Do not trust the "Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" scam

What is the "Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" deceptive letter?

"Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" is the title of a scam email. This message warns recipients that certain emails will be deleted due to a server error, unless they update their email servers. In fact, the link in the message redirects to a phishing website hosted by the Googleapis API service.

The site is presented as a log-in page through which users can supposedly access their email accounts, however, any information entered into this web page is exposed to the scammers.

The "Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" scam messages inform recipients that incoming emails have been placed on hold, due to an email server error. Unless action is taken, the pending messages will apparently be deleted in four days.

The recipients are urged to update their email servers and eliminate the error in order to receive their mail (i.e. have it sent into their inboxes). The deceptive message contains a table listing some of the alleged emails: "Remittance Payment Advice for FOY", "Re: Re: Contract", "Re: SALES ORDER CONFIRMATION" and "DHL Express Shipment 773017357361 Notification".

Additionally, according to the scam email, if this message was found in the "Spam" folder, recipients should move it into their Inbox. When "update email server" is clicked, users are redirected to a phishing website. If they attempt to log into their email accounts through this page, their passwords are disclosed to the scammers.

Emails are of particular interest to such individuals, as these accounts are typically connected to others. Therefore, via hijacked emails, scammers might gain access to social networking, social media, data storage, e-commerce, online money transfer, banking accounts, and so on.

To summarize, by trusting the "Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" scam messages, users risk losing their email accounts, experiencing financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft.

If attempts to log-in through this phishing site have already been made, your are advised to immediately change the log-in credentials of the email account and all accounts associated with it. Furthermore, you are advised to contact the official support teams of all potentially affected accounts.

Threat Summary:

Name	Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s) Email Scam.
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud.
Fake Claim	Users have incoming emails that will be deleted, unless the email server is updated.
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
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Deceptive/Scam emails are distributed by the thousand in large operations termed "spam campaigns". "Transaction received into blockchain wallet", "Dropbox Email Scam", and "Your Google Ads account has been suspended" are some examples of phishing spam campaigns. The mail distributed through these mass scale operations is usually disguised as "official", "important", "urgent", priority" and similar.

Spam campaigns are also used to proliferate Trojans, ransomware, cryptominers and other malware. Regardless of what these emails claim, offer, request or demand, the goal is the same: to generate revenue for the scammers/cyber criminals behind them.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Systems are infected via malicious files distributed through spam campaigns. The scam emails contain download links of infectious files, or the files are attached to the messages. Infectious files can be in various formats such as archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), PDF and Microsoft Office documents, JavaScript, etc.

When these files are executed, run or otherwise opened, the infection process is triggered (i.e. malware download/installation is initiated). For example, Microsoft Office documents infect systems by executing malicious macro commands.

In MS Office versions released before 2010, this process begins automatically when a document is opened, however, the newer versions prompt users to enable macros (i.e. to enable editing/content) - therefore, download/installation of malicious programs starts only after macro commands are manually enabled.

How to avoid installation of malware

Do not open suspicious or irrelevant emails, especially those with any links or attachments found in them, as doing so can lead to high-risk infection. Additionally, you are advised to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010, as they have "Protected View" mode, which prevents macro commands from being executed immediately when a document is opened.

Malware is also proliferated through untrusted download channels (e.g. unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders), illegal activation ("cracking") tools and bogus updates.

Therefore, it is important to download from official/verified sources, and activate and update programs with tools/functions provided by legitimate developers. To ensure device and user safety, it is crucial to have reputable anti-virus/anti-spyware installed.

This software must be kept up to date, used to run regular system scans and to remove detected/potential threats. If you have already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s)" scam message:

Subject: Important: You have 19 Pending incoming email(s) in your spam  inbox

 

Dear -,

 

Your incoming messages have been placed on hold due to your email server error.

 

This pending messages will be deleted automatically after 4 days 

 

kindly update your server error to enable your pending messages come up.

 

Few of your pending messages are listed below along with the actions that can be taken.

 

update email server

 

Recipient:    Subject:    date:
Quarantined email
Release     (-) Remittance Payment Advice for FOY 08/06/2020
Release     (-) Re: Re: Contract 08/06/2020
Release     (-) Re: SALES ORDER CONFIRMATION 08/06/2020
Release     (-) DHL Express Shipment 773017357361 Notification    08/06/2020
Deliver all messages

 
Note : This message was sent by the system for notification only.   Please do not reply

 

If this message lands in your spam folder, please move it to your inbox folder for proper interrogation:

 

Regards
- support Team
Ⓒ 2020 Cyber Security Alert . All Rights Reserved.

Screenshot of the phishing website hosted via googleapis.com:

Another example of a spam email claiming that there are quarantined emails:

Text presented within:

Subject: - System Administrator 2021

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:

You have 10 pending messages for delivery to your mail box.

Click here to release these messages to your inbox

failure delivery messages

Recipient: Subject: Date:
Release - FW: RE: RH-22C-20 1/31/201 2:54:51 a.m.
Release - RE: Proforma Inv 2020 - GCT // Altan Pharma / 172-40884045 1/31/201 2:54:51 a.m.
Release - BC-Bahrain MOH Tenders 2020 & 19/2020 1/31/201 2:54:51 a.m.
Release - FW: SOA- July 2020 1/31/201 2:54:51 a.m.

Note: This message was sent by the system notification only.
If this message lands in your spam folder, please move it your inbox folder for proper integration.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing website:

Yet another example of undelivered/pending emails-themed spam:

Text presented within:

Subject: You have 16 Undelivered/Pending Mails - Your Action Is Required

Detected about (16) inbox messages Undelivered/Pending to your Mailbox    
This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.
Undelivered/Pending messages are awaiting your approval to be delivered.

Account Name:       -
Service level:           Infrastructure
Affected Services:   Mail Delivery
Below are list of approved actions to be taken as to restore messages back to your mailbox:

View/Authorize Delivery for pending mails
 
Report Error To IT Help Desk

Message Encrypted by agawanygruop.com  © All Rights Reserved.  | If you do not wish to recieve this message Uns

Yet another example of pending emails-themed spam promoting a phishing website:

Text presented within:

Subject: - Incoming mails has been blocked!

 

******** Notification!

Urgent Notice!!! ********

You have some incoming messages that are placed on hold, due to mailbox upgrade.

Kindly RE-ACTIVATE your account below to access incoming messages.  

Message delivered to ******** at 3/19/2021 8:43:08 a.m.

RE-ACTIVATE HERE

Best Regards  

Administrator.

© 2021  ******** Administrator. All Rights Reserved.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

Another example of pending emails-themed spam message promoting a phishing website:

Text presented within:

Subject: - Download Your Pending Mails

 

Message is from a  ******** trusted source.

Reconfirm your  ******** Details     

We noticed you are not receiving all your mails and you have 5 pending messages on hold.

If you would like to continue receiving your Mail on this  ********

Account,

Reconfirm ********
Review Messages

To stop separating items that are identified as clutter, go to Options.
This system notification isn't an email message and you can't reply to it.
 
You received this mandatory service announcement to notify you about the important changes.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing website:

Yet another example of pending email-themed spam used to promote a phishing website:

Text presented within:

Subject: 6 suspended incoming messages in ******** portal.

 

Dear ********,

You have some incoming messages (6) that are placed on hold on ******** Emaii server.
Kindly RE-ACTIVATE your ******** account below to retrievee incoming messages.

This was due to a server issue. Use the button below to rectify.

Retrieve emails

Administrator Team.
******** Admin. All Rights Reserved 2021.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing website:

Yet another example of pending emails-themed scam:

Text presented within:

Subject: Mail delivery failed: ******** have 6 Pending incoming messages.

You have Incoming Pending Messages
The following messages have been blocked by your mail-server due to validation error.

You have six pending messages .

Incoming Messages:
Status : Subject: Time:
pending Fwd: Payment  ------ forwarded message ----       07:17 am
pending We didn't receive any reply from you CALL ME      07:21 am
pending RE: Updated PI 08:19 am
pending Zoom meeting request tomorrow     08:29 am
pending NEW ORDER 10:27  am
pending FedEx Shipment 11:02 am
DELIVER ALL MAILS

Note: The messages will be delivered within 1-2 hours after you receive a confirmation mail notice.

This message was sent by the MailDaemon server ******** notification.

Thank you!

Copyright© 2021 Webmail, Inc.

Yet another example of pending mail-themed spam promoting a phishing website:

Text presented within:

Subject: (9) messages are pending

Dear *********

You have some incoming messages that are placed on hold.

Kindly RE-ACTIVATE your ********* account below to access incoming messages.

Activation expires after 2hours from 6/22/2021 2:20:16 a.m.  and your domain ********* will be blocked
RE-ACTIVATE ACCOUNT HERE

Registry Team.

********* Registry. All Rights Reserved 2021.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing website:

Yet another example of pending emails-themed spam promoting a phishing website:

Text presented within:

Subject: NOTICE: ERROR RECEIVING INCOMING EMAILS

 

ALERT UPDATE - ********

Dear user  id:  ********

Your 23 incoming emails are stuck/hanging on the ******** IMAP server.

This was a server clock error.

Kindly re-validate your session below to receive the stuck emails.
VALIDATE SESSION
Note: All stuck emails will be deleted within 12 hours  from 7/7/2021 9:56:58 a.m.

,
Sincerely
******** Mail Protector ©2021

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

Another example of pending emails-themed spam used to promote a malicious attachment:

Text presented within:

Subject: Three (3) Incoming mails not delivered

 

Hello ********,

You have (3) pending incoming messages from ******** Server on 8/5/2021 4:13:31 p.m.,
messages were held due to low email storage.

Follow the attached instruction to update your account to avoid deactivation
********

Thanks,
******** Administrator.

Screenshot of the promoted email attachment:

Yet another example of pending emails-themed spam promoting a phishing site:

Text presented within:

Subject: Five (5) Incoming mails pending

Hello info,

- have (5) pending incoming messages.
Refresh email Server to receive pending messages.   

Click here to refresh email server     

-
 
Thanks
-  Administrator.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

Another variant of pending mail-themed spam promoting a phishing site:

Text presented within:

Subject: ******** You Have 5 pending Messages In Server

 

Hello ********,

You have pending incoming emails that you haven't received yet..

access to (********) will be restricted until you confirm ownership.

permission globe icon This link will only be for ********

Confirm account now

Note: access to ******** will be restricted within 48 ( forty-eight) working hours.

Greetings

******** Support team

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

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Quick menu:

• What is Important: You Have 19 Pending Incoming Email(s) spam?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

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