How to avoid falling for scams like "You Have eFax Message"

What is "You Have eFax Message"?

Upon inspection, it has been identified that this email is a phishing scam. The individuals orchestrating this spam campaign intend to entice recipients into divulging sensitive information through a fraudulent page. Therefore, it is highly advisable to disregard this and similar emails.

More about the "You Have eFax Message" scam email

In this phishing email, recipients are informed that they have received an eFax message. The email indicates that the message has a specific ending date and mentions that it has a status of "received". Additionally, it states that the message comprises 12 pages with a size of 3.5Mb, emphasizing its priority as "very important".

The email closes with a request, prompting recipients to click on the "Preview PDF Here" button. However, it is important to note that this button actually leads to a phishing website masquerading as the OneDrive sign-in page. The intention behind this deceptive site is to deceive visitors into providing their login credentials (email addresses and passwords).

Scammers may use the stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to the victim's email accounts, social media profiles, or other online platforms. Once inside, they can send spam, distribute phishing emails, or engage in fraudulent activities.

Stolen login credentials can provide scammers with a wealth of personal information about the victim. This information can be used for identity theft, leading to financial fraud, fraudulent credit applications, or other illegal activities.

Also, scammers often employ stolen credentials in credential stuffing attacks, where they use automated tools to test if the same login details work on multiple online services. Successful logins can grant them access to additional accounts and personal data.

Moreover, stolen login credentials are a valuable commodity on the dark web. Scammers can sell these credentials to other cybercriminals, who may use them for a variety of illegal activities, further amplifying the risks to victims.

Threat Summary:

Name	You Have eFax Message Email Scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Recipients have received an eFax message
Disguise	Letter from 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

Typically, phishing emails employ an urgent or threatening tone, compelling recipients to take immediate action, such as clicking on a link or providing sensitive information. They come from unfamiliar or suspicious senders, often using generic or slightly altered email addresses that may mimic legitimate sources.

They commonly request personal information, such as login credentials, credit card details, or social security numbers, under the guise of a legitimate organization or urgent matter. It is important to note that links or files sent via such emails can lead to computer infections.

Examples of phishing campaigns: "JPMorgan Chase Online Security Department Email Scam", "Switch To New Version Email Scam", and "SecureMailBox - Account Reconfirmation Email Scam".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Attachments within emails, even if they appear innocuous, have the potential to harbor malware. Opening such attachments can lead to the injection of malicious software on your computer. Some emails may also attempt to convince you to enable macros in attached documents, a move that can trigger harmful scripts and result in an infection.

Furthermore, engaging with malicious links embedded in emails can redirect you to harmful websites. These websites may employ techniques such as drive-by downloads or social engineering to exploit vulnerabilities and introduce malware into your system.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Exercise vigilance when it comes to opening email attachments or clicking on links, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the sender or if the email raises suspicions. Avoid engaging with advertisements from untrusted sources and visiting dubious pages.

Ensure the ongoing security of your system by regularly updating your operating system, software applications, and web browsers to address potential vulnerabilities. When downloading files and programs, rely solely on trustworthy sources such as official websites or well-regarded app stores.

Safeguard your computer by installing reliable antivirus or anti-malware software to provide robust protection against a wide range of 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 "You Have eFax Message" email letter:

You have eFax® message

Ending Date: Dec 13, 2021

Status: received

Page Available: 12

size: 3.5Mb

Priority: Very Important

Preview PDF Here

Phishing website promoted via this phishing campaign:

Another example of eFax-themed spam email:

Text presented within:

Subject: Incoming "********" eFax Received.

 

***** Incoming ******** eFax Received *****
Dear ********,

You have received a 2 page(s) document via ******** Email Fax

Click Download Document To View Your eFax Documents Online.

Number Of Pages: 2 page(s)
Date Sent: 10/9/2023 9:50:24 a.m.
Sent To: ********
Reference:  PurchaseOrder_Form_Xerox Scan_20220830.pdf
Download Document

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▼ 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 You Have eFax Message phishing campaign?
• 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 typically distribute identical messages to a wide audience, aiming to deceive at least one individual. These spam emails are typically devoid of any personalization or customization.

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

Promptly update the passwords for any accounts for which you have disclosed information, particularly if they pertain to financial or sensitive data. Additionally, report the phishing attempt to your email service provider, local authorities, or relevant institutions or organizations.

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

If the file in question was an executable (.exe), the risk of infection is considerably high. However, when dealing with file types like PDF or DOC, there is a chance that you may have avoided infection, as merely opening such documents, in certain cases, may not be enough for malware to infiltrate your system.

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

Merely opening an email itself does not pose any risk. System infections usually occur when recipients click on links within the email or open attached files.

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

Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing a wide range of well-known malware infections. However, it is crucial to bear in mind that sophisticated malware can hide deeply within the system. In order to ensure comprehensive detection and removal, it is advisable to perform a full system scan as a precautionary measure.

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