How to avoid getting scammed by fake "McAfee Online Scan Completed" pop-ups

What kind of scam is "McAfee Online Scan Completed"?

While investigating suspect websites, our researchers discovered the "McAfee Online Scan Completed" scam. It claims to have performed a system scan and detected a threat. The aim is to trick users into downloading/installing or purchasing a piece of software. It must be emphasized that this scam is not associated with McAfee Antivirus or its developer – McAfee Corp.

"McAfee Online Scan Completed" scam overview

The first pop-up of this scam states that an online scan of the visitor's system has been completed. Supposedly, 591 files were scanned, and one malware-type threat was detected. Immediate action is recommended to remove it.

After the "REMOVE THREAT NOW" button is clicked, another window pops up. It claims the user's device remains at risk, as it was not removed due to expired security protection. The pop-up encourages the user to reactivate their subscription and offers a 59% discount.

Both of the pop-ups bear the McAfee logo, yet it must be reiterated that this scam is in no way associated with McAfee Antivirus or McAfee Corp. What is more, no website can perform system scans or otherwise detect threats/issues on visitors' devices.

At the time of research, pressing the "ACTIVATE MY PROTECTION" button resulted in a redirect to the official McAfee website. Hence, "McAfee Online Scan Completed" operated as an affiliate scam during our analysis. In these scams, scammers aim to receive illegitimate commissions by abusing the affiliate programs of genuine products or services.

However, there are no guarantees that a scam will continue to endorse legitimate sites. Threat-centered lures are often used to promote untrustworthy, harmful, and even malicious software – fake antivirus tools, Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs), adware, browser hijackers, trojans, ransomware, etc. Lures of this kind may also be used to push phishing scams that primarily target personally identifiable information and finance-related data (like credit card numbers).

In summary, by trusting a scam like "McAfee Online Scan Completed" – users may experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Similar scam examples

We have examined countless online scams; "Avast Detected 18 Viruses", "This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems", "Norton Antivirus - Your Windows 10 Might Be Infected", and "Norton - Scan Your Windows PC For Viruses In Seconds" are just some of our newest articles on ones akin to "McAfee Online Scan Completed".

The Internet is full of deceptive and malicious content. Various lures and modes of operation are utilized for the end goal of generating revenue at the victims' expense. Online scams can be poorly put together or well-made and even convincingly disguised as content associated with legitimate entities (e.g., companies, institutions, organizations, service providers, etc.). Therefore, we highly recommend vigilance when browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

The most prevalent online scam promotion methods include: websites using rogue advertising networks (redirects), malvertising (intrusive ads), spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, robocalls/ cold calls, SMSes, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware (adverts/redirects).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to ensuring your online safety. Therefore, be wary of sites, ads, and messages that warn about severe threats or make unbelievable promises. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Do not use pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks.

Do not permit suspect sites to deliver browser notifications; ignore or deny their requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Do not open attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/trustworthy sources and be vigilant when installing (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software (like adware) from infiltrating 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 "McAfee Online Scan Completed" scam:

Initial pop-up:

McAfee

Online Scan Completed

We finished checking 591 files for threats.
1 malware threat was detected on your device.

Threat Name: Worm.AutoRun.PY [?]
File: C:/Users/Admin/AppData/Local/Temp/tmp9098091.exe
Scan Duration: 00:53
Scan Coverage: Browser extensions, active memory, system folders

Immediate action is required to remove this threat and stay protected!

REMOVE THREAT NOW

----------

Second pop-up:

McAfee

Your device is still at risk

We detected 1 active threat during the scan,
but your McAfee protection is no longer active.

To remove these threats and stay protected
from future attacks, reactivate your McAfee subscription now with 59% off!.

ACTIVATE MY PROTECTION

The appearance of "McAfee Online Scan Completed" 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:

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.

Quick menu:

• What is "McAfee Online Scan Completed" 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?

A pop-up scam refers to deceptive content that aims to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into purchasing products, downloading/installing software, subscribing to services, calling fake support lines, allowing scammers to access devices remotely, sending money to scammers, providing vulnerable data, and so on.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, programs, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private information, and distributing malware.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are primarily endorsed via websites using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., browser notifications, emails, social media posts, PMs/DMs, etc.), intrusive ads, misspelled URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, deceptive, and malicious pages. It can deny all further access to such webpages.

Combo Cleaner can also remove unwanted and malicious applications. Note that manual removal (unaided by security programs) might not be ideal. In some cases, remnants stay hidden within the system following manual removal. These components might continue to run and cause issues. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate undesirable software thoroughly.