An email arrived that looked like a routine billing alert for YouTube TV Premium. Near the top, it displayed “BILLING FAILED” in capital letters. Below that, the message claimed the payment was declined and urged immediate action to keep streaming. This email was sent to us by Jackie from New York, NY, who immediately knew something was wrong.

“I’m not a YouTube TV Premium subscriber so I knew right away this was a scam. So why am I receiving these emails?”

— Jackie from New York, NY

That question matters. If a billing alert references a service you do not use, it is almost always a scam. The email still appeared legitimate. Billing notices like this are common, and scammers rely on that familiarity to slip past quick checks.

Another warning sign appeared in the sender’s details. The message was routed through a domain with no connection to Google or YouTube. That mismatch confirmed what Jackie already suspected.

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TAX SEASON SCAMS 2026: FAKE IRS MESSAGES STEALING IDENTITIES

Why this scam feels so convincing

Scammers understand behavior. People skim emails. They react quickly when access to familiar services feels threatened. This message uses recognizable branding, clean formatting and simple language. It also assumes the recipient already subscribes. That assumption is intentional. These emails go out in bulk, knowing some recipients really do have YouTube TV and may act before verifying.

Urgency language is meant to push for quick action

Scam emails rely on pressure. This one uses several subtle cues.

‘BILLING FAILED’ draws immediate focus

Capital letters pull attention to the problem first. It feels like a system notice, even though no real account check took place.

‘Fix your payment now to keep streaming’ creates momentum

That line suggests access could stop at any moment. Scammers know interruptions feel urgent, so they push fast decisions.

‘Status: Payment declined’ sounds technical

The word status makes the message feel automated and official. In reality, scammers use vague labels because they cannot see real billing data.

‘Date: Today’ adds time pressure

Including today makes the issue feel current and unresolved. Legitimate companies rarely demand same-day action through email links alone.

When urgency replaces clarity, that pressure itself becomes the warning sign.

ROBINHOOD TEXT SCAM WARNING: DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER

Red flags hiding in plain sight

The layout of the email matters as much as the wording.

“Confirm billing” buttons are designed to prompt clicks

The red CONFIRM BILLING button encourages action before verification. Real companies usually direct users to sign in normally, not through a single email button.

“Contact support” links can be misleading

The black CONTACT SUPPORT button looks official and helpful. In scam emails, these links often lead to fake support pages or phishing forms.

Color and design influence behavior

Red suggests urgency. Dark colors suggest authority. Familiar branding builds comfort. Together, they encourage quick action.

If an email pushes any button to fix a problem, pause and verify first.

The biggest red flag most people miss

The message claims to be about YouTube TV. The sending infrastructure points somewhere else. Lifeheaters.com has no legitimate relationship with Google or YouTube. Billing emails should always come from official domains tied directly to the company.

We reached out to Google, YouTube’s parent company, and a spokesperson told us, “We can confirm that this is a phishing scam and not an official communication from YouTube.”

How to protect yourself from YouTube TV billing email scams

If you receive a billing alert like this, pause before acting. Scammers rely on speed and stress. These steps help you stay in control.

1) Go straight to the official website or app

Instead of clicking links in the email, open a new browser tab. Then go directly to the official YouTube TV website or app. Real billing issues always appear inside your account dashboard.

2) Check billing inside your account settings

Once you are logged in, review your payment status. If there is a real problem, you will see it there. If everything looks normal, the email is fake.

3) Inspect links before you click

Hover your cursor over any link in the email. Look closely at the destination. If the domain does not clearly match Google or YouTube, do not click it. That mismatch is a major warning sign. Also, installing strong antivirus software adds a critical layer of protection. It can block malicious links, flag phishing pages and stop malware before it installs. That matters if you accidentally click the wrong thing. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

4) Act fast if you already clicked

If you clicked the link or entered information, respond quickly. Change your Google password right away. Consider using a password manager to securely store and generate complex passwords, reducing the risk of password reuse.  Then review recent account activity and payment methods for any suspicious activity.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

5) Remove your data from data broker sites

Scammers often target people using leaked personal data. A data removal service helps reduce how much of your information is floating around online. Less exposed data means fewer targeted scam attempts.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

6) Watch for sender domains that do not match

Legitimate companies send billing emails from their own domains. A message about YouTube TV should never route through an unrelated site like lifeheaters.com. That disconnect alone is enough to walk away.

7) Never update payment info through email links

Scammers want your login details or credit card number. Avoid giving them either. Always update billing information directly inside your account, not through an email prompt.

HOW TO SAFELY VIEW YOUR BANK AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS ONLINE

Kurt’s key takeaways

This email looked polished. The message felt urgent. The branding felt familiar. Yet one small detail gave it away. Billing emails should always come from official domains and verified accounts. When they do not, trust your instincts and verify independently. Pausing for ten seconds can save you weeks of cleanup.

Have you received a billing or subscription email that looked real but turned out to be fake? What tipped you off? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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After nearly 40 years at Microsoft, Xbox chief and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is leaving the company, along with Xbox president Sarah Bond. Spencer’s retirement was announced in a memo from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on February 20th, stating, “Last year, Phil Spencer made the decision to retire from the company, and since then we’ve been talking about succession planning.”

Follow along below for the latest updates on Microsoft’s Xbox leadership changes

Right now, in several American cities, you can open an app, and a car with no driver pulls up and takes you wherever you want to go. No small talk. No wrong turns. No tip. No perfume covering up the cigarette smells.

A driverless Waymo ride in San Francisco averages $8.17. A human Uber in the same city? $17.25. The robotaxi price war is here.

CONGRESS MOVES TO SET NATIONAL RULES FOR SELF-DRIVING CARS, OVERRIDING STATES

I live in Phoenix most of the time, and I see Waymos everywhere. At the grocery store. On the freeway. Sitting at red lights with nobody behind the wheel, just vibing. I still haven’t gotten in one. But I’m giving myself two weeks.

If I survive, I’ll share the ride. Mostly kidding.

Who’s on the road?

Waymo (owned by Google’s parent Alphabet) is the clear leader. It gave 15 million driverless rides in 2025, and today, it’s about 400,000 per week. Valued at $126 billion. Available in Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta and Miami. Coming in 2026: Dallas, Denver, DC, London, Tokyo and more.

WOULD YOU BUY THE WORLD’S FIRST PERSONAL ROBOCAR?

Tesla launched in Austin last June but is way behind. Roughly 31 cars. One tester took 42 trips, and every single one still had a safety monitor on board. So supervised.

Zoox (owned by Amazon) is the wild card. Their pod has no steering wheel and drives in both directions. Rides are free in Vegas and San Francisco while they wait for approval to charge.

How do these things ‘see’?

Waymo uses cameras, lidar (laser radar that builds a 3D map around the car) and traditional radar. It works in total darkness and heavy rain. Tesla uses cameras only. Eight of them, no lidar. Cheaper, which is how they offer rides at $1.99 per kilometer. 

Now, are they safe? 

WAYMO UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AFTER CHILD STRUCK

Tesla has reported seven crash incidents to regulators since launching. Waymo says it has 80% fewer injury crashes than human drivers. But NHTSA has logged 1,429 Waymo incidents since 2021, 117 injuries, two fatalities. Three software recalls, including one last December for passing stopped school buses. 

A friend of mine took a Waymo, and it dropped her off a full mile from where she was going. No way to change it. No human to flag down. Just a robot car that said, “You have arrived.” 

She had not. So yeah. I’m curious. But I’m also cautious.

Here’s where it gets spicy

When a robotaxi gets confused, a human in a remote center sees through the car’s cameras and draws a path for it. At a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 4, Waymo admitted some of those helpers are in the Philippines. Senators were not amused. I wasn’t either.

Your car sits parked 95% of the time. Robotaxis run 15+ hours a day. When a driverless ride costs less than gas and insurance, owning a car feels like a gym membership you never use.

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The future of driving is nobody driving. Steering us in a whole new direction.

Know someone who still thinks self-driving cars are science fiction? Forward this. They’re in for a ride.

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