create:
That means traditional advice like “look for typos” is no longer enough on its own.
Today’s scams often look polished, professional, and believable.
For the World Cup, official ticket sales happen through designated FIFA sales phases and platforms.
Buying outside those channels increases the risk of:
Even if a ticket looks legitimate, it may be:
When in doubt, go directly to the official FIFA website instead of clicking links from messages or ads. You can also visit their comprehensive FAQ section for all your ticket and event questions.
Here are practical steps fans can take to reduce risk:
| Safety Check | What To Do |
| Buy from official sources | Use FIFA’s official ticket platform whenever possible |
| Avoid clicking links in messages | Navigate directly to official websites instead. McAfee’s Safe Browing tools help prevent you from opening malicious links. |
| Be cautious with resale offers | Verify platforms and avoid direct peer-to-peer payments |
| Check QR codes before you scan them | You can check for QR code scams on-demand with Scam Detector |
| Don’t pay with untraceable methods | Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, or crypto-only payments |
| Double-check URLs | Look for misspellings or unusual domains |
| Use secure connections | Avoid making purchases on public Wi-Fi, or use a VPN like McAfee’s. |
| Protect your accounts | Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Consider a password manager like McAfee’s. |
| Verify before you buy | If something feels off, pause and check before sending money |
If you think you may have purchased a fraudulent ticket, clicked a suspicious link, or shared information with a scammer, acting quickly can help limit the impact.
Stop communication immediately
Do not send additional money or information, even if the sender claims you need to “complete” a transaction. It’s also a good idea to take screenshots of messages in case the scammer disappears.
Contact your bank or payment provider
Report the transaction as soon as possible. Many institutions can help reverse charges or flag fraudulent activity if caught early.
Secure your accounts
Change passwords for any accounts that may be affected, especially email, banking, and ticketing platforms. Our password manager and free password generator help create unique passwords every time.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
Adding an extra layer of security can help prevent unauthorized access, even if your password was exposed.
Scan your device for threats
If you clicked a suspicious link or downloaded a file, run a security scan to check for malware or malicious software. Check out our free security scan.
Monitor for unusual activity
Keep an eye on financial accounts, email logins, and any services tied to your personal information. Our free WebAdvisor helps protect you from malware and phishing attempts while you surf.
McAfee offers more than traditional antivirus, combining multiple layers of digital protection in one app to help you stay safer while searching, clicking, and buying online.
Scam Detector helps flag suspicious texts, emails, and videos automatically, so you can spot a scam before it hits you and your wallet
Safe Browsing tools help block risky websites, alert you to phishing attempts, and guide you away from malicious links
VPN helps keep your connection private on public Wi-Fi, protecting your personal and payment information
Password Manager helps create and store strong, unique passwords to reduce the risk of account takeover
Identity Monitoring and Alerts notify you if your personal information appears where it shouldn’t, so you can quickly take steps to fix it
Personal info removal helps find and remove your personal info from data broker sites and close out old forgotten accounts
Device and Account Security helps protect the devices and accounts you use every day
The World Cup isn’t just another event, it’s a moment when millions of people are making fast decisions involving real money, travel plans, and personal information.
What McAfee’s research makes clear is that the biggest risk isn’t a lack of awareness. Most fans already know scams exist. The risk is what happens next.
“When prices feel out of reach, people naturally start looking for better deals or cheaper options. That is where things can get tricky. If someone suddenly offers what feels like a great price compared to everything else out there, it can feel like a rare opportunity worth jumping on,” Karnik says. “Scammers understand that.”
“If somebody claims they have hard-to-get tickets at an unusually good price, especially for a popular match, people may feel pressure to act quickly before the opportunity disappears.”
As demand continues to build toward the tournament, more fans will be searching, comparing, and purchasing online.
The takeaway is simple: Staying safe isn’t just about knowing scams exist. It’s about slowing down, verifying before you buy, and using tools that help you make informed decisions in the moment.
*McAfee is not affiliated with or endorsed by FIFA.
The post Are Your World Cup Tickets Legit? 40% of Fans May Risk Unofficial Sellers appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Trevor Lawrence didn’t actually cut his hair.
But millions of people thought he did.
The Jacksonville Jaguars recently released a viral schedule announcement video that appeared to show their star quarterback chopping off his signature long blond hair. The clip spread quickly online, pulling in nearly 4 million views on X and triggering reactions from fans, friends, and even Lawrence’s grandmother.
The catch? It wasn’t real.
The team later confirmed the moment was partially staged, partially AI-generated and part of the joke. Even Lawrence admitted the fake looked convincing.
And that’s exactly the problem.
What started as a harmless sports prank is also a reminder of how realistic AI-generated videos have become and how easily scammers can use the same technology to fool people online.
Deepfake scams use artificial intelligence to clone someone’s face, voice, or likeness to create fake videos, ads, phone calls, or social media posts that appear real.
And increasingly, scammers are using celebrities, influencers, athletes, and trusted public figures to do it.
According to McAfee research:
Why does it work? Because scammers know familiarity lowers our guard.
When people see a recognizable face, whether it’s Trevor Lawrence, Taylor Swift, Tom Hanks, or a favorite influencer, they’re more likely to trust what they’re seeing before stopping to question it.
The Jaguars video was meant as entertainment.
But scammers are already using the same technology for fraud.
McAfee researchers recently identified a growing wave of celebrity deepfake scams involving fake giveaways, investment schemes, romance scams, and fraudulent ads.
Some recent examples include:
In one high-profile case, a woman reportedly lost nearly $900,000 to scammers impersonating Brad Pitt using AI-generated images and messages.
The technology is getting good enough that “seeing is believing” no longer applies online.
Here are some of the biggest red flags to watch for:
| Red Flag | What to Watch For |
| Emotional urgency | “Act now,” “limited time,” or panic-driven messaging |
| Too-good-to-be-true offers | Free giveaways, investment promises, miracle products |
| Slightly unnatural video details | Off-sync lips, robotic speech, strange blinking, awkward lighting |
| Fake verified-looking accounts | Usernames with extra characters or copied profile photos |
| Requests for money or personal data | Especially through DMs, crypto links, gift cards, or wire transfers |
AI scams are evolving fast, but layered protection can help you stay ahead of them.
McAfee’s Scam Detector, included in all core McAfee plans, can help identify suspicious links, messages, videos, and deepfake-related scams across texts, email, and social platforms before you click.
Additional protections like Web Protection and Identity Monitoring can also help reduce your risk if scammers attempt to steal your credentials or personal information.
Charter Communications confirmed a data breach tied to a third-party vendor, exposing customer information. Whenever breaches like this happen, scammers often follow up with phishing emails and fake customer support calls pretending to help affected users.
Reports surrounding a potential 7-Eleven data breach are circulating online. Consumers should stay alert for fake password reset emails, loyalty account phishing attempts, and scam texts impersonating retailers.
A tragic case tied to an alleged Tom Selleck impersonation scam is drawing attention to the growing threat of celebrity AI fraud. Experts warn that scammers are increasingly using fake celebrity profiles, AI-generated messages, cloned voices, and deepfake videos to build trust with victims online, especially older adults.
The case underscores how emotionally manipulative and financially devastating these scams can become.
Researchers told The Verge that attackers are beginning to manipulate chatbot behavior and personalities to trick users into unsafe actions, highlighting growing concerns around AI trust and social engineering.
A phishing scam making headlines this week uses fake inheritance notices and “unclaimed estate” emails to pressure victims into sharing personal information.
Unlike older scam emails full of spelling mistakes, newer versions look polished and professional, often using legal-sounding language, fake reference numbers, and urgent 48-hour deadlines designed to trigger panic before people stop to verify the message.
The next deepfake won’t always look fake. That’s what makes these scams dangerous.
Here are some practical, go-to tips
And we’ll be back next week with more.
The post Trevor Lawrence’s Viral “Haircut” is a Lesson in Deepfakes: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Your Windows PC or Mac already includes built-in security features, and that’s a good thing. These tools provide an important first layer of protection against malware and other common threats users encounter every day.
But today, staying safe online is about much more than blocking viruses.
Scam texts arrive daily. Phishing emails imitate trusted brands. Fake websites are designed to steal passwords and payment information. Personal details can appear on data broker sites. AI Deepfakes are more convincing than ever. And most households use multiple devices, from laptops and phones to tablets and Chromebooks.
That’s why McAfee+ Advanced combines device security with scam protection, identity monitoring, personal info removal, web protection, and secure VPN to help protect the many parts of your digital life.
Let’s break down what built-in security does, and what McAfee does differently:
Both Windows 11 and macOS include a range of built-in security features designed to help protect your device. Depending on your operating system and the apps you use, these may include:
Together, these features provide an important first layer of protection and help many users stay safer online.
Built-in security tools are primarily focused on protecting the device itself. However, today’s online threats often target something even more valuable: your identity, your money, and your personal information.
Recent McAfee research found that Americans receive an average of 14 scam messages every day, and more than three in four have encountered an online scam.
Threats now commonly include:
These risks can follow you across all your devices, not just the computer sitting on your desk.
Here are the key differences between built-in security alone, vs additional protection like McAfee.
| Built-In Security Has | McAfee+ Advanced Adds |
| Detecting viruses and malware | Scam protection for suspicious texts, emails, links, QR codes, and deepfakes |
| Basic privacy controls | Secure VPN to protect your connection on public Wi-Fi |
| Saving passwords | Password manager with unique password generation and storage. |
| Warning about some risky websites | Web Protection to help block dangerous sites before they load |
| Security on one device | Antivirus coverage across your PCs, Macs, phones, and tablets |
| Doesn’t have this support | Identity monitoring, so you know when your SSN and other info is exposed. Plus personal info removal, so your old data isn’t left spread out across the web. |
Unlike the old stereotype that stronger protection means a slower computer, independent testing shows McAfee is also the lightest on performance.
In the latest AV-Comparatives PC Performance Test, McAfee Total Protection posted the lowest system impact score of all 20 products tested: just 3.3, compared with the industry average of 12.8.
It also earned the highest possible rating, ADVANCED+. That means McAfee is not just adding more layers of protection. It is doing so while staying out of your way.
For consumers looking for security that goes beyond basic antivirus to help protect against scams, identity theft, privacy risks, and threats across all their devices, that combination is hard to ignore.
Most people no longer rely on a single computer. A typical household may use:
Managing security separately on every device can be difficult. McAfee+ Advanced is designed to provide coverage across your devices under one subscription, helping simplify online protection for individuals and families.
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together before any damage is done:
Together, these protections are designed to address the broader range of online risks people face every day.
Built-in security tools provide an important starting point, but with scam attempts becoming more convincing and personal information more widely exposed, many people need a more comprehensive approach to staying safe online.
McAfee+ Advanced combines device security, scam protection, identity monitoring, privacy tools, and VPN coverage to help you browse, bank, shop, and connect with greater confidence.
The post Do Windows PCs and Macs Need Antivirus Software? How McAfee Goes Beyond Built-In Security appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off summer, and for millions of Americans, that means road trips, flights, cookouts, and a little online shopping for the deals.
Unfortunately, scammers know this. They count on the fact that you’re distracted, you’re moving fast, and you’re probably connected to a network you don’t own.
Here are five scams surging this holiday weekend, what they look like, and how to stay ahead of them.
You’re packing your bag when a text arrives: “Unusual activity detected on your account. Verify now to avoid suspension.”
It looks like it’s from your bank, or maybe your hotel loyalty program. There’s a link. There’s urgency. And that’s exactly the point.
These are brand impersonation scams, and they’re a dominant tactic year-round, but they spike around travel holidays when people are actively monitoring reservations and accounts.
According to McAfee research, trusted brands like banks, airlines, and hotels are among the most commonly impersonated, and email scams impersonating retail and financial brands have surged up to 85% as major holidays approach.
The message will typically ask you to click a link and “confirm your details” to secure your account or honor a reservation. That link leads to a convincing-looking fake site designed to capture your login credentials, payment info, or both.
How to Avoid Travel Alert Scams:
McAfee’s Scam Detector can flag suspicious messages before you interact with them, whether they come via text, email, or social media.
Memorial Day is one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Scammers treat it like an open invitation.
Fraudulent retailers flood social feeds with too-good-to-be-true deals on everything from patio furniture to electronics, often impersonating legitimate brands with copycat websites and paid ads.
According to McAfee’s holiday shopping research, 91% of shoppers see ads from unfamiliar retailers, 37% say they might buy from a brand they don’t recognize, and a full 40% of consumers have abandoned a purchase out of fear that the deal wasn’t real.
The most impersonated brands in McAfee’s research span luxury labels (Coach, Dior, Gucci) to mainstream favorites (Apple, Samsung, Nintendo, Disney), exactly the kind of items that show up in “blowout sale” ads. Fake storefronts have grown significantly, with technology URL scams rising nearly 50%.
Once shoppers enter their payment details on a fraudulent site, that information goes directly to criminals. The average scam loss during the holiday shopping period runs around $840 per victim.
How to Avoid Shopping Scams:
McAfee’s Web Protection blocks malicious and suspicious sites before they load, including fake checkout pages.
If you’re road-tripping this weekend, you may scan a QR code somewhere. It could be at the gas pump, a rest stop, a parking meter, or a roadside attraction. Scammers know this too.
Criminals increasingly place fake QR codes over legitimate ones on gas station pumps, parking kiosks, and public signs. When you scan, you’re redirected to a convincing-looking payment or login page that captures your financial information. This is known as “quishing” or phishing via QR code.
McAfee research shows just how widespread this risk has become: 68% of people scanned a QR code in the past three months, and 18% ended up on a suspicious or unsafe page after scanning. Among those who did, more than half took a risky action like entering personal information, installing an app, or connecting a digital wallet.
How to Avoid Sketchy QR Codes:
McAfee’s Scam Detector now includes instant QR code safety checks that assess risk before you tap, so you’re not flying blind at the gas pump.
Whether you’re waiting at the airport or grabbing coffee before hitting the highway, free Wi-Fi can feel like a gift. But not every “free Wi-Fi” network is what it appears to be.
Hackers set up what are called “evil twin” networks, hotspots with names designed to look exactly like the legitimate network at the airport, hotel, or café you’re in.
The moment you connect, they can use tools called packet sniffers to capture the data you send and receive: passwords, banking credentials, credit card numbers, email logins.
According to McAfee’s travel research, 63% of travelers connect to public Wi-Fi, and 49% use airport Wi-Fi, making these among the riskiest behaviors travelers engage in without realizing it.
Some of these fake networks go further, presenting a phony login screen that captures your username and password for popular services like Google or Apple before you even realize you’ve been compromised.
How to Avoid Malicious Wi-Fi :
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your internet traffic, so even if a hacker intercepts it, they’ll only see scrambled data. McAfee’s VPN is included in McAfee+ plans and automatically connects when you join public Wi-Fi, exactly the protection you want when you’re traveling and connecting everywhere.
You may have seen these already: a text that says you owe an unpaid toll or parking fee, with a link to pay before penalties kick in. These scams have been circulating for a while, and there’s a good chance Memorial Day weekend is about to make them worse.
Scammers track news cycles and know that millions of Americans will be driving this weekend, many of them through toll roads and unfamiliar areas.
That means they can blast out fake “unpaid toll” texts after the holiday and a significant percentage of recipients will think: “Actually, I did drive somewhere new this weekend.” That uncertainty is exactly what they’re counting on.
These texts typically impersonate EZPass, SunPass, or state transportation departments and create urgency around a small fee to avoid larger fines. The link leads to a fake payment page designed to steal your credit card details.
How to Avoid Toll Scams:
Scammers don’t take holidays. If anything, long weekends are peak season. The good news: a little awareness goes a long way. Slow down before you click, verify before you scan, and protect your connection before you log on.
McAfee+ Advanced comes with layered protection across all the moments where scams are most likely to strike, from the gas station to the hotel lobby to your inbox.
Stay safe out there.
The post 5 Scams to Watch for This Memorial Day Weekend appeared first on McAfee Blog.
You’re comparing airfare on your phone, watching prices climb by the hour, when a deal pops up that feels just good enough to grab. The timer’s ticking. The price looks right. You don’t want to miss it.
You’re comparing airfare on your phone, watching prices climb by the hour, when a deal pops up that feels just good enough to grab. The timer’s ticking. The price looks right. You don’t want to miss it.
That moment, when you’re rushing to lock something in, is exactly where scams thrive.
New McAfee research shows that more than 1 in 3 Americans have encountered a travel-related cyberthreat, and 41% of those impacted lost money, often exceeding $500.
At the same time, rising travel costs and time pressure are pushing people to make faster, riskier decisions. Those are the exact conditions scammers rely on.
That’s where protection has to show up earlier.
McAfee’s Scam Detector lets you check suspicious links, messages, and booking sites before you click, so you can pause and verify instead of giving scammers the edge.
| Travel Scam Type | Key Red Flags | How McAfee Helps |
| Fake travel deals | Prices far below market, pressure to “book now,” sites you’ve never heard of | Scam Detector flags suspicious links and explains why they’re risky, so you can avoid fake deals before you book |
| Fake booking confirmations | Unexpected messages about bookings you didn’t make, mismatched sender details | Scam Detector analyzes messages before you engage, helping you avoid fake confirmations |
| Fake airline/hotel websites | Slight URL changes, poor design, being pushed to pay immediately or off-platform | Safe Browsing helps block risky sites before you enter payment details, reducing the chance of fraud |
| Payment requests outside platforms | Asked to pay via wire transfer, crypto, or direct payment instead of official platforms | Scam Detector flags suspicious payment requests, helping you avoid sending money to scammers |
| QR code scams | QR codes posted in public with no clear source or context | Scam Detector checks QR links before they open, so you don’t land on malicious sites |
| Customer service impersonation | Calls or messages asking for login credentials or payment info | Scam Detector detects deepfake AI audio impersonation attempts, helping you avoid sharing sensitive information |
| AI-generated listings | Photos that look overly polished, details that don’t quite match up | Scam Detector identifies suspicious content patterns, helping you spot listings that aren’t real |
| Public Wi-Fi attacks | Open networks with no password or security prompts | VPN helps protect your data on public networks, keeping your personal information private |
McAfee Labs found that many travel scams work because they look familiar and spread fast.
TripAdvisor was the most commonly impersonated travel app, cloned at roughly three times the rate of other major platforms like Kayak, Expedia, and Booking.com.
In some cases, thousands of scam detections traced back to just a handful of fake apps, showing how quickly a convincing scam can take off when travelers are racing to book.
Our 2026 travel survey shows how rising prices and last‑minute pressure are changing traveler behavior, often in ways scammers exploit.
1. Booking faster than usual
90% feel pressure to act quickly
2. Choosing cheaper deals without verifying
32% would book before confirming legitimacy
3. Ignoring red flags
33% admit they’ve done it
4. Trusting messages that look legitimate
41% trust airline/hotel messages without verifying
5. Clicking links without checking the source
20% click first, verify later (or not at all)
According to our consumer survey findings, those who reported falling for a travel scam said these were the methods scammers used to trick them:
1. Fake travel deals or promotions (15%)
2. Scam booking confirmations or updates (15%)
3. Manipulated accommodation listings or photos (15%)
4. Payment requests outside official platforms (11%)
5. Fake vacation rental listings (10%)
6. Fake airline or hotel websites (9%)
7. Customer service impersonation (9%)
These common traveler behaviors are popular avenues for criminals to steal your information, data, and money.
1. Connecting to public Wi-Fi (63%)
2. Scanning QR codes without verifying (62%)
3. Using airport Wi-Fi (49%)
4. Trusting travel-related messages (41%)
5. Logging into financial apps on public Wi-Fi (22%)
6. Sharing travel plans in real time (22%)
7. Clicking travel links without verifying (20%)
8. Using shared/public computers (15%)
As prices rise and decisions happen in real time, it’s easy to prioritize convenience over caution. But that’s exactly the moment when small checks matter most.
| Stage of Travel | What’s Happening | How McAfee Helps |
| Before You Book | Comparing deals, clicking promotions, booking flights and hotels under time pressure | Scam Detector checks links, messages, and booking sites before you click, helping you avoid fake deals and scam listings |
| During Your Trip | Connecting to public Wi-Fi, scanning QR codes, receiving travel updates and alerts | VPN helps secure your connection on public Wi-Fi, while Scam Detector flags suspicious messages and unsafe links in real time |
| After Your Trip | Accounts remain active, travel data stored across platforms, potential exposure from breaches | Identity Monitoring alerts you if your personal information appears online, helping you act quickly before damage spreads |
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together so you’re not left figuring it out after the damage is done.
Spend more time on your vacation, and less time worrying about scammers who want your vacation fund.
The post 1 in 3 Targeted by Travel Scams and Rising Costs are Making it Worse appeared first on McAfee Blog.
McAfee Total Protection just took first place in the latest AV-Comparatives PC Performance Test, the gold standard for measuring how much (or how little) security software slows down your computer.
With an overall impact score of 3.1 out of a possible 100, McAfee outperformed all 19 other security products tested and earned the highest possible rating: 3 Stars ADVANCED+.
The industry average? 16.7. McAfee came in nearly 5.4x lower than that. The lower the impact score, the less the software gets in your way
This marks third time in a row that McAfee has achieved first place and the sixth time in a row that we’ve achieved a three-star ADVANCED+ rating since April 2024.
AV-Comparatives is an independent cybersecurity testing lab that has been rigorously evaluating security software since 1999. Unlike a review written by a single journalist or a score based on a company’s own claims, AV-Comparatives tests are:
The PC Performance Test specifically measures how much a security product impacts your computer’s everyday speed. Testing is conducted on a real Windows 11 machine (Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, SSD) with all default settings enabled and an active internet connection. That’s the same setup millions of everyday users have at home.
AV-Comparatives evaluates real-world tasks including:
The lower the impact score, the less the software gets in your way.
McAfee recorded “Very Fast”speeds in each of these categories.
McAfee Total Protection scored 3.1, the lowest impact score of all 20 products tested, and well below the industry average of 16.7.
Here’s a simple way to think about it: if the average security product takes a measurable toll on your machine while it works in the background, McAfee barely registers. You get full, always-on protection without the sluggishness that frustrates so many users.
This result earned McAfee the ADVANCED+ rating, the highest tier AV-Comparatives awards, reserved for products that deliver top-tier performance with minimal system impact.
There’s a common misconception that stronger protection means a heavier, slower product. McAfee’s results prove otherwise.
When your security software is slow, you notice it:
A lightweight product means protection that works quietly in the background, without making you choose between safety and performance. That’s the promise behind McAfee’s result, and it’s now independently verified.
This isn’t a one-off result. McAfee has earned the ADVANCED+ rating consistently across multiple rounds of AV-Comparatives testing, demonstrating that this level of performance isn’t luck. It’s the result of deliberate, sustained engineering.
Independent, repeatable results like these are what separate marketing claims from proven performance.
With McAfee, you get award-winning protection and award-winning performance, so your devices stay secure without slowing you down.
The same AI-powered threat protection validated in this test is built into every major McAfee plan:
Whether you’re protecting one device or an entire household, you’re getting the same industry-leading, independently verified performance under the hood.
Ready to get protection that doesn’t slow you down? Explore McAfee+ Plans →
The post McAfee Ranks #1 in AV-Comparatives PC Performance Test — Again appeared first on McAfee Blog.
A text that looks like it came straight from a courthouse is making the rounds across the U.S. And yes, I got it too.
First things first, that’s a scam. And to be clear: DON’T SCAN THAT QR CODE.
It’s the same playbook as last year’s toll road scams, just dressed up with a little more authority and a lot more pressure.
Before doing anything, our team ran it through McAfee’s Scam Detector. It immediately flagged the message as suspicious, and that’s exactly the kind of moment this tool is built for. When something feels just real enough to second guess, it gives you a clear signal before you click, scan, or spiral.
This court notice scam has ramped up and changed shape since we first covered it in March. So let’s get into how it works:
The text claims you’ve missed a payment, violated a law, or have some kind of outstanding “case.” It then pushes you to scan a QR code or click a link to resolve it quickly.
From there, one of two things usually happens:
Either way, the goal is the same: get you to act fast before you have time to question it.
The red flags in this message
There are reports of this scam popping up nationwide, but the rule is simple: law enforcement does not text you to demand payment or resolve legal issues.
First, don’t panic. Then:
And that, my friends, is scam number one in this week’s This Week in Scams (new format, we’re experimenting a little).
Let’s get into what else is on our radar.
If you saw our story last year about Al Roker speaking out after scammers used an AI-generated version of him to promote a fake hypertension cure, or the shocking case of a French woman who lost nearly $900,000 to fraudsters posing as Brad Pitt, you already know just how convincing celebrity deepfake scams have become.
Now, new reporting suggests these scams are reaching older adults at enormous scale.
According to a new study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, just 30 of the most active scam advertisers on Facebook generated an estimated 215 million ad impressions over the past year. Nearly 73% of those impressions were shown to adults over 65.
The fake ads used AI-generated versions of well-known figures including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Harvey, and Brad Pitt to promote fake government benefits, miracle health products, and bogus financial offers.
This aligns closely with McAfee’s 2025 Most Dangerous Celebrity: Deepfake Deception List.
Our research found that:
The celebrities most commonly exploited in the U.S. included Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Jenna Ortega, and Sydney Sweeney, while Brad Pitt also ranked prominently on the global list.
Celebrity deepfake scams exploit something simple: trust.
When a familiar face appears in your social feed, whether it is Al Roker recommending a health product or Brad Pitt asking for help, your guard naturally drops.
And AI is making these fakes harder to detect.
McAfee’s 2026 State of the Scamiverse found that Americans now encounter an average of three deepfakes every day, yet more than one in three say they are not confident they can identify one.
In other words, scammers are weaponizing the faces people know best to make fraud feel familiar.
Celebrity deepfakes are designed to look convincing, but there are still clues that something is off. If you see a video of Oprah Winfrey, Al Roker, or Brad Pitt promoting a miracle cure, government benefit, or investment opportunity, pause before you click.
Here are some of the biggest red flags to watch for:
| Red Flag | What to Look For |
| Too-good-to-be-true offers | The video promises free grocery money, secret Medicare benefits, guaranteed investment returns, or miracle health cures. |
| Out-of-character endorsements | A celebrity appears to promote a random supplement, financial opportunity, or government program that seems unrelated to their normal work. |
| Robotic or unnatural voice | The speech sounds overly smooth, lacks natural pauses, or has strange pacing and tone. |
| Lip-sync issues | The celebrity’s mouth movements do not perfectly match the words being spoken. |
| Unnatural facial expressions | Blinking, smiling, and head movements appear stiff, overly polished, or slightly off. |
| Urgent language | The ad pressures you to “Act now,” “Claim your benefits today,” or “Limited spots available.” |
| Suspicious links | Clicking leads to a website you do not recognize or that does not match the company or organization being referenced. |
| No confirmation elsewhere | Trusted news outlets and the celebrity’s verified accounts do not mention the same announcement or offer. |
When in doubt, go directly to the celebrity’s verified social account or search trusted news sources to confirm the information. And if something feels off, trust your instincts. In the age of AI, seeing is no longer believing.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you’re not left figuring it out in the moment:
The reality is, these scams are designed to look normal. You shouldn’t have to be an expert to spot them. That’s why McAfee’s here to help.
We’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post How to Spot Fake Court Texts and Celebrity Deepfake Ads: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Authored by Harshil Patel and Sakshi Jaiswal
McAfee Labs has recently uncovered a large scale CountLoader campaign that uses multiple layers of obfuscation and staged payload delivery to evade detection and maintain persistence in infected systems. The infection process relies on several layers of loaders, including PowerShell scripts, obfuscated JavaScript executed through mshta.exe, and in memory shellcode injection, each stage decrypting and launching the next. The attackers employ a custom encrypted communication protocol to interact with their C2 servers. By registering a backup domain used by the malware, we were able to sinkhole the traffic and observe thousands of infected machines connecting to the C2 infrastructure. Final payload deployed in this campaign is a cryptocurrency clipper, which monitors clipboard activity and replaces copied wallet addresses with attacker controlled ones to redirect cryptocurrency transactions.
Sinkholing is a defensive technique in which researchers take control of malicious domains or infrastructure used by malware. Instead of allowing infected systems to communicate with attacker controlled C2 servers, the traffic is redirected to a researcher controlled server. This approach enables researchers to monitor infected hosts, collect telemetry, measure the scale and spread of a campaign.
As the malware contacts the C2 servers in the reverse order and only hell1-kitty[.]cc was used by attackers, we were able to register hell10-kitty[.]cc and were able to gain insights into the campaign.
On average, around 5,000 infected clients contacted our server every minute.
In total, we observed approximately 86,000 unique infections.
Telemetry collected revealed that this CountLoader campaign has a broad global footprint. The highest number of infections were observed in India, followed by Indonesia, the United States, and several countries across Southeast Asia.
CountLoader is a multistage malware loader that uses obfuscated JavaScript and trusted Windows utilities to deliver additional payloads. It ensures persistence via scheduled tasks and uses multiple fallback C2 domains to maintain reliability. Malware employs in-memory execution and security bypass techniques to evade detection.
In recent campaigns, it has been observed deploying cryptocurrency clipper malware to silently hijack transactions.
McAfee Researchers identified a flaw in its communication mechanism and were able to exploit it to gain insights into the campaign.
The following diagram illustrates the complete infection chain used in this CountLoader campaign, from the initial execution to the deployment of the final payload.
The infection begins when an EXE file is executed. This file launches a PowerShell command, which downloads and executes an obfuscated JavaScript loader known as CountLoader. The loader is executed using mshta.exe, a legitimate Windows utility often abused by malware to run scripts.
Once executed, it performs several tasks:
The payload execution chain consists of several stages:
Launcher: A secondary JavaScript component creates another scheduled task that runs every 60 minutes, ensuring long term persistence.
PowerShell Packer: The launcher executes an obfuscated PowerShell script that acts as a packer. This script decrypts and launches the next stage.
Injector: The next PowerShell stage disables security mechanisms such as AMSI and injects shellcode into a legitimate process.
Shellcode Execution: The injected shellcode unpacks the final payload directly in memory.
Final Payload: The final payload is executed under the process systeminfo.exe. In this campaign, the deployed payload was identified as a cryptocurrency clipper malware, which monitors clipboard activity and replaces copied cryptocurrency wallet addresses with attacker controlled addresses.
The infection chain begins with the execution of a malicious EXE file, it immediately runs a PowerShell one-liner as shown in the below image.
The PowerShell script fetched from the URL decodes a Base64-encoded string and executes the resulting content. It also employs an unusual obfuscation technique, where the variable names are crafted to resemble the highlighted pattern, making the script harder to read and analyze.
Multiple such variables are used to create a complete base64 string which is then decoded and executed through Invoke-Expression.
The file is a HTA file with JavaScript that uses string obfuscation technique to evade detection.
It starts by hiding the mshta window to ensure that the malicious activity runs silently in the background without alerting the user.
The script then attempts to delete its own file in case it was executed locally. If the script determines that it is not being executed from a URL, it terminates immediately.
Then the script tries to contact C2 servers, iterating through the list in reverse order.
A handshake process is performed to verify connectivity with the server. The client sends an encrypted “checkStatus” message, and the server responds with an encrypted “success” message if the connection is valid
All communications between the client and the server are encrypted, with slightly different encryption schemes used for each direction:
The key is a randomly generated six digit number created for each message.
If the handshake is successful, the corresponding domain is selected as the active C2 server, which is used for all subsequent communications.
To maintain persistence on the infected system, the malware creates a scheduled task if one does not already exist.
The scheduled task command line is slightly different if it detects CrowdStrike or Reason AV installed on the system, likely as an attempt to evade detection from these AVs.
After establishing persistence, the malware gets a JWT token from the C2 server, which is used to authenticate further requests.
The get_jwt_token function sends system information about the infected host to the server.
This includes details related to cryptocurrency usage, such as installed wallets and browser extensions, allowing the attackers to determine whether the victim is likely involved with cryptocurrency.
Finally, the malware gets commands from the C2 server, which is then executed on the compromised system.
Each command contains a taskType value that determines the action to be performed on the infected system.
The table below shows the command codes and their actions.
| Code | Command |
| 1 | execute exe file |
| 2 | execute python file |
| 3 | execute dll file |
| 4 | uninstall itself |
| 5 | send domain info to C2 |
| 6 | execute msi file |
| 9 | spread by infecting usb files |
| 10 | execute HTA file |
| 11 | execute powershell file |
We observed two commands from the above list being sent to the malware as highlighted below:
When instructed by the C2 server to spread via USB drives, the malware replaces certain file types on all connected external drives with LNK shortcut files. These shortcuts are crafted so that when a user opens them, the malware executes while simultaneously opening the original file to avoid suspicion.
Targeted file types are exe , pdf , doc and docx.
The build ID of the malware is appended with “_usb”.
The CountLoader is capable of running many types of executable files, In this campaign, it deploys a separate execution chain that ultimately leads to a clipper malware.
CountLoader launches the next stage using the following command line:
Payload Launcher
The Payload Launcher is very similar to CountLoader in terms of both functionality and obfuscation techniques.
However, unlike CountLoader, which retrieves tasks from the C2 server, the launcher contains hard-coded task information.
For persistence, it creates a scheduled task which executes “mshata.exe {domain}/{name}“ every 60 minutes.
In the task configuration:
“url” specifies the url of the payload.
“taskType” is set to 11, indicating that the payload should be executed as a PowerShell script.
The PowerShell script executed by the launcher acts as a simple packer. It is obfuscated using the same obfuscation technique mentioned earlier. Its primary function is to decrypt and execute another PowerShell script.
The next stage is another PowerShell script responsible for injecting shellcode into a running process.
Before performing the injection, the script disables AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface) using script from GitHub – S3cur3Th1sSh1t/Amsi-Bypass-Powershell.
After disabling AMSI, the script executes code that performs shellcode injection,
And injects in one of these legitimate processes:
The injected shellcode unpacks and loads the final payload directly into memory,
The payload observed in this campaign is a clipper malware. This type of malware changes cryptocurrency address in clipboard to that of attacker’s when user copies any address.
It starts by fetching the C2 server address, which it gets by a technique called EtherHiding, where the C2 server address is fetched from Ethereum blockchain.
Once the C2 server address is obtained, the malware begins reporting system activity to the server.
It then continuously monitors the clipboard contents.
McAfee provides extensive coverage against CountLoader:
Trojan:Script/CountLoader4.DES
Trojan:Script/JSBackdoor.HELK!2
Trojan:Shortcut/LNKDownloader.HK
Trojan:Shortcut/Worm.HELK
Trojan:Script/ObfuPS.HELK
Trojan:Script/AMSIBypass.STS!1
Ti!5F9FF671955A
Ti!DC602CB53A9C
| IOC | |
| EXE (stage 1) | 5f9ff671955a6d551595f9838aed063c496da5039be0d222fe84f96cb3e1d32a |
| PS url (stage 2) | https://memory-scanner[.]cc/Presentation[.]pdf |
| PS (stage 2) | 3c278499c5e3ced3bf1a6a7287808c5267075f1dec0aa5c7be2c4c444f33f2bc |
| CountLoader download URLs | https://memory-scanner[.]cc/ |
| https://hell1-kitty[.]cc/update1_usb_usb_usb[.]VOcx4wEV8 | |
| CountLoader v3.3 | c68e436d4cb984db026210806f50d0c81eec5f6e4860197dab91fab6f31ef796 |
| CountLoader v4.1 | e2faad8111e7d47349cbc549b85e62231b8678057906bc813aad7242fa95ae63 |
| e5e1d8ec4cd109df290752ee3d4b2cbc9de6df4360e9983548f1bc6b1d088540 | |
| CountLoader C2 Domains | hell1-kitty[.]cc |
| alphazero1-endscape[.]cc | |
| api-microservice-us1[.]com | |
| bucket-aws-s1[.]com | |
| bucket-aws-s2[.]com | |
| fileless-storage-s3[.]cc | |
| globalsnn1-new[.]cc | |
| globalsnn2-new[.]cc | |
| globalsnn3-new[.]cc | |
| handle-me-sv1[.]com | |
| hardware-office[.]cc | |
| health-smooth-eu1[.]com | |
| health-smooth-eu2[.]com | |
| health-smooth-eu3[.]com | |
| holiday-updateservice[.]com | |
| memory-protection-layer1[.]cc | |
| memory-protection-layer2[.]cc | |
| microservice-update-s1-bucket[.]cc | |
| microservice-update-s2-bucket[.]cc | |
| my-smart-house1[.]com | |
| polystore9-servicebucket[.]cc | |
| s3-updatehub[.]cc | |
| usb lnk files | 10593dbe9edfde7943fdaadd7882f190216b2f6502667daf701088a6e810deaf |
| 0a69a9cc75d65774e5eb90a4a739bd4335d33b176dc4923acb691bd45af66bdf | |
| 27c6a6bda2c0ef3ecb78dad9c6bb7c3abaf2e32b3ad96f372a0102c0c9c0f08d | |
| 2cd449f1bb24f05d2e240812a74bd62f2583bbbe4d0ccc9ae5736240e29a0068 | |
| 30dcd5c71beb76d2f8df768d5fd9e9145cb8fbbfc951a63b969d26d3b64002b9 | |
| dd4c7f5aae404816cf447b8090b620c1a1971a35c6791116aa3f871f00ae011b | |
| 42a1fc74334c9a3b8720c79df55f84c7398bd31609eb10581e8c7155835498e3 | |
| 9c0d334aac5a6f66016dc5ce8df75c46d519a4e6d16c68cf2b1405c81189186d | |
| 44f6313e9542c0d51937a70160fe4137012905d8c79ad27ccc0021788ecfaa4e | |
| payload launcher url | https://hell1-kitty[.]cc/gamecenter[.]fileManager |
| https://hardware-office[.]cc/foundation[.]halflife | |
| payload launcher | cbdfb46b9265a3dfb3bc6b0aade472dde28b1660dbd3ded3b67b1530b4497cca |
| packer url | http://45[.]156[.]87[.]118:3015/select |
| http://45[.]156[.]87[.]62:3443/production | |
| http://104[.]253[.]1[.]137/content | |
| packer | 4a5e1d6ee1217e1fbacf54fc6017fbf9d24a25078266b02358d56a9c7437ceb7 |
| injector | 05becb67d8bf1e49fcfccb0d346b82368a2b1c2bf07316078c364c7b020154de |
| shellcode | 44daa1b68737b55a711963eec211c7c018bcba4cb6d68c286a4b45ea781a7d73 |
| payload | dc602cb53a9c24abfcdaadf0ca8256b5fb5cac6d91d20ed8431bdaaf51c0cafe |
| payload C2 | https://edr-security-bucket1[.]cc/ |
The post Sinkholing CountLoader: Insights into Its Recent Campaign appeared first on McAfee Blog.
If you have ever checked your child’s grades online, submitted a college paper through a school portal, downloaded homework assignments, or received messages from a teacher through a classroom app, there is a good chance you have used Canvas, a nationwide learning management system that was just in a massive data breach.
This is exactly the moment McAfee+ Advanced was built for. With our built-in Scam Detector to flag risky links, QR codes, and deepfakes; Identity Monitoring that alerts you when your data appears where it shouldn’t; and Personal Data Cleanup that removes your information from the dark web and data brokers, McAfee+ Advanced is an all-in-one solution for protection after a data breach.
Now let’s get into what you need to know about this breach:
The ransomware group ShinyHunters is claiming responsibility for the attack. The group alleges it stole roughly 275 million records tied to nearly 9,000 schools and educational institutions worldwide.
Instructure, the company behind Canvas, confirmed a cyber incident affecting its cloud-hosted environment. The attackers later posted claims about the breach on their leak site, where ransomware groups pressure organizations into paying by threatening to release stolen data publicly.
The stolen data reportedly includes:
ShinyHunters claims the breach exposed roughly 275 million records and more than 231 million unique email addresses.
Even if financial information was not exposed, this kind of data can still be extremely valuable to scammers. Criminals can use real school names, real classes, teacher names, and student information to create highly convincing phishing emails, fake school alerts, scholarship scams, tuition scams, or password reset messages.
A scam message referencing your child’s actual school or assignment is much harder to spot as fake.
This is a real message from Canvas from a community college professor after yours truly took an anthropology class for fun during the pandemic. It’s full of links to apply for programs and reach out to professors. It has exact details about courses I’ve taken.
While this correspondence is real, it’s exactly the type of messaging that scammers could fake and replicate, replacing real links with fake “paid” opportunities to pursue degrees.
Now think of the millions of messages and specific scenarios scammers have access to, to create dubious and convincing scams. That’s why protecting yourself after a breach is key.
Here are some actions you can take immediately ot protect yourself after this breach:
And that, my friends, is issue number one in this week’s This Week in Scams. Let’s get into what else is on our radar in cybersecurity and scam news.
Your phone buzzes. It’s a text from an unknown number, but the message looks official.
“Dear Amazon Customer, we are writing to inform you that an item from your March 2026 order has been identified for recall.” There’s an order number. A link at the top of the message. A note about quality standards and a refund waiting for you.
It looks real. It has the Amazon logo, the branded formatting, even a reference to the “Amazon Customer Safety Team.” The only thing it doesn’t have? Any connection to Amazon at all.
This is a fake Amazon recall scam, and it is making the rounds right now. The goal is to get you to click that link, which takes you to a site designed to harvest your login credentials, payment information, or both.
If you get a text like this, do not click the link. Go directly to amazon.com in your browser, log in, and check your orders and messages from there. Amazon does not initiate recall or refund processes through unsolicited texts with outside links.
A fake Amazon recall scam is a text message or email in which criminals impersonate Amazon to convince you that one of your recent orders has been flagged for a product recall. The message directs you to an external link leading to a phishing site designed to steal your Amazon credentials, credit card details, or personal information.
Scams today are layered. A fake email leads to stolen credentials. A breach leads to targeted phishing. And those follow-ups are getting harder to spot.
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together so you’re not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
Our advice based on this week’s scams and stories:
And we’ll be back next week with more scams and cybersecurity news making headlines.
The post How to Protect Yourself After the Canvas Education Data Breach + Fake Amazon Recall Texts appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Scam messages are getting smarter and faster.
According to McAfee’s 2026 State of the Scamiverse report, Americans now spend 114 hours a year trying to figure out what’s real and what’s fake online. That’s nearly three full workweeks lost to second-guessing messages, alerts, and links.
And when scams do succeed, they move quickly. The typical scam unfolds in about 38 minutes, leaving little room for hesitation.
That creates a gap: People want to check before they act, but the tools haven’t always met them in that moment.
ChatGPT + McAfee is designed to close that gap, bringing scam detection directly to a platform people are already using to ask questions and make decisions.
And it’s available to anyone. You don’t have to be a McAfee subscriber.
This isn’t just detection. It’s guidance in the exact moment you’re deciding what to do.
Instead of guessing, you can paste a message or drop in a screenshot and get a clear explanation of what’s risky, and what to do next, powered by McAfee’s threat intelligence.
With this integration, checking something suspicious becomes as simple as asking a question.
Paste a message. Drop in a link. Upload a screenshot.
McAfee analyzes it and explains what’s going on clearly and in context.
| Feature | What it does | How it protects you |
| Link safety check | Paste a suspicious URL and get a reputational analysis based on McAfee threat intelligence | Scam links are often designed to look legitimate. A quick check helps avoid phishing and malware |
| Message analysis | Submit texts, emails, or social messages for evaluation | Many scams now rely on urgency and tone. Analysis helps surface subtle red flags |
| Screenshot uploads | Upload screenshots of messages, emails, or posts for review | Scams don’t always come as clean text. This makes it easier to check what you’re actually seeing |
| Clear explanations | Get a breakdown of why something is flagged as risky or safe | Not just a warning—an explanation that helps you recognize patterns next time |
| Guided next steps | Receive recommendations on what to do next | Helps prevent escalation, especially in moments of uncertainty |
It’s a quick, accessible way to get answers in the moment. But it’s just one part of a broader system designed to protect you more comprehensively.
Add the app to your ChatGPT account here.
Behind the scenes, ChatGPT + McAfee is powered by the same intelligence that fuels McAfee’s broader scam protection ecosystem.
When you submit something for review:
The goal isn’t just to flag risk. It’s to help you understand it.
Scams aren’t slowing down. If anything, they’re becoming more convincing, more personalized, and harder to detect.
That’s where ChatGPT + McAfee comes in. But this is only one part of a much bigger system designed to protect you before, during, and after a scam attempt.
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together so you’re not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
The ChatGPT experience gives you a fast, intuitive way to check something in the moment.
McAfee+ Advanced makes sure you’re protected across everything else.
The post Now Available: Use ChatGPT with McAfee to Spot Scams Faster appeared first on McAfee Blog.
You’re scrolling through Facebook or TikTok and see it.
A flash sale from a brand you recognize. A limited-time investment opportunity. A job posting that promises quick money.
The ad has comments. The account looks polished. Maybe someone you follow even liked it.
So you click.
From there, things move fast. You’re pushed to act quickly, enter your information, or send payment before the “deal” disappears. And just like that, the money is gone or your account is compromised.
This isn’t an edge case anymore. According to new FTC data, nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media, with total losses hitting $2.1 billion.
That’s why McAfee+ Advanced includes comprehensive protection designed to help you spot and stop scams at every step, including McAfee’s Scam Detector, which flags suspicious links and messages and explains why they may be risky, along with identity and privacy tools that help protect your information if a scam slips through.
A social media ad scam is when scammers use paid ads, fake profiles, or hijacked accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to promote fake products, services, or investment opportunities in order to steal money or personal information.
| Step | What happens | What to do | How McAfee helps |
| 1 | You see an ad, post, or DM promoting a deal, job, or investment | Don’t engage immediately, even if it looks legitimate | Scam Detector flags suspicious links and messages before you interact |
| 2 | The ad links to a website or moves you into DMs | Avoid clicking unfamiliar links or continuing off-platform | Safe Browsing helps block risky or newly created websites |
| 3 | You’re pressured to act quickly or “secure your spot” | Slow down and verify the company independently | Scam Detector explains urgency tactics and why they’re risky |
| 4 | You’re asked to pay, share login info, or download something | Never send money or credentials based on a social media interaction | Identity Monitoring helps protect your personal data if exposed |
| 5 | The product never arrives, the investment disappears, or your account is compromised | Report the scam and secure your accounts immediately | Personal Data Cleanup and monitoring help reduce ongoing exposure |
And that is the first part of This Week in Scams! This Friday we’re taking a different format to talk about this new FTC data and all that it reveals.
Let’s keep digging in:
New data from the FTC shows just how dominant social media has become in the scam landscape.
| Category | What to know |
| Most common scams | Shopping scams lead, with over 40% of victims reporting purchases from social media ads that never arrived |
| Most costly scams | Investment scams drive the biggest losses, often starting with ads or group chats showing fake success |
| What’s changing | Scammers are using platform tools like ads, targeting, and profile data to reach people more precisely than ever |
| Platform | How scams typically start | What to watch for |
| Ads, Marketplace listings, hacked accounts | Fake stores, duplicate listings, urgent purchase pressure | |
| Sponsored posts, influencer impersonation | “Limited drop” scams, fake brand collaborations | |
| TikTok | Ads, stolen videos/profiles, comment links, bio links, | “Get rich quick” schemes, external link funnels, reselling via TikTok |
| Group chats, investment communities | Fake testimonials, coordinated pressure to invest |
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
Our advice based on this week’s scams and schemes:
And we’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post Ad Impersonation Scams and Record-Breaking Social Media Fraud Losses: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
A new scam making the rounds takes a familiar delivery trick and upgrades it with hyper‑realistic messaging and a QR code that looks safe to scan.
But don’t be fooled.
It’s the same delivery scam playbook scammers have relied on for years, just repackaged with better design and more convincing details.
You get a message with a notice that looks something like this, a real message received by our team and tested against McAfee’s Scam Detector.
That added layer of realism is what makes this version more dangerous. But it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. McAfee’s Scam Detector flagged both the suspicious language and the QR code in this message before any interaction.
If you receive something like this, pause. Do not scan the code.
You can also protect yourself with McAfee’s Scam Detector, which flags suspicious links and messages, including delivery scams and QR‑based attacks, and explains why they may be risky.
The USPS QR code scam is a phishing attempt where scammers impersonate postal services and use QR codes instead of clickable links to direct victims to malicious websites.
Once scanned, the QR code can lead to a fake USPS page that asks for payment, login credentials, or personal information.
How the scam works
| Step | What happens | The red flags | What to do | How McAfee helps |
| 1 | You receive a text about a delivery issue or missed package | Urgency, you’re not tracking a package | Be skeptical of unsolicited delivery messages | Scam Detector flags suspicious messages |
| 2 | The message includes a QR code instead of a link | QR codes instead of official tracking links is a red flag | Do not scan QR codes from unknown sources | QR scanning protection warns before opening risky destinations |
| 3 | You scan the code and land on a fake USPS page | Generic or slightly off branding on the webpage | Do not enter any information | Safe Browsing blocks known malicious sites |
| 4 | The page asks for payment or personal details | Requests for small “redelivery” or “processing” fees are not normal | Exit immediately and do not submit anything | Scam Detector explains why the page is risky, and Identity Monitoring supports you when if your info gets out. |
And that, my friends, is scam number one in this week’s This Week in Scams.
Let’s get into what else is on our radar.
A massive health data incident is raising new concerns about how sensitive information is handled and shared.
According to reporting from the Associated Press, data tied to 500,000 participants in a major U.K. health research project was found listed for sale online. The dataset included biological and health-related information, though it did not contain direct identifiers like names or contact details.
Access to the data had been granted to research institutions, but that access has since been revoked. Authorities say no purchases were made, and the listing has been removed.
Still, the situation highlights a growing reality: once data is accessed or shared, control over it becomes harder to guarantee.
Scams are no longer isolated events. They are layered.
A data breach does not just stay a breach. It becomes fuel for future scams. Exposed information can be used to make phishing messages more convincing, personalize attacks, and build trust with targets.
That is why detection alone is not enough anymore. Protection has to account for both incoming threats and what happens when data is already out there.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
As always, we have some best practices and safety tips for navigating life online:
And we’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post Fake USPS QR Code Text Scams and a Major Health Data Breach: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Co-Authored by Luiz Parente
Your data might be safe today. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe forever.
A growing number of sophisticated actors are collecting encrypted data now, with the goal of decrypting it later, when more powerful technology becomes available.
This strategy is known as Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL). And it’s not a future problem. It’s already happening, according to research from our McAfee VPN team.
For everyday people, that means private messages, financial records, and sensitive documents could be exposed years from now if protections don’t evolve today.
That’s why security teams, including McAfee’s VPN engineers, are already working on ways to strengthen encryption for both today and what comes next.
At its core, HNDL is simple: Attackers collect encrypted data now, store it, and wait until they have the tools to unlock it later.
Even though today’s encryption is incredibly strong, the strategy doesn’t rely on breaking it today. It relies on patience.
You put valuable belongings and documents in a safe at home that’s locked and secured. This works at preventing crimes of opportunity. But let’s say there’s a thief who steals the entire safe, knowing they have tools they can use later to access what’s inside. They wait, and once the tools are available, they break into your safe and access everything inside.
That’s one way to think of HNDL. The safe is the encryption. The quantum computing is the tool they can use later.
But in real life, you’d probably notice if your safe is gone. In the case of HNDL, if you’re not monitoring your data, you may not even notice encrypted information has been stolen to be decrypted.
| Term | What it means |
| Encryption | Scrambling data so others can’t read it |
| Quantum computing | A new type of computing that can break some encryption |
| HNDL | A strategy to collect encrypted data now and decrypt it later |
This isn’t about whether your data is valuable today. It’s about whether it might be valuable later.
Data with a long shelf life is especially at risk, including:
Even something that feels low-stakes today could become sensitive in the future.
And because the collection phase is already happening, the risk isn’t hypothetical. It’s already in motion.
VPNs remain one of the most effective ways to protect your data today. That hasn’t changed.
But HNDL introduces a new layer of complexity.
In simple terms: Your data is well protected today, but parts of how that protection is set up may need to evolve for the future.
Traditional computers process information in a linear way.
Quantum computers work differently. They can solve certain types of problems much faster, including the kinds of mathematical challenges that protect today’s encryption.
That’s why attackers are willing to wait.
Once quantum computing reaches a certain level, it could unlock data that was previously considered secure.
McAfee’s VPN team is already preparing for this shift.
This work builds on a broader privacy-by-design approach, where systems are designed to minimize risk from the start, not react after the fact.
Because with HNDL, waiting isn’t an option.
You don’t need to wait for quantum computing to take steps today.
These steps help protect your data now while the industry builds toward future-ready security.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
| FAQ |
| Q: Is my data safe right now?
A: In most cases, yes—today’s encryption is extremely strong and is designed to protect your data from current threats. If you’re using trusted security tools like a VPN, safe browsing protections, and device security, your data is actively protected while it’s in transit and in use. However, no system is risk-free. Data exposed through phishing, weak passwords, breaches, or unsecured networks may still be vulnerable. And with “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later,” even properly encrypted data could be collected today and targeted for decryption in the future. |
| Q: What is quantum-safe encryption?
A: Quantum-safe (or post-quantum) encryption refers to new types of cryptography designed to remain secure even against future quantum computers. Today’s encryption relies on math problems that are extremely difficult for classical computers to solve, but quantum computers could eventually solve some of them much faster. Quantum-safe approaches use different mathematical foundations that are believed to resist those capabilities. In practice, many companies are moving toward hybrid encryption, combining today’s proven methods with newer quantum-resistant techniques to protect data both now and long-term. |
| Q: Should I still use a VPN?
A: Yes. A VPN remains one of the most effective ways to protect your data today, especially on public or unsecured networks. It encrypts your internet traffic and helps prevent interception by hackers, internet providers, or other third parties. While VPN protocols are evolving to address future quantum risks, they still provide strong, essential protection against today’s threats. |
| Q: When will this become a real threat?
A: The risk unfolds in two phases. The collection phase is already happening today, where sophisticated actors gather encrypted data and store it. The decryption phase depends on when quantum computing advances far enough to break certain types of encryption, which could take years but is actively progressing. This means data with a long lifespan, such as financial records, personal communications, and sensitive documents, is most at risk because it only needs to remain valuable until those capabilities exist. |
The post Why Hackers Are Collecting Data They Can’t Read Yet. And How to Stay Safe appeared first on McAfee Blog.
You open your inbox and see it: Your cloud storage is full.
There’s a warning about photos being deleted, your account being suspended, or a renewal failing. There’s a button to “fix it now.” Or a warning to “act today.”
It looks routine. Maybe even urgent enough to click.
That’s exactly the point.
Cloud storage scams are making headlines again, building on patterns we flagged earlier this year in our State of the Scamiverse research.
These emails have circulated steadily since 2025, often impersonating trusted brands like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Many are timed to moments when people are already thinking about storage, backups, or subscriptions.
The safest move is simple: pause and don’t click. If there’s a real issue, go directly to your account through the official app or website.
You can also protect yourself with McAfee’s Scam Detector, which flags suspicious links and messages, including cloud storage scams, and explains why they may be risky.
Cloud storage scams are phishing attacks designed to trick you into believing there’s an issue with your account so you’ll click a malicious link.
They often look like this, and include 3 key red flags:
| Step | What happens | What to do | How McAfee helps |
| 1. You receive a message | Email or text claims your storage is full or your account has an issue | Don’t click links directly from the message | Scam Detector flags suspicious messages before you interact |
| 2. Urgency is introduced | Warning that files or photos will be deleted if you don’t act | Pause. Urgency is a red flag | Scam Detector identifies pressure-based scam patterns |
| 3. You’re pushed to a link | Link mimics a real login or billing page | Go directly to the official website instead | Safe browsing tools help block malicious sites |
| 4. You’re asked for info | Login credentials or payment details requested | Never enter info from a link you didn’t verify | Scam Detector explains why a page or link is risky |
| 5. Data is captured | Scammers collect your data or payment | Monitor accounts and report suspicious activity | Identity monitoring alerts you if your data is exposed |
And that, my friends, is scam number one in this week’s This Week in Scams.
Let’s get into what else is on our radar.
New data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICC) shows just how large the scam economy has become.
In 2025 alone:
This is where layered protection matters. It’s not just about catching one bad link. It’s about recognizing patterns across messages, platforms, and moments when something feels slightly off.
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
As always, we have some best practices and safety tips for navigating life online:
And we’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
The post Cloud Storage Scam Emails and Record-Breaking Fraud Losses: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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