Avoid getting scammed by fake "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase"?
Our inspection of the "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" email revealed that it is fake. This spam letter queries the recipient on whether they recognize a nonexistent purchase, and when they attempt to investigate it – they are redirected to a phishing website that targets account log-in credentials.
It must be emphasized that the information in this email is false, and this mail is not associated with the real Capital One Financial Corporation.
"Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "Do You Recognize This Purchase ?" (may vary) is presented as a message from Capital One. It asks whether the recipient (or an unauthorized person) has made a purchase with Amazon valued at 3680.75 USD. The recipient is presented with two buttons – "Yes, I Recognize It" and "No, Something's Wrong".
As mentioned in the introduction, the claims made by this email are false, and this mail is in no way associated with the actual Capital One Financial Corporation, Amazon.com, Inc., or any other legitimate entities.
The phishing site pushed through this spam campaign is disguised as the account sign-in page to Capital One. Phishing websites are designed to record provided information. Hence, by attempting to sign in via the promoted webpage – users unintentionally reveal their Capital One account credentials (usernames/passwords) to scammers.
Cyber criminals can use stolen finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, money transferring, digital wallets, e-commerce, etc.) to make fraudulent transactions and online purchases.
To summarize, victims of scam mail like "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" can experience serious privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.
If you have already disclosed your account credentials to a phishing site/file – immediately change the passwords of all possibly compromised accounts and inform their official support. If the exposed data is personally identifiable or related to finances – it might also be necessary to contact the appropriate authorities.
| Name | "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient is asked to confirm whether they recognize a $3680.75 Amazon purchase. |
| Disguise | Capital One |
| Related Domains | clearlivate[.]com |
| Detection Names (clearlivate[.]com) | CyRadar (Malicious), Fortinet (Malware), Kaspersky (Phishing), Seclookup (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (clearlivate[.]com) | 104.21.72.127 |
| 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. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
We have written about thousands of spam campaigns; "FedEx Delivery Address Confirmation", "Request For Quotation Plan", "Sign-in Attempt Was Blocked", "Capital One - Unusual Spending Activities Detected", "Capital One - Transfer Schedule", and "Chase Account Temporarily Restricted" are just some of our articles on phishing emails.
These messages primarily target account log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, and finance-related information. However, various scams are facilitated through spam mail, and it is used in malware distribution.
Due to how prevalent spam mail is and how well-made it can be – we strongly advise exercising caution with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns spread malware by distributing infectious files as attachments or download links. These files can be documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
Merely opening a malicious file can be enough to trigger malware download/installation. However, some formats need additional actions to initiate infection processes. For example, Microsoft Office files require users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents need them to click on embedded files or links.
How to avoid installation of malware?
It is important to always approach incoming emails and other messages with caution. Attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or infectious.
However, malware is spread using various techniques. Therefore, we also recommend being careful while browsing, as fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears legitimate and innocuous.
Additionally, all downloads must be made from official and verified channels. Another recommendation is to activate and update software using functions/tools provided by genuine developers, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updates may contain malware.
It is paramount for device integrity and user safety to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept updated. Security programs must be used to perform regular system scans and to remove detected threats. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" spam email letter:
Subject: Do You Recognize This Purchase ?
Capital One
Do you recognize this purchase?
About your Capital One credit card
Please let us know if you or an authorized user recognize the purchase below. The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can help protect your account from unauthorized purchases.
Date Merchant Name Amount Outcome
January 23, 2025 AMZN *AMAZON*Y7DV92E2 $3680.75 Pending
Yes, I Recognize It
No, Something’s Wrong
Some things to consider when reviewing your purchase:
If you respond yes, declined transactions will stay declined. After responding, try your card again.
To cancel a legitimate purchase, contact the merchant directly.
A pre-authorization can differ from your transaction amount because merchants (typically gas stations) estimate your amount (usually $1–$100) before the transaction is complete.
If you’ve already resolved this, you can ignore this email or sign in to your account to check out the details.
To speak to a customer representative in Spanish, please call us at the number on the back of your card. / Para hablar con un representante de servicio al cliente en español, por favor llámanos al número que aparece en el reverso de tu tarjeta.
Download the Capital One Mobile app Download the Capital One Mobile app.
About This Message
Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" spam 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 "Capital One - Unrecognized Purchase" phishing email?
- 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?
Even if a spam email includes information relevant to the recipient – that does not make it personal. These messages are sent out in mass-scale operations – therefore, thousands of users receive identical (or incredibly similar) emails.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you've disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the corresponding authorities.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Reading an email is harmless; devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
Whether the system was infected might depend on the opened file's format. Once opened, executables (.exe, .run, etc.) cause infections almost without fail. However, some formats – like documents (.doc, .xls, .one, .pdf, etc.) – may need extra interaction to initiate infection processes (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded content, etc.).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and remove all kinds of threats. It is capable of detecting and eliminating most of the known malware infections. Note that performing a complete system scan is crucial since high-end malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion