How to identify phishing emails like "Unapproved Emails" scam
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of scam is "Unapproved Emails"?
Our examination of the email has led us to the conclusion that it is a phishing email designed to trick recipients into divulging personal information. This scam email is disguised as a notification from an email service provider. It contains a link to a fake site where users are requested to provide login credentials.
More about the "Unapproved Emails" scam email
This phishing email masquerades as a notification from cPanel, a popular web hosting control panel. It claims that the recipient has 13 unapproved emails due to a system delay, providing a specific date and time to create a sense of authenticity. The email instructs the recipient to release pending messages to their inbox.
Clicking the "Release Pending messages to inbox now." button opens a fake Gmail sign-in page requesting authentication. On this site, users are instructed to provide their email address and password to sign in. It is important to note that deceptive sites like this one can imitate different email service providers based on the recipient's email address.
Once entered, login credentials are sent to scammers. With access to email accounts, scammers can impersonate the email account owner to deceive contacts into sending money, sensitive information, or downloading malware. Also, they can check the inbox or other folders for sensitive information.
Furthermore, scammers may use the compromised email account to change passwords for other online accounts linked to the email address or try to access other accounts with the already stolen login credentials. Additionally, scammers can sell the stolen login credentials (and other obtained sensitive data) on the dark web.
Thus, it is strongly recommended to examine emails before opening links (or files) and disclosing personal information to avoid monetary loss, identity theft, and other issues.
| Name | Unapproved Emails Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | The recipient has 13 unapproved emails due to a system delay |
| Disguise | Notification 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
To sum up, phishing emails are deceptive messages designed to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information, such as login credentials, credit card details, ID card information, or other details. or personal information. Typically, scammers disguise such emails as urgent notifications or other letters from legitimate companies, organizations, or other entities.
Scammers behind such emails often include links to phishing sites to steal information. It is important to be aware that links and files in deceptive emails can be used to distribute malware. Some examples of phishing campaigns are "ACH Payment From Craftmaster Hardware", "Wells Fargo - Card Activity Verification", and "American Express Card Deactivation".
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
When cybercriminals intend to deliver malware via email, they send fraudulent emails containing malicious files (attachments) or links. These links may redirect recipients to websites that automatically download malware onto their devices, or they might encourage recipients to download malicious files or programs themselves.
Opening attachments can result in immediate infection or introduce malware upon performing some additional steps (it depends on the file type). For example, executable files can deploy malware upon opening, whereas opened malicious MS Word documents require users to enable macros commands so they can infect computers.
How to avoid installation of malware?
When downloading software and files, only use official pages and app stores. Do not open attachments or links in unexpected or irrelevant emails or messages from unfamiliar senders. Avoid clicking on ads, pop-ups, or buttons on dubious websites, and do not allow shady websites to send notifications.
Ensure your operating system, installed apps, and security tools are always up to date, and employ reputable security software. Also, conduct routine scans on your computer to identify and eliminate any 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 "Unapproved Emails" email letter:
Subject: cPanel Withheld Incoming Mails
******** Notification!Dear ********,
You have [13] unapproved emails on 5/21/2024 11:26:59 a.m. This was caused due to a system delay. Please rectify below:
Release Pending messages to inbox now.
Source: ******** Support
Phishing page used in this 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 Unapproved Emails 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?
You received this email as part of a phishing attempt. Phishing emails are commonly sent to a large number of addresses. Simply put, scammers send the same emails to all recipients and rarely target someone in particular.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
Change the passwords for any accounts that may have been compromised. Also, notify your email service provider. Additionally, be cautious of any further communication from the sender and consider reporting the incident to relevant authorities.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
If the file was an executable, it likely posed a threat. However, if it was a document like a PDF or Word file, you might have avoided malware infiltration. In certain cases, merely opening files is not sufficient for malware to infect systems.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Opening an email poses no threat. However, clicking on links within the email or opening attached files can result in system infections.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Combo Cleaner is effective at detecting and removing nearly all known malware infections. It is important to note that sophisticated malware often hides itself deeply within the system. Consequently, conducting a full system scan is required to address advanced threats.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion