Beware scam Windows Defender subscription renewal emails

Beware of a series of scam emails that claim to be charging you for a subscription of Windows Defender.

The email is a scam designed to lure recipients into calling a scam call centre.

The email follows on from another series of scam emails claiming the recipient would be charged for a subscription to Norton Antivirus.

An example of an email is below.

The email will appear to tell the recipient that they have been (or are about to be) billed for an annual subscription to Windows Defender.

The email provides a phone number for the recipient to call to cancel or dispute the charge, and this is the crux of the scam.

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The phone number doesn’t take you to Microsoft (Windows Defender.) It connects the recipient to a scam call centre. That call centre will try and lure callers to parting with sensitive financial and personal information, meaning the caller will now be vulnerable to identity fraud and may have given the crooks access to their online bank accounts.

The crooks may also try and trick callers into installing malware by offering them links to “cancellation forms” that actually harbour cyber-nasties.

When you get unexpected emails, or suspicious emails, never –
– Click on links in the email
– Open attachments
– Call phone numbers in the email

If you’re not sure, you can always contact a company directly or speak to someone else who may be able to help. Never rely on an email to get you into contact with anyone.

In this instance, an added clue to this being a scam is that Windows Defender is free since it is built into Windows.