Avoid getting scammed by "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" websites

What is "Norton Security Update Is Available Now"?

During a routine inspection of untrustworthy websites, our researchers found the "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" scam. It falsely implies that the visitor's Norton anti-virus is outdated and urges them to renew their subscription.

"Norton Security Update Is Available Now" scam overview

The scam claims that a new update is available for the site visitor's Norton anti-virus. This statement would be displayed regardless of whether the user has ever had Norton.

When we inspected "Norton Security Update Is Available Now", it did redirect to the official Norton anti-virus website. However, that may not be the case in the future.

It must be emphasized that such deceptive promotions are not undertaken or approved by the advertised product's developers. Hence, this scam is in no way associated with NortonLifeLock. Deceptive pop-ups are used by scammers who abuse a product's affiliate program to acquire illegitimate commissions.

The scam states that without the "update", the user's device is vulnerable to various threats. It also promises a discount for a 1-year subscription - however, it is likely fake and merely used as bait. The countdown beside the "discount" suggests that the offer is limited; such timers are especially common for scams.

While at the time of research, "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" did promote Norton, this scam may be used to push fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers, and various PUAs. In seldom cases, scams of this kind are employed to spread malware (trojans, ransomware, etc.).

In summary, via scams claiming that a piece of software is outdated or that the system is infected/at-risk - users can experience severe privacy issues, system infections, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Norton Security Update Is Available Now pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Norton anti-virus requires updates.
Related Domains	mapmoney[.]shop, henunlawful[.]bar, atticfine[.]cyou, evaluatepen[.]shop, bucketbaseball[.]store
Detection Names (mapmoney[.]shop)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (mapmoney[.]shop)	85.17.31.139
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Similar scam examples

"Your Windows 10 is infected with viruses", "McAfee Total Protection has expired", and "McAfee Total Protection - Your PC might be infected with viruses!" are just a few examples of similar scams, which we have analyzed.

Unlike "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" (at the time of writing), most schemes use the names of legitimate products/companies only to trick users into downloading/installing harmful content. Therefore, we strongly recommend downloading from official sources and exercising caution when browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam webpages can be entered through sites that use rogue advertising networks. Deceptive pages can be force-opened upon access or when hosted content (e.g., ads, buttons, links, etc.) is clicked.

Clicking on a spam browser notification or an intrusive advertisement can also lead to a scam website. Mistyping a URL can likewise result in access to such a page.

Additionally, adware infiltrated into the system can display adverts promoting online scams. This software may be capable of force-opening deceptive webpages as well.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We advise against visiting websites that offer pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as they typically use rogue advertising networks which often promote online scams.

To avoid receiving scam-promoting browser notifications, do not press "Allow", "Allow Notifications", or analogous options displayed by dubious webpages. We recommend ignoring or denying notification delivery (i.e., clicking "Block", "Block Notifications, etc.).

Adware is known to endorse scams. Therefore, we strongly advise downloading from official/verified channels and approaching installation processes with care - to avoid allowing untrustworthy software into the device. If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Text presented in the "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" scam:

Pop-up:

Norton Security update is available now.

Update now to protect your computer and prevent it from being exposed to virus threats.

 

----------------

Background:

Norton

Norton Security 2022 Subscription Update

New update for your Norton 360 Total Protection is available on April 8, 2022.

Update now to protect your computer and prevent it from being susceptible to virus threats.

If your PC is unprotected, it can be exposed to viruses and other malware attacks.

 

Available: Special 1 Year Renewal Discount: 119 seconds

[Renew Subscription]

The appearance of "Norton Security Update Is Available Now" pop-up scam (GIF):

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is Norton Security Update Is Available Now pop-up?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are deceptive messages designed to scare/entice users into performing certain actions, e.g., downloading/installing applications and browser extensions/plug-ins, disclosing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, etc.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Scams aim to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals may profit by obtaining illegitimate commissions for software promotion, acquiring funds through deception, abusing/selling private data, proliferating malware, and so on.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are run on rogue webpages. Most users enter these sites via redirects caused by mistyped URLs, pages using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan every website you visit and warn you if they are found to be malicious. Webpages promoting pop-up scams also fall within this category; hence, you will be alerted immediately. Furthermore, Combo Cleaner can block access to such sites.

▼ Show Discussion