January 15, 2024 at 04:19PM
The U.S. Secret Service executed a seizure warrant to recover $34,000 stolen through a fake antivirus renewal email scam. The court document details how threat actors gained access to victims’ accounts by tricking them into installing malicious software and disclosing account credentials. The scam’s intensity has recently increased, leading to charges of wire fraud and phishing against the perpetrator, “Bingsong Zhou.”
Based on the meeting notes, it is evident that the U.S. Secret Service has executed a seizure warrant to recover $34,000 that was stolen through a fake Norton antivirus renewal subscription email. Special Agent Jollif submitted the seizure warrant to recover funds stolen by a threat actor who gained access to a victim’s PC and bank account through phishing scams impersonating Norton Antivirus renewal subscriptions.
The phishing emails tricked victims into calling a provided phone number, leading to the scammers directing them to install remote access software on their computers, infect themselves with malware, and enter their account credentials on a phishing page. This particular scam has been ongoing for many years, with recent increased activity levels.
A specific case mentioned in the court document involves a victim who received a phishing email alleging that he would be charged $349.95 for a Norton antivirus subscription unless he canceled the charge. The victim was eventually tricked into giving scammers remote access to his laptop, resulting in a deceptive $34,000 deposit into his checking account, which he assumed originated from Norton. In reality, the scammer transferred $34,000 from the victim’s Money Market account to their checking balance.
As a result of the fraudulent activity, JP Morgan Chase restricted access to Zhou’s funds and moved the funds to a suspense account controlled by the bank. Agent Jollif’s application seeks to seize the $34,000 derived from Zhou’s activities, considering it potentially criminal proceeds. Furthermore, Zhou now faces charges of wire fraud, involvement in a phishing scam, and potential additional charges such as money laundering, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.