Avoid getting scammed by sites claiming that your NordVPN license has expired
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of scam is "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!"?
Our research team discovered the "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scam while investigating rogue websites. This scheme is presented as a warning regarding the expired license of NordVPN, and it urges the user to renew it.
In most cases, deceptive content of this kind is used to promote unreliable and harmful software. It must be emphasized that this scam is in no way associated with the actual NordVPN VPN service provider.
"Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scam overview
The scam indicates the date that the website visitor's NordVPN license had allegedly expired. The scheme employs scare tactics and claims that the device is under severe threat of viruses due to the expired license. The user is urged to renew it, and offers a 50% discount for the "VPN and AntiVirus 2023", applicable to up to ten devices.
It must be stressed that this scam is in not associated with the actual NordVPN. Additionally, it is pertinent to mention that this scam will state the same regardless of whether the user has ever had NordVPN on their device.
Typically, schemes that make such claims are used to trick users into downloading/installing or purchasing unwanted/harmful software like fake anti-viruses, adware, browser hijackers, and PUAs. We have even found instances where such scams proliferated trojans, ransomware, and other malware.
At the time of research, the "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scheme redirected to NordVPN's official website. The goal behind this is for scammers to acquire illegitimate commissions for the promotion.
However, it must be emphasized that there are no guarantees that the scam will continue to redirect to the legitimate site. It could instead redirect to a fake webpage disguised as NordVPN's official website. Therefore, we strongly advise always downloading directly from official and verified sources.
In summary, by trusting a scam like "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" – users can experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
| Name | "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scam website |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | The licensed for NordVPN has expired and the device is vulnerable to various threats. |
| Disguise | NordVPN |
| Related Domains | loadoriginalextremelyinfo-product[.]info |
| Detection Names | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address | 34.200.46.148 |
| 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. |
Similar scam examples
We have inspected thousands of online scams; "Avira Security", "Aura Antivirus Protection", "McAfee - TROJAN_2022 And Other Viruses Detected", "Your System Is Seriously Damaged", and "McAfee - Your Card Payment Has Failed!" are merely some examples of ones similar to "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!".
The Internet is full of deceptive and malicious content. Various models are used to gain and subsequently abuse users' trust. Popular scam types include: "detected" or potential system infections, fake error alerts, bogus lotteries, hoax giveaways, and so forth.
Due to how prevalent and well-crafted online scams can be – we highly recommend exercising caution when browsing.
How did I open a scam website?
Scam sites can be accessed via webpages that use rogue advertising networks, either force-opened upon initial entry or when hosted content is interacted with (e.g., clicking buttons, text input fields, links, ads, etc.). Misspelling a website's URL can also result in a redirect (or a redirect chain) leading to a deceptive page.
Additionally, intrusive advertisements and spam browser notifications are used to endorse scams. Adware can also cause redirects to such websites or display adverts promoting scams.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
Online scams are primarily promoted via redirects caused by websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads, mistyped URLs, spam browser notifications, and adware.
It is paramount to exercise caution while browsing since fake and malicious content usually appears legitimate and harmless. We advise against using sites that offer pirated software/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.) since they are typically monetized using rogue advertising networks.
Intrusive advertisements may appear innocuous, yet they redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, gambling, pornography, adult dating, etc.). We recommend paying attention to URLs and entering them with care.
To avoid receiving undesirable browser notifications – do not permit suspicious sites to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).
We also advise researching software and downloading only from official/trustworthy sources – to prevent bundled/harmful content from infiltrating the system. If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
Text presented by the "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scam:
NordVPN
Your NordVPN AntiVirus license has expired!
Your NordVPN AntiVirus license for Windows recently expired, Date: March 02, 2023.
After your NordVPN AntiVirus license expires, your computer is under severe threat from viruses and other threats!
Your PC is UNPROTECTED, allowing viruses and other threats to run unhindered
Discount applied ( March 02, 2023)
Your computer and current license qualify for UP TO 50% OFF
NordVPN
VPN and AntiVirus 2023
20.9.139 (up to 10 devices)
Current license number:
4RJW-TC5M-V7RK-PED1
RENEWL LICENSE AND REACTIVATE PROTECTION
The appearance of "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" 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:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Your NordVPN AntiVirus License Has Expired!" scam website?
- 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 intended to trick users into performing specific actions. Victims can be lured/scared into revealing private data, making monetary transactions, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, etc.
What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?
Pop-up scams are designed to generate revenue. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, abusing or selling sensitive information, promoting content, and distributing malware.
Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?
Pop-up scams are promoted online. Deceptive websites that run this content are mainly accessed via redirects caused by pages using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, mistyped URLs, intrusive ads, or installed adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and eliminate threats. This includes scanning visited websites for deceptive or malicious content. Therefore, should you enter such a page – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.
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