Avoid having your account stolen via fake "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED"?
Our analysis of the "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" letter revealed that it is spam. This scam email falsely claims that the recipient's account has been suspended. The bogus reactivation process requires the user to sign into their email account via a phishing website.
"E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "[Review] Mail Delivery Suspended For (recipient's_email_address)" states that email delivery has been blocked. It further clarifies that the suspension is temporary and that access can be reactivated.
It must be stressed that the information provided by this letter is false, and this mail is in no way associated with any genuine service providers.
When we clicked the "REACTIVATE DELIVERY" link, we were redirected to a phishing site that imitates the recipient's email account sign-in page. Despite its relatively legitimate appearance, this website is fake, and it records entered information (i.e., email account passwords).
Victims of this scam mail risk more than just losing their emails, as these accounts are commonly used to register other content – hence, scammers may also gain access to it.
To expand upon the potential misuse: cyber criminals can steal the identities of social account owners (e.g., emails, social networking, social media, messengers, etc.) and ask the contacts/friends for loans or donations, promote scams, and even proliferate malware by sharing malicious files/links.
Stolen finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, money transferring, e-commerce, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions and online purchases. Should any confidential or compromising content be found on hijacked data storage platforms – it could be used for blackmail or other nefarious purposes.
In summary, by trusting an email like "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" – users can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.
If you have already entered your account credentials into a phishing site – immediately change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and contact their official support.
| Name | "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient's email account has been blocked/suspended. |
| 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. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
"Two-Factor Verification", "American Express Merchant Reward", "Mail Account Deactivation Notice", and "Blockchain.com - Your Account Is Locked" are but a few examples of phishing emails we have inspected recently.
This mail predominantly targets log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, and finance-related information (e.g., credit card numbers, etc.). Aside from various scams, deceptive emails are also used to distribute malware.
Spam mail can be plain or elaborately disguised as messages from legitimate service providers, companies, institutions, authorities, or other entities.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns spread malware by distributing malicious files. They can be attached to or linked inside the emails/messages. Virulent files come in various formats, e.g., documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
Once a malicious file is opened – the infection chain is initiated. However, some formats may require additional actions to start downloading/installing malware. For example, Microsoft Office documents need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote files require them to click on embedded files or links.
How to avoid installation of malware?
It is essential to approach incoming emails and other messages with caution. We advise against opening attachments or links found in dubious/irrelevant mail, as they can be infectious. We also recommend using Microsoft Office versions released after 2010 since they have the "Protected View" mode that prevents automatic macro command execution.
It must be mentioned that malware is not distributed exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, we advise being careful while browsing as well – since fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears ordinary and harmless.
Additionally, all downloads must be performed from official and trustworthy channels. Another recommendation is to activate and update software by using legitimate functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updaters can contain malware.
We must emphasize the importance of having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. Security programs must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats and issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" spam email letter:
Subject: [Review] Mail Delivery Suspended For -
E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED-
Incοming emails has been temporarily blocked, kindly reactivate access delivery.
Access for - will expires on 7/25/2023.
REACTIVATE DELIVERY
© 2023 - Server Team.
Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" spam campaign:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. 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.
Quick menu:
- What is "E-MAIL DELIVERY BLOCKED" 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?
Spam mail is not personal. Cyber criminals distribute it in large-scale operations – therefore, thousands of users receive identical emails.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have disclosed your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. And if the provided information was of a different personal nature (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact relevant authorities.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, just reading an email will not initiate any system infection processes. Devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
Whether your computer was infected might depend on the opened file's format. Executables (.exe, .run, etc.) cause infections almost without fail when they are opened. However, documents (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.) may require extra actions (e.g., enabling macro commands, clicking embedded content, etc.) to begin malware download/installation processes.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate practically all known malware infections. It must be stressed that performing a complete system scan is crucial – since high-end malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion