How to identify scams like "Dangerous Email Detection"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of scam is "Dangerous Email Detection"?
We have examined this email and found that it is a fraudulent letter posing as a notification from an email service provider. It is created to trick visitors into providing personal information on a fake web page. Emails of this type are classified as phishing emails. Recipients should be cautious when encountering such communications and ignore them.
More about the "Dangerous Email Detection" scam email
This phishing email warns the recipient about spam and virus emails detected in their account. It urges the recipient to "boost and reinstate" their security by clicking a link, claiming that additional security features will be activated once upgraded. It promises that spam and dangerous emails will be blocked, ensuring the account's safety.
During our examination, the website provided in this phishing email was down. However, clicking the "Click to Boost and Reinstate your [recipient's email address] security now" link would direct users to a fake login page designed to extract email account login credentials. This information can be used to access email (and other) accounts.
Once scammers have access to email accounts, they look for personal information within emails, send phishing emails or emails containing malware to contacts, or perform other malicious activities. Also, they can try to use the stolen login credentials to access social media, banking, or other accounts.
Providing personal information on phishing web pages (or directly via email) to scammers can lead to identity theft, monetary loss, and other issues. Thus, it is highly advisable to be careful with unexpected or irrelevant emails from unknown addresses.
| Name | Dangerous Email Detection Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Spam and viruses are detected in the recipient's email account |
| Disguise | Letter from an email 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. |
Similar scam emails in general
These emails often pretend to be from reputable companies or other entities. They can include deceptive links or attachments, attempting to trick recipients into sharing information like passwords, ID card details, or other information. Sometimes, the goal is to infect the recipient's device with malware.
Some examples of similar emails are "Vlaanderen Verbeelding Werkt", "Smartcolor Password Expiry", and "Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)".
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Cybercriminals distribute malware through emails by including infected files, such as malicious MS Office documents, PDFs, ISO files, executables, or scripts. Their strategy is to deceive recipients into activating the malware by enabling macros in the compromised documents, running executables, or taking other actions.
Threat actors can also include links in their emails. These links can be designed to open web pages that host malicious software and trick users into downloading it or sites that download it automatically.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be cautious with attachments and links in emails that seem suspicious, particularly those from unfamiliar or unexpected sources. Download software and files exclusively from trusted sources, such as official websites or reputable app stores. Avoid downloading pirated software, crack tools, or key generators. Do not interact with ads, buttons, links, and pop-ups on suspicious pages.
Additionally, ensure that all software and your operating system are regularly updated, and perform regular scans of your computer with a trusted security tool to detect and remove 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 "Dangerous Email Detection" email letter:
Subject: Spam And Dangerous Email Detected
Dangerous email Detection
for - Account User:{name}This is an alert for spam and virus emails detection
Advance your email security
Click to Boost and Reinstate your ******** security now
Once upgraded , extra security features will be activated in your email settings, spam and dangerous emails will be blocked and your account will be safe for use again.
Source: Email Security Team
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Dangerous Email Detection 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 send the same email to thousands of recipients simultaneously. These messages are generic and lack personalization, with the aim of targeting as many potential victims as possible.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
If you have entered your username and password or other account credentials, make sure to update all your passwords that may be compromised. If you have shared sensitive information such as credit card numbers or ID details, promptly reach out to the relevant authorities.
I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
If the file was an executable, there is a high chance that your system is infected. However, if it was a document file like a PDF or Word document, you might have avoided infection, as simply opening these types of files does not always activate malware.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Opening emails is generally safe. However, clicking on links or opening attachments within suspicious emails can lead to system infections.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate almost all types of malware. However, advanced malware often conceals itself deep within operating systems, so it is strongly recommended to perform a full system scan to ensure complete detection and removal.
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