How to avoid falling for phishing emails lik "cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is "cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error"?
After conducting a detailed examination of the email, it is evident that it falls under the category of a phishing scam. The individuals perpetrating this scam seek to deceive recipients by posing as an email service provider and directing them to a fraudulent website. Their ultimate goal is to extract personal information for nefarious purposes.
More about the "cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error" scam email
This email poses as a notification from cPanel, a legitimate company that has created a popular web hosting control panel software. It claims there is an issue with the mail server related to IMAP/POP3, stating that six messages are pending on the server. It urges the recipient to take action within a specified timeframe, threatening automatic deletion of messages if no action is taken.
The email provides options to "RELEASE ONHOLD MESSAGES" or "DELETE ONHOLD MESSAGES", attempting to prompt the recipient to click malicious links disguised as solutions to the purported problem. Clicking the buttons/links provided in this email leads to a phishing website.
The phishing page employed in this scam masquerades as a Webmail login portal. Its aim is to deceive visitors into providing their email address and password (email account login credentials). When scammers obtain email account login credentials through phishing scams, they can exploit this information in various malicious ways.
Firstly, they may hijack email accounts to send out spam emails or phishing messages to the victim's contacts, further spreading the scam and potentially compromising more accounts. Additionally, scammers may use the stolen credentials to access sensitive information stored in the email account, such as personal conversations, financial records, or login credentials for other online accounts linked to the email address.
Also, scammers may attempt to access other accounts linked to the same credentials. This could include accounts on various platforms such as social media, online banking, shopping websites, or other email services.
| Name | cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | There is an issue with the mail server |
| Disguise | Letter from cPanel |
| 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. |
Similar scam emails in general
Typically, cybercriminals behind emails of this type aim to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information or performing other actions that compromise their security. These emails often masquerade as legitimate communications from trusted entities, such as banks, government agencies, or popular websites.
They commonly employ tactics like urgency, fear, or offers of rewards to prompt recipients into clicking malicious links, downloading harmful attachments, or providing confidential information like passwords or financial details. Thus, users should remain vigilant, scrutinize emails carefully, and refrain from interacting with suspicious messages to protect themselves.
Examples of similar emails are "American Express - Disputed Payment Received Email Scam", "Webmail - Low Storage Space Email Scam", and "Voicemail Transcript Email Scam".
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
As a rule, users expose their computers to malware by clicking malicious links or opening infected attachments in emails. This can lead to a variety of harmful outcomes, including data breaches, system malfunction, or unauthorized access by cybercriminals. It is crucial to note that merely opening files or clicking links in deceptive emails doesn't always lead to computer infections.
Files commonly used to deliver malware via email encompass a range of formats, including executables, documents, PDFs, compressed files, and JavaScript files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be cautious when opening emails from unfamiliar or suspicious sources, particularly those prompting immediate action or containing unexpected attachments or links. When downloading apps or files, rely on official sources or app stores, and refrain from downloading pirated software, cracking tools, or key generators.
Avoid interacting with advertisements, pop-ups, links, or buttons on dubious websites to minimize the risk of malware exposure. Regularly update the operating system and installed programs. Utilize trusted security software and perform routine system scans to maintain optimal protection against 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 "cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error" email letter:
Subject: cPanel notification ********
cPanel MAIL SERVER ******** IMAP/POP3 ERROR
6 messages hanging on server.
You have 6hours from 3/12/2024 6:40:49 p.m. to take action or messages will automatically deleted from server.
RELEASE ONHOLD MESSAGES DELETE ONHOLD MESSAGES
Screenshot of the phishing website used in this scam:
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Quick menu:
- What is cPanel Mail Server IMAP/POP3 Error phishing scam?
- 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 distribute bulk emails to thousands of recipients, all with identical messages, aiming to deceive at least one person into falling for their scam. These spam emails lack customization and are generic, focusing on a broad audience rather than individual targets.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
If you have revealed any account credentials, it is essential to change all passwords promptly to prevent unauthorized access. Also, notify your email service provider about the incident.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
Not necessarily. Whether your computer is infected depends on various factors, such as the content of the file, your computer's security measures, and any actions you took after opening the file.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Merely opening an email does not pose a threat to your system's security. However, interacting with links or attachments within the email could result in system infections.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Combo Cleaner is highly efficient in identifying and removing almost all recognized malware. However, it is important to note that certain advanced malware may conceal itself deeply within the system. Consequently, conducting a full system scan is crucial to ensure the detection and elimination of all potential threats.
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