Avoid getting scammed by fake "Norton LifeLock" (PayPal) invoice emails

What is "Norton LifeLock" email scam?

After inspecting this "Norton LifeLock" email, we determined that it is fake. It must be emphasized that this spam mail is in no way associated with either NortonLifeLock Inc. or PayPal Holdings, Inc.

This scam letter is presented as a purchase invoice, which states that the payment has already been processed. The aim is to trick recipients into calling the provided number to cancel the bogus payment/subscription.

"Norton LifeLock" email scam overview

Essentially, this fake "Norton LifeLock" email is presented as an invoice, informing the recipient of a successful purchase and payment. The spam letter contains a telephone number, which is to be used if the recipient wishes to cancel the subscription to "Norton LifeLock", and prevent the sum from being charged.

As mentioned in the introduction, this email is fake. Therefore, the recipient has not subscribed to or purchased anything - hence, no amount of money will be charged.

What scam model this spam campaign follows is unclear. It is most likely an amalgamation of a refund and tech support scams. Both require the scammers to remotely access victims' devices, which they do by presenting themselves as "support" or "expert technicians" and guiding users by phone.

Once access is established, in refund scams - victims are asked to log into their online bank accounts. Cyber criminals can manipulate what is seen by editing website HTML. Hence, the bank account's page is edited while scammers use the remote access software features to darken the users' screens. However, changing the HTML does not affect the actual funds in the bank account, but when victims look at theirs - they see a different sum. Alternatively, scammers can achieve this by moving money within the accounts (e.g., from checking to savings).

Typically, the end goal is to trick victims into thinking that they are about to have their money refunded, but they are asked to type the amount themselves. They are to do so while their screens are darkened, and the scammers then change the supposedly transferred amount to be larger. Users are asked to return the excess, and these requests tend to be accompanied by sob stories of how the scammer will lose their "support/technician" job if the mistake is not reversed.

Cyber criminals ask for the nonexistent excess money to be returned by using difficult/impossible to trace methods, such as cryptocurrencies, gift cards, pre-paid vouchers, or cash hidden within innocuous-looking packages.

There is a myriad of other ways that such scams can be used. After remotely accessing the device, scammers can run fake system scans and claim to have found various infections, connected hackers, etc. Therefore, they can push for users to continue with their security product/service purchase and ask for payment using the previously mentioned methods, which ensure that the funds could not be retrieved by the victims. The criminals may also perform fake malware removal manually and request payment for their "services".

It is noteworthy that when cyber criminals have remote access to a device, they may damage it, e.g., remove genuine security tools and infiltrate trojans, ransomware, cryptominers, or other malware.

The "Norton LifeLock" spam campaign could operate as a phishing scam as well. These target a wide variety of sensitive data like ID card details, passport scans, credit card numbers, etc. Scammers can obtain information by tricking victims into simply stating it, typing it out (while it supposedly cannot be seen), or entering it into phishing websites/documents (disguised as payment gateways, online bank account sign-in pages, etc.).

Note that successfully scammed victims are often targeted repeatedly. In summary, scams like these "Norton LifeLock" emails can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, significant financial losses, and even identity theft.

If you have already disclosed data to scammers: if it was log-in credentials - change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and contact their official support, and if it was other private data (e.g., personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, etc.) - immediately contact the corresponding authorities.

If you've allowed cyber criminals to remotely access your device - first, you must disconnect it from the Internet. Afterward, uninstall the remote access program the scammers used (e.g., AnyDesk, TeamViewer, etc.) since they may not need your consent to reconnect. And lastly, use an anti-virus to run a complete system scan and remove detected threats.

Threat Summary:

Name	Norton LifeLock spam email
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Payment invoice for a "Norton LifeLock" product/service purchase.
Disguise	NortonLifeLock product/service purchase payment made through PayPal.
Support Scammer Phone Number	1 (856) 291-0622, 877-309-8499, 818-293-8037, +1(804) 885-0613, +1 (866) 949-4665
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	System infections, loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
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.

Spam campaigns in general

We have analyzed thousands of spam emails; "Your Password Is Set To Expire", "ACHIVA email virus", "Adobe Reader File email scam", "I Know That You Cheat On Your Partner", "Webmail Center email scam", and "FedEx Corporation email virus" are merely some of our latest finds.

Letters of this kind can use a wide variety of scam models and disguises (e.g., messages from legitimate companies, service providers, authorities, institutions, etc.). However, regardless of what this mail promises - its sole goal is to generate revenue at victims' expense.

In addition to facilitating various scams, these letters are used to proliferate malicious software. Due to how widespread spam mail is, we strongly recommend exercising caution with incoming emails and messages.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Spam emails can contain malicious files as attachments or download links. These files can be in various formats, e.g., executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), Microsoft Office and PDF documents, JavaScript, and so on.

Once an infectious file is executed, run, or otherwise opened - the infection process is triggered. For example, Microsoft Office documents infect systems by executing malicious macro commands.

How to avoid installation of malware?

We highly recommend being vigilant with incoming mail. The attachments and links found in suspicious/irrelevant emails and messages - must not be opened as that can lead to a system infection. Additionally, it is important to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010 since they have the "Protected View" mode that prevents automatic macro execution.

Malware is spread using various methods, not just through spam mail. Therefore, we advise downloading from official/verified channels and activating/updating software by using tools provided by genuine developers (as illegal activation ["cracking"] tools and fake updaters can contain malware).

We must emphasize that having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept updated is essential to device and user safety. Security programs must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats/issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in this "Norton LifeLock" scam email letter:

INVOICE
PalPay Inc.
Unite states

PayPal Inc.
42 E 20th st, #205
New York, NY 10003, USA
Toll Free - 1 (856) 291-0622

Invoice Number: #PL9788/1108059
Invoice Date: August 27, 2022
Payment Due: August 27, 2022

 

Amount Due (USD): $349.85

Items Norton LifeLock Family Security For 10 Devices
Quantity 01
Price $349.85
Amount $449.99
Total $449.99
Amount Due (USD): $449.99

Notes and Terms & Condition

Dear
Payment sent for Norton LifeLock Family Security Services, has been successfully approved. The charge of purchase will appear in your account in next 12-48 hours. TO stop or unsubscribe (Cancel ) call now to PayPal Payment Service Support at 1 (856) 291-0622. If you did not Authorize this charge or would like to cancel the subscription call now at 1 (856) 291-0622

Subtleties of your Recent Invoice:
Item: Geek Anti Drive
Receipt ID: MMTS/78467836/973534
Instalment Made By: Online Credit Card
Method of shipment: Not Updated Yet Kindly call us for more Info On 1 (856) 291-0622

Your Services Request has been successfully Processed, & the Amount has been been Charged.
Administrations has been Updated Now.

Any issues with Order Please reach out us Now On: 1 (856) 291-0622

Another example of an email from "Norton LifeLock" spam campaign:

Text presented within:

Norton LifeLock

Your Order for Norton Life-Lock Premium Support has been successfully renewed.

Order Id : 7F6DFPQV0W52005
Invoice No : NM-14932142

Dear -,

We deeply appreciate your support and in return we promise to keep working hard to make Norton-Lifelock the most reliable, secure and powerful service to keep improving your productivity . This is a reminder that your 'Norton life-lock ' subscription for 2 years antivirus protection is automatically renewed on 17/01/2024. Your account linked to our system will show a charge of $451.35 within next 12 hours.

Your Subscription Details:

Description Item + Tax included
Subscription ID NMKIIETHCZIB00771
Main Package Norton life lock antivirus
Validity 2 years
Renewal price $451.35
Total Amount $451.35

Note:

1. You have 12 hours to refund this charge from the date of the transaction without being charged.
2. Our support team will gladly assist you with any questions or request you may have  just simply contact us through our dedicated channels.
3. It may take a few hours for this transaction to appear in your account statement.

Need Any Help or Questions ?
If you didn't initiate this purchase, or this payment not made by you, directly reach out our customer support helpline at : +1(804) 885-0613

Thanks& Regards
Norton-life Lock

Yet another example of an email from "Norton LifeLock" spam campaign:

Text presented within:

Norton LifeLock

Payment Details of Your Recent Subscription Renewal

Sincere Customer,

We are grateful that you choose Norton Lifelock Security. Your membership request has been approved.
The membership costs were paid with the bank account linked to your malware account. You can monitor the $329.47 USD transaction that was made to your account for the next 24 hours. For any help/queries, contact us:+1 (866) 949 - 4665 (Toll-Free)

Billed To
Invoice : DAR2584125DG
Order No : 244356N627

Product Description:-
A/C Type :- Personal PC
Product :- Norton
Charges :- $329.47
Device :- Windows OS
Quantity :- 12 Months
Payment :- Auto-Debit

You can simply dial: +1 (866) 949 - 4665 To cancel your subscription & get a 100% refund.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES?

If you don't turn off this PC protection on later than 24 hours before the end of the Service period. It will renew automatically every three year. Call us at the toll-free number shown above to cancel and raise a ticket for your full refund of the service in compliance with the BBB's standards.

Copyright © 2023-2024 Norton Lifelock. All Rights Reserved
Do not reply to this email as this automated invoice email.

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▼ 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 LifeLock spam email?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Spam emails are not personal; hence, thousands of users receive identical letters.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?

If you have disclosed account credentials - change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. And if you have provided other private data (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) - immediately contact relevant authorities.

I have allowed cyber criminals to remotely access my computer, what should I do?

If you have permitted cyber criminals to remotely access your device, you must first disconnect it from the Internet. Then remove the software that the criminals used for remote access (e.g., TeamViewer, AnyDesk, etc.). Lastly, use an anti-virus to perform a complete system scan and remove all detected threats.

I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Merely opening a spam email will not initiate any malware download/installation processes. Systems are infected when the attachments or links present in this mail are opened/clicked.

I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?

Whether an infection chain was triggered might depend on the opened file's format. If it was executable (.exe, .run, etc.) - most likely, yes - your device was infected. Documents (.doc, .xls, .pdf, etc.) on the other hand, may require additional interaction (e.g., enabling macro commands) to start downloading/installing malware.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and eliminating most of the known malware infections. It must be mentioned that running a complete system scan is paramount - since high-end malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems.

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