Fans Tricked with Fake Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2015

Bitdefender fans are not the only ones excited about the 2015 suite release in the works – scammers are also preoccupied with the new antivirus edition. They have started promoting fraudulent links on YouTube and Facebook promising the 2015 edition.

The fake Bitdefender antivirus download posted on YouTube leads users to fraudulent surveys and premium SMS scams. The video had hundreds of views and several French users posted messages to warn others.

“Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2015 has been launched,” the YouTube description reads. “Bitdefender Antivirus Plus has got many advanced features that make it better than most of the other antivirus softwares [sic] available in the market.”

The grammatically-troubled spammers lure users into clicking on a URL-shortened link that hides a fraudulent website. The “Bitdefender” download is then blocked by a phony human verification warning.

“It is very simple to verify, just complete any of the verification forms or surveys from the list below,” the message reads. The options include direct downloads, “how smart are you” surveys and selections of soccer games.

Users never get to download Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2015, but they are redirected to scams such as premium SMS fraud that copies Facebook’s design to look like a legitimate app of the social network.

For a month now, several “entrepreneurs” have also been spreading license keys for Bitdefender Total Security on Facebook.

Bitdefender has reported the fake YouTube video and the deceptive Facebook profile and advises users to be cautious before downloading security software from third parties. If users keep their antivirus solution updated, it will also protect them from rogue antivirus downloads, malware, spam and fraud.

Update:

In the meantime, a similar scam has started to make rounds on Twitter, promoting links to Bitdefender “free license keys” or Bitdefender Total Security crack alternatives. In fact, a click on the link takes users to spammy surveys and premium SMS scams.

This article is based on the technical information provided courtesy of Bitdefender Malware Researcher Octavian MINEA.

All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.