How to spot fake emails like "Account Update Notification"

What kind of scam is "Account Update Notification"?

Our analysis of the email has shown that it contains a fake notification regarding an email account update. It is crafted to lure unsuspecting recipients into opening a fake web page and disclosing personal information. Such scams are known as phishing attempts, and they should be ignored to avoid potential risks.

More about the "Account Update Notification" scam email

This phishing email pretends to be a legitimate account update notification. It claims that the recipient's account will be terminated unless certain updates are made. The email urges the recipient to click the "Update Account" link/button to avoid account termination. It includes a fake user ID and administrator information to make it appear legitimate.

However, the link leads to a fraudulent page where personal information can be stolen. Usually, emails like this one direct users to fake email account login websites designed to steal login credentials (e.g., email addresses and passwords). Scammers can use the stolen details to access email accounts.

With access to the victim's email account, the scammers can potentially steal sensitive information, reset passwords for other accounts (or access other accounts), or launch further attacks, such as sending phishing emails or malicious files to the victim's contacts. The consequences can include monetary loss, identity theft, and reputational damage.

Thus, it is important to examine emails requesting personal information and (or) containing links or attachments.

Similar scam emails in general

Emails like this are phishing attempts designed to steal personal information, such as login credentials, credit card details, ID card information, etc. It is important to be cautious and avoid clicking on links or providing sensitive details in response to such emails. Users are advised to verify the legitimacy of emails they receive before taking any action.

Examples of phishing emails are "Service Desk", "Someone Entered Correct Password For Your Account", and "Email Service Enhancement Scam". In some cases, deceptive emails can be used to distribute malware.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Email is one of the most common tools cybercriminals use to spread malware. These threats are often hidden in attachments like Office documents, executables, PDFs, scripts, or compressed files. Once opened, these files can execute malware on computers. However, certain files cannot infect computers unless users perform additional steps.

Links embedded in emails used to deliver malware can lead to deceptive or compromised websites designed to trick users into downloading infected files, or in some cases, trigger automatic downloads.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be wary of unsolicited emails, especially those from unknown senders with attachments or embedded links. Do not interact unless you are certain they are legitimate. Keep your system secure by downloading software only from trusted sources like official websites or verified app stores, and make sure your operating system and applications are up to date.

Use reputable antivirus software and avoid clicking links, pop-ups, ads, etc., when visiting unfamiliar or sketchy websites. Additionally, do not agree to receive notifications from suspicious pages. 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 "Account Update Notification" email letter:

Subject: Email ✉ termination is in progress for ********

Account Update Notification

Hi ******** ,

We are conducting regular updates to enhance the functionality and security of your account for 2025. This process is designed to be seamless, ensuring that your account continues to operate without termination.

User ID: ********
Date and Time of Notice: 10 April, 2025 a.m.
Managed by: ******** Administrator

Please update below to avoid termination:
Update Account

You are receiving this email because you are a registered user of ********. If you would like to stop receiving these emails, you can unsubscribe here.

Legal Disclaimer: This email is intended solely for the recipient (********) and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this email. Any unauthorized use or distribution is prohibited.

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Quick menu:

• What is Account Update Notification 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?

Scammers send the same email to a number of people, hoping someone will fall for it. These spam emails are not personal. Typically, email addresses are obtained through deceptive websites or data breaches.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?

If you have shared any account credentials, change your passwords immediately. If some account cannot be accessed, contact the service provider to resolve the issue.

I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?

Malicious files can infect computers upon opening or after taking additional steps (e.g., enabling macros in an infected document). Thus, it depends on the type of the file you opened.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Opening an email is harmless. However, interacting with links or attachments within deceptive emails can lead to system infections and security risks.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove nearly all known malware. However, advanced malware often hides deep within the system, so it is essential to perform a full system scan to ensure complete removal.