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McAfee email scam: is that renewal charge real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. McAfee never sends renewal notices from “mcafee-secure[.]info.”

Exhibit · Email

Auto-renewal confirmed: $499.99 charged to your account
M
McAfee Billing Department
support@mcafee-secure[.]info
8:42 AM
Your McAfee Total Protection plan has auto-renewed for $499.99. This charge will post to your card within 24 hours. To cancel or dispute, confirm your details here: mcafee-billing-verify[.]info/cancel
Cancel my renewal
Illustrative email · not an original screenshot

Other versions you might get: A fake “your subscription has expired — renew now” notice, a refund offer that asks you to install remote-access software, or a phone number to call “billing support” who then asks for your card.

What to do right now

  1. Don't click the link or button, and don't call any number in it.
  2. Check your account and payment records independently. Open mcafee.com yourself and review the relevant account, subscription, order, or payment. Check your card or bank statement too. If the claim is unclear, contact McAfee through official support; the message alone cannot tell you whether a charge or restriction exists.
  3. Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov, then mark the email as phishing.
  4. Delete it so you don't tap the link later by mistake.
  5. If you already clicked or gave card details — call your bank to freeze the card, change your McAfee and email passwords, and watch your statements for charges you don't recognize.

Reduce the risk of another scam

Do not use the message’s link to check the claim. Open the real service yourself. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.

● Public service · free steps first

Take the free protection steps first

A suspicious message does not tell us how someone found your details. If you shared personal information, start with the official recovery guidance. You can also freeze your credit for free.

Decide what protection you need

Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.

Compare free and paid protection →

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Frequently asked

How can I tell a real McAfee renewal from a fake one?
Check the subscription and payment records independently at McAfee and your bank or card provider. An unexpected renewal email may be fraudulent, but a missing charge alone does not establish that. Contact McAfee through official support if needed, and do not use the email’s cancellation link or callback number.
The email says I was charged $499 and to call to dispute it — is that real?
That's a textbook fake-renewal scam, and the FTC names it directly — scammers use well-known brands like McAfee, Norton, and Geek Squad to sell it. The “call within 24 hours to dispute” line is the hook: if you call, they ask for remote access to your computer, walk you to a spoofed refund page for your card details, then claim they “refunded too much” and pressure you to pay the difference back in gift cards or crypto. Real billing never works this way. Don't call the number in the message.
I already called the number or gave them access — what now?
Move fast. Call your bank or card issuer to freeze or replace the card and reverse any charge. If you gave anyone remote access, disconnect from the internet and run a security scan, then change your McAfee and email passwords from a device you trust. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner you act, the better your odds of getting money back.
I paid them with gift cards — can I get that money back?
Sometimes, and your odds go up the faster you report it. Gift cards are what these callers push — the FTC says they insist on gift cards, a wire transfer, a bank transfer, crypto, or a payment app “because it's like using cash — once you pay, it's hard to get your money back.” Report it to the company that issued the card right away. The FTC is clear that it's worth doing “no matter how long ago the scam happened,” and to ask for your money back: some issuers will refund it, or freeze a card that still has a balance on it. Keep the cards and the store receipts — you'll need the numbers off the back. Then file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Sources

  1. 01How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams— Federal Trade Commission
  2. 02Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams— Federal Trade Commission
  3. 03What To Do if You Were Scammed— consumer.ftc.gov
  4. 04How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams— consumer.ftc.gov

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Help protect someone else

If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.