How to identify scams like "WebRoot Security Services Activated"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is "WebRoot Security Services Activated"?
We have inspected this email and discovered that it is a fraudulent email disguised as a notification regarding an invoice for Webroot Security Services. Typically, such scam emails are used to steal money and (or) personal information from unsuspecting recipients. Emails of this type should be ignored.
More about the "WebRoot Security Services Activated" scam email
This scam email claims to be from "W3bRo0t Safe" and states that the recipient's WebRoot Security Services membership has been activated and that the recipient has been charged $479.99 USD. It also provides a fake invoice summary with details like the invoice number, transaction date, membership duration, and quantity.
The email also includes a contact number (+1-888 211 6462) for cancellation and refund inquiries, urging the recipient to act within 24 hours if the charge was unauthorized. Upon contacting the provided number or responding to the email, recipients could be asked to provide credit card details, ID card information, or other personal details.
Also, scammers could try to trick recipients into paying "administration" or similar fees or transferring the full amount they have been supposedly charged. Falling for such emails could lead to identity theft, financial loss, and other issues. Thus, recipients should not respond to such emails or call the numbers provided in them to avoid possible consequences.
| Name | WebRoot Security Services Activated Email Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | The recipient has been charged 479.99 |
| Scammers' Number | +1-888 211 6462 |
| Disguise | Letter regarding WebRoot Security Services membership |
| 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. |
Conclusion
Overall, scammers employ various tactics in their emails to deceive and manipulate recipients for financial gain, identity theft, or other malicious purposes. It is important for individuals to be skeptical of unsolicited emails, especially those requesting sensitive information or urging immediate action.
Some examples of similar scam emails are "PayPal Confirmation Notification", "Asia Pacific Lottery", and "American Express - Username/Password Has Been Updated". Recipients should be aware that cybercriminals can employ such emails to deliver malware.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Threat actors often use email to distribute malware, sending messages with malicious attachments or links. These attachments could infect computers instantly or after additional actions, depending on the file type. Threat actors attach malicious files like MS Office documents, PDFs, archives, executables, or script files to their emails.
Similarly, clicking on deceptive links in these emails can lead users to websites that prompt them to download harmful files or programs. Alternatively, users may be directed to sites that automatically download malware without any action required.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be cautious when you receive unexpected emails or messages with links or attachments. Do not open links or files in emails if you are not sure of their legitimacy. Download software from reliable sources, such as official websites and app stores. Do not trust other sources (e.g., P2P networks, third-party downloaders, shady websites, etc.).
Avoid interacting with ads, buttons, pop-ups, and similar content encountered on questionable websites. Do not agree to receive notifications from shady sites. Regularly update all apps and your operating system. Utilize reputable security software.
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 "WebRoot Security Services Activated" email letter:
docusign
W3bRo0t Safe +1 211 6462 sent you a document to review and sign.
REVIEW DOCUMENT
W3bRo0t Safe +1 211 6462
Dear Customer,
Congratulations! Your WebRoot Security Services membership has been successfully activated. We have charged $479.99 USD to the card associated with your account. This transaction, dated May 28, 2024, will reflect on your account statement within 24 hours.
Invoice Summary:
Invoice Number: #TXN135JHKG5241
Transaction Date: May 28, 2024
Membership Duration: 2 Years
Amount Charged: $479.99 USD
Quantity: 1
Total: $479.99 USD
View Invoice: Invoice AccessCancellation and Refund Contact:
Call us at +1-888 211 6462If this charge was not authorized by you, please contact us within 24 hours to cancel your membership and botain a full refund.
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is WebRoot Security Services Activated 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?
Phishing emails typically lack personalization and are sent to a broad audience, resulting in thousands of users receiving identical messages/emails.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
If you have disclosed personal details (like credit card or ID card information), notify the relevant authorities. If scammers obtained usernames, passwords, or similar information, it is crucial to change all passwords as soon as possible.
I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
The likelihood of infection depends on the file type. For example, simply opening a document file may not activate malware. However, opening an executable file is more likely to immediately introduce malware into the system.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
While emails themselves are harmless, clicking on malicious links or opening malicious attachments can result in malware infiltrating computers.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Combo Cleaner is effective at detecting and removing a wide range of known malware. Advanced malware may hide deeply within the system. Thus, a full system scan is required to ensure detection and removal.
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