McAfee email scam: is that renewal charge real?
Editorially reviewed · Last updated June 16, 2026
Yes — this is a scam. McAfee never sends renewal notices from "mcafee-secure.info."
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
- Don't click the link or button, and don't call any number in it.
- Check your real account — open the McAfee app or type mcafee.com yourself. The "charge" won't be there.
- Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov, then mark the email as phishing.
- Delete it so you don't tap the link later by mistake.
- 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.
How to make sure it never bites you
Phishing lands because your email address sits on breached lists that scammers buy and reuse. Reduce the blast radius — see how to lock down your accounts.
Help protect someone else
Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.