Avoid infecting your system via "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" scam emails

What is the "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" scam email?

"CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE email virus" refers to a malware-spreading spam campaign. The term "spam campaign" describes a mass-scale operation during which thousands of scam emails are sent.

Much as the name implies, the "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" letters are presented as messages informing recipients of a shipment's arrival.

The fake notice attached to the emails is designed to initiate the infection process of FormBook malware - upon its opening. This malicious program's primary functionalities are data extraction and download/installation of additional malware.

The scam emails with the subject/title "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE-MEDICOM AWB:098-88679080" (may vary) request recipients to review the cargo arrival notice attached to them. Additionally, they are asked to collect the DO (Delivery Order) from the office of the "RHS Freight Service Division" (disguise used by the scammers).

It must be emphasized that the information provided by these deceptive letters is false, and when their attachment is opened - FormBook malicious program's download/installation is jumpstarted. Formbook has a variety of heinous abilities and features.

To elaborate on its information-stealing capabilities, it can extract data from the infected system, installed browsers and other applications. Targeted information includes (but is not limited to): browsing and search engine histories, Internet cookies, stored log-in credentials (i.e., IDs, email addresses, usernames, passwords), personally identifiable details, and so forth.

This piece of malicious software can also take screenshots and record keystrokes (keylogging). Another notable functionality of Formbook is causing chain infections. In other words, it can download/install trojans, ransomware, or cryptocurrency miners.

To summarize, by trusting the "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" scam letters, users can experience multiple system infections, severe privacy issues, data loss, device damage, significant financial losses, and identity theft. If it is known/suspected that FormBook (or other malware) has already infected the system - an anti-virus must be used to eliminate it without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE spam
Threat Type	Trojan, password-stealing virus, banking malware, spyware.
Hoax	Scam emails claim to contain a cargo arrival notice attached to them.
Attachment(s)	CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE-MEDICOM AWB.pdf.z containing CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE-MEDICOM AWB.exe (filenames may vary)
Detection Names	Avast (Win32:Trojan-gen), BitDefender (Trojan.GenericKD.46332322), ESET-NOD32 (NSIS/Injector.AKU), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Spy.Win32.Noon.gen), Microsoft (Trojan:Win32/Remcos.VAM!MTB), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Trojans are designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim's computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine.
Payload	FormBook
Distribution methods	Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software 'cracks'.
Damage	Stolen passwords and banking information, identity theft, the victim's computer added to a botnet.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

"Your Address Is Invalid", "Bank Payment Copy", "Alibaba Email Virus", "NOTICE OF ACCOUNT CLOSURE FOR AUDIT", and "SGBM Email Virus" are some examples of spam campaigns aiming to proliferate malicious software.

It is typical of spam mail to be disguised as "official", "urgent", "priority", or otherwise abuse the victim's emotions to trick them into opening attachments, clicking links, disclosing sensitive/personal information, making bogus payments, etc.

These large-scale operations are not used exclusively to distribute malware, they are also employed to facilitate phishing and other scams. Spam mail is widely used by scammers and cyber criminals; therefore, it is strongly advised to exercise caution with incoming emails.

How did "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE email virus" infect my computer?

Systems are infected via malicious files distributed through spam campaigns. These files can be attached to the scam emails, or the letters can contain download links of such content.

Infectious files can be in various formats, e.g., archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), PDF and Microsoft Office documents, JavaScript, and so on. When virulent files are opened - malware download/installation is initiated.

For example, Microsoft Office documents cause infections by executing malicious macro commands. This occurs the moment a document is opened in Microsoft Office versions released prior to 2010.

Newer versions have "Protected View" mode, which prevents automatic execution of macros. Instead, users can manually enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), and they are warned of the risks.

How to avoid installation of malware?

To avoid infecting the device vis spam mail, it is advised not to open suspicious and irrelevant emails - especially any attachments or links found in them. It is recommended to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010.

However, malware is also spread through untrustworthy download sources (e.g., unofficial and freeware websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.), illegal activation ("cracking") tools, and fraudulent updates. Therefore, it is crucial to use only official and verified download channels.

Furthermore, all programs must be activated and updated with tools/functions provided by legitimate developers. To ensure device and user safety, it is paramount to have a dependable anti-virus/anti-spyware installed and kept updated.

This software has to be used to perform regular system scans and remove detected threats and issues. If you've already opened "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" attachment, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" scam email letter:

Subject: CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE-MEDICOM AWB:098-88679080

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Please find attached cargo arrival notice.

 

Kindle collect DO from our office

 

RHS Freight Service Division

 

RHS Building office No:601-6th floor

 

Mankhool Road Bur Dubai

 

Dubai UAE

 

Thanks & Best Regards

 

Azarudeen

 

Rais Hassan Saadi L.L.C

 

(RHS Freight Services Division)

 

Post Box No - 7, Dubai - UAE.

 

Tel: 00971 4 3273939  

 

Fax: 00971 4 3275353

 

Web: www.rhsfreightservices.com

Appearance of the "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" scam email (GIF):

Screenshot of VirusTotal decetions of the malicious attachment distributed via "CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE" spam campaign ("CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE-MEDICOM AWB.exe"):

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Quick menu:

• What is CARGO ARRIVAL NOTICE 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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