How to spot scams like "Webmail Action Required"

What is "Webmail Action Required"?

We have examined this email and determined that it is a scam. It is crafted to lure visitors into providing personal information on a phishing website. The scammers pose as an email service provider to gain recipients' trust. It is strongly advised to avoid interacting with any links within such emails or providing any information to scammers.

More about the "Webmail Action Required" scam email

In this phishing email, recipients are contacted on behalf of a supposed webmail service. The email claims that unresolved errors are hindering the smooth functioning of the email account and urges recipients to take immediate action before a specified date. The email concludes with a generic team name and a copyright symbol, attempting to appear legitimate while enticing recipients to rectify the alleged errors.

It also contains a button labeled "RECTIFY ERRORS," which redirects to a phishing website designed to mimic Microsoft Bing or another email service provider based on the recipients' email addresses. This deceptive tactic is aimed at tricking users into providing login credentials (email addresses and passwords) on the fraudulent website.

With login credentials, scammers can gain unauthorized access to the email account, enabling them to read, send, and delete emails. This can compromise sensitive information, personal conversations, and confidential data.

Also, scammers can use stolen email accounts to perpetrate identity theft, posing as the account owner to deceive contacts or conduct fraudulent activities. They may send phishing emails, spread malware, or attempt to access other online accounts (accounts tied to the compromised email or with the same login credentials).

Threat Summary:

Name	Webmail Action Required Email Scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Unresolved errors are impeding the seamless operation of the email account.
Disguise	Letter from an email service provider
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.
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.

Similar scam emails in general

Phishing emails frequently use deceptive tactics to appear as if they are sent from a trusted source, such as a well-known company or organization. These letters often create a sense of urgency or fear to prompt immediate action. They may claim account issues, security breaches, or time-limited offers, coercing recipients into providing personal information.

Such emails typically contain links or attachments that are intended to deceive recipients. These links may redirect to fake websites designed to collect personal information, while attachments may contain malware or viruses that can compromise the recipient's system.

Examples of similar emails are "DHL Delivery Payment Email Scam", "Adobe Sign Email Scam", and "CONFIRM DELIVERY INFORMATION Email Scam".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Users can unintentionally compromise their computers through email by falling victim to different techniques employed by cybercriminals. These tactics involve harmful email attachments, such as infected documents or executable files, which, once accessed, can initiate the installation of malware onto the user's system.

Phishing emails may also contain misleading links that redirect users to malicious websites intended to exploit security weaknesses or deliver malware. Cybercriminals often utilize various file formats, including executables, documents, scripts, and compressed files, to distribute malware through email.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Exercise caution when handling email attachments and links, particularly if they originate from unfamiliar sources. Avoid opening suspicious attachments or clicking on links that seem unfamiliar or dubious. When downloading software or files, rely on official and trustworthy sources while avoiding unverified websites or third-party platforms, as they may disseminate files infected with malware.

Ensure that your operating system, software applications, and antivirus software are kept up to date. Regularly install updates and patches to address security vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by malware. Refrain from trusting advertisements displayed on suspicious websites and be cautious about granting notification permissions to such sites.

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 "Webmail Action Required" email letter:

Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: RECTIFY ERRORS FOR UNINTERRUPTED EMAIL OPERATIONS

Webmail

Dear valued recipient,

We are reaching out to inform you about crucial actions required for your email account, - . It has come to our attention that unresolved errors are impeding the smooth operation of your email services.

To ensure a seamless communication experience and prevent any service disruptions, we kindly request your immediate attention to address these errors before 7/13/2023.

Thank you for your prompt action.

RECTIFY ERRORS

Regards,
- Team

© 2023

Phishing page imitating Microsoft Bing login site:

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Quick menu:

• What is Webmail Action Required phishing email?
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Scammers send identical letters to numerous recipients in the hopes that someone will be deceived by them. These spam emails lack personalization and are indiscriminately distributed.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?

If you have unintentionally shared your login credentials with scammers, it is crucial to take immediate action by changing the passwords for the affected accounts. Additionally, it is recommended to update passwords for any other accounts that may be at risk of compromise.

I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?

If you have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, there is a significant risk that your computer may be infected with malware. It is highly recommended to run a thorough system scan using reputable antivirus or anti-malware software to detect and remove any potential infections.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Merely opening an email poses no threat or harm to your system. The act of clicking on links contained within the email or opening attachments is what can potentially result in system infections and security risks.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Combo Cleaner possesses the capability to identify and eliminate the majority of known malware infections. It is crucial to remember that advanced malware forms tend to hide deeply within the system. Hence, conducting a comprehensive system scan is essential to ensure thorough detection and removal of potential threats.

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