McAfee

Seconding the thanks to Marketplace by APM for shining a light on tax scams right when people actually need the info -- with the help of McAfee's head of threat research, Abhishek Ajay Karnik. As tax season ramps up, so do the scams -- and they’re getting harder to spot, especially with AI making messages look and sound more real. Give this Marketplace Morning Report piece a read to learn about what to watch for, and what to do in the moment if somtehing feels off. And broadly, give yourself permission to slow down, question urgent communication, and trust your instincts (even when something looks legit).

Tax scams aren’t new. But the way they’re showing up this year is. New McAfee research covered by Marketplace by APM shows how AI is making scam messages more convincing, more targeted, and much harder to spot. The old advice (look for typos, weird phrasing) just isn’t enough anymore. A few signals still hold up: 📬 The IRS typically contacts you by mail, not text or email ⚠️ Urgency is a tactic, “act now” messages are a red flag 💸 Requests for payment via gift cards, crypto, or wire = walk away Huge thanks to the McAfee team behind this work, our researchers, product teams, and engineers who are constantly adapting to stay ahead of evolving threats. And thank you to Sabri Ben-Achour and Ashley Rodriguez for covering this and helping get the word out! 🎧 Read/listen here: https://lnkd.in/gJ7Gtxgd

Empowerment begins with opportunity ✨ We’re proud to support the Hope Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Program, helping women build new skills, confidence, and financial independence.❤️ #LifeAtMcAfee

March Madness brings brackets, bets, and bad actors.   New McAfee research found: 🏀 1 in 3 Americans have experienced a betting or gambling scam 💸 Nearly 1 in 4 have lost money, averaging $547 per victim   Big moments like this create the perfect setup. More people placing bets, more platforms in play, and more urgency to act quickly. As McAfee's Head of Threat Research Abhishek Ajay Karnik explains, AI is making these scams more convincing and easier to scale.   If you’re participating this season, keep an eye out for: 🚩“Guaranteed win” or risk-free betting claims 🚩Messages or links pushing urgency 🚩Apps or sites you didn’t actively seek out   Watch the full breakdown from WGRZ via Yahoo and learn more: https://lnkd.in/gFhrANB6

This tax season, scams feel almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Right now, people are getting: 📩 Texts that look exactly like IRS updates 🎥 AI-generated messages that sound like real people 📱 Social posts from “tax experts” promising bigger refunds And it’s working. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans say they’ve been impacted by a tax scam. What’s changed isn’t just volume. It’s believability. The messages look normal. The timing makes sense. The pressure feels real. And that’s exactly the problem our research and product teams are focused on solving: building technology that can help spot these threats in the moment, before they turn into real financial loss. Huge credit to the teams behind this work who are turning real-world threat data into protection people can actually use during moments that matter, like tax season. One tip to keep in mind this tax season: Don’t interact with tax messages where they find you. If something looks urgent about your refund or return, close it out and go directly to IRS.gov or your tax provider’s official app or website to verify. https://lnkd.in/gunReYiA

Exciting news for our McAfee team: McAfee Total Protection has been recognized with three major honors in the AV-TEST Best Awards 2025: 🏆 Best Performance 🏆 Best Advanced Protection 🏆 Best Usability Notably, McAfee was the only consumer solution to win *both* Best Performance and Best Advanced Protection this year. Independent testing like this highlights what matters most: strong protection that works quietly in the background without slowing down everyday devices. Huge thanks to the engineers, researchers, and teams across McAfee who make this work possible every day. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/g7-34PZ7

AI tools are becoming part of everyday life, and now, tax season.   New McAfee research found that 30% of Americans say they plan to use an AI tool like ChatGPT to help prepare their taxes.   But general-purpose chatbots *aren’t* designed to securely handle sensitive financial information, and they can sometimes produce incorrect or outdated answers when it comes to complex topics like tax law.   As McAfee Head of Threat Intelligence Research Abhishek Ajay Karnik told Mashable: “You don't want to be using chatbots as your tax consultants. They're not the experts.”   Thanks to Chase DiBenedetto and the team at Mashable for highlighting this growing trend and the potential risks as more people experiment with AI tools during tax season.   A simple rule of thumb: never upload tax forms, Social Security numbers, or banking details into a general chatbot. https://lnkd.in/ger7M-JS   #Cybersecurity #OnlineSafety #TaxSeason #AI

💜 Celebrating International Women’s Day with #TeamMcAfee 💜 Last week, teams across McAfee came together to learn, connect, and lift each other up in honor of International Women’s Day. We’re grateful for the inspiring conversations, shared experiences, and the strong community of women and allies that continue to make McAfee a place where people thrive. 🙌✨ This year’s global theme, Give to Gain, reminds us that when we invest in others—through support, mentorship, and generosity—we all grow stronger. At McAfee, we’re committed to fostering that spirit every day by encouraging connection, amplifying diverse voices, and creating an environment where everyone can learn and lead. Swipe through to see some of the moments of meaningful connection that made this celebration so special. 🌍💜 #IWD #GiveToGain #LifeAtMcAfee

🖤 Celebrating Black History Month with #TeamMcAfee 🖤 Last month, #TeamMcAfee came together for a series of meaningful events hosted alongside the McAfee African Heritage Community, learning, sharing, and celebrating the rich history and impact of Black communities. We’re grateful for the powerful stories, thoughtful discussions, and moments of connection that made the month truly inspiring. #LifeAtMcAfee

Phishing emails used to be easy to spot. Now, they can seem hyper-realistic and even reference your specific location, habits, or accounts. That's because scammers are using real personal data to make their messages more convincing than ever.   That familiarity is intentional. The more “normal” a message feels, the more likely someone is to trust it.   Thanks to PCMag's Alaina Yee for covering this shift and speaking with McAfee CTO Steve Grobman about why personalized scams are becoming one of the fastest-growing threats, and what people should watch for.   Always pause before clicking unexpected links or sharing information, even when a message seems legitimate. #Cybersecurity #Phishing #OnlineSafety