The Norton Support Scam is a type of tech support scam in which an email, for example, is sent claiming to be from Norton support about a subscription renewal.
The victims are asked to call a number to cancel the renewal, but are instead directed to a supposed customer service agent who fails to return their money and instead transfers them to a refund manager.
The refund manager asks for personal information and tells the victim, for example, to withdraw money in cash and send it via UPS to a specific address.
On April 1, 2023 we received a complaint by a victim of the Norton Support scam who claims he was scammed for $40,000. He writes:
I received an internet message from Norton Support in my inbox about a renewal, but I didn’t know I had a subscription. They instructed me to call a number within one day to cancel the renewal. When I called, I was taken to a customer service agent who attempted to refund $400 to my bank account, but the transaction failed.
Then, I was transferred to a refund manager who asked me to fill in some information, including the amount of $400 dollars, and it was immediately deposited into my checking account. However, the refund manager became angry and accused me of adding too many zeros. He told me that I and he would be in trouble with the IRS if we didn’t cancel the transaction. He instructed me to withdraw $40,000 in cash from my bank and send it to a certain person via a Bitcoin ATM, but I refused to do so.
He threatened me again, saying that the IRS would come to my house once the mistaken transaction was discovered. He then locked me out of my computer. I discovered that the money had been taken out of my savings and transferred to my checking account. He asked me to mail the cash via UPS to an address he supplied, and I did so. However, after thinking about it all night, I decided to stop the delivery and return the package to me. I am currently locked out of my desktop computer and using my laptop.
It appears that this person was targeted in a sophisticated scam – the Norton Support scam.
The message he received from Norton support was likely a phishing attempt to obtain his personal information, and the phone call he made to the supposed customer service agent was likely to a fake call center operated by scammers.
They pretended to refund his money, but instead, they tricked him into withdrawing $40,000 in cash from a Bitcoin ATM and sending it to them via UPS.
By the time he realized something was not right and tried to stop the delivery, it was too late…
Unfortunately, UPS cannot return the package unless the recipient refuses it or authorizes a return.
What to do if you are scammed?
If you fall to this scam, it is important to immediately contact the bank to report the fraud and provide them with the details of the transaction.
You should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and local law enforcement authorities.
It is also recommended that you monitor your accounts and credit report regularly to ensure that no unauthorized transactions or accounts are opened in your name.
Bottom Line
The Norton Support Scam is a type of tech support scam in which scammers pretend to be affiliated with Norton, a well-known antivirus software company, and offer fake technical support services to victims.
They may use various tactics to convince victims that their computers are infected with malware, and then offer to fix the issue for a fee.
The scammers may also try to trick victims into providing their personal and financial information, which can then be used for identity theft and other fraudulent activities.
This is a type of a tech support scam, in which fraudulent companies posing as software support providers claim to offer software support services on behalf of major technology companies in order to gain access to and exploit consumers’ personal information.
The scams can take the form of paid search, cold calling, or pop-up warnings, among others.
It is important to be cautious and verify the legitimacy of any technical support services before providing any personal information or making any payments.
If you have are a victim, please let us know by commenting below.
If you have lost a significant amount of money to online scams, do not lose hope. We can help you recover your funds!
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