Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus

We have noticed that cyber-criminals are sending out thousands of fake email messages with an attached Zip or compressed file (a file with name ending with '.zip', '.rar', ".gz", or '.cab') that contains a virus or a Trojan horse. The files are sent in a compressed or Zip format to help prevent anti-virus software from detecting and deleting them. And, any attempt by the recipients to open the malicious attachment will result in their computers getting infected with a virus, Trojan horse or some other computer malware.

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Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus

The cyber-criminals behind the fake and malicious emails, make them look convincing, by making the emails look as if they were sent from a legitimate company, family or friend, by using a technique called email spoofing.

Email spoofing allows someone to send an email message, and make that message appears as if it came from someone else.

For example:

I can send an email message from my personal email account to my friend, and make the email message appear as if it was sent from “president@whitehouse .gov”. This can be easily done by just changing the "From" address of the email message. So, it doesn't mean that an email message was sent from someone because their email address appears in the "From" address line of the message.

Now, because of this, unexpected email messages with a compressed or Zip file attached should never be opened, regardless of who they appear to have been sent from.

Also, click here for a list of email attachments that you should never open, regardless of who the email message appears to have been sent from.

Now, if you have received one of the fake email messages and have opened the malicious attachment, please do a full scan of your computer with the antivirus software installed on it. If you don’t have antivirus software installed on your computer, please click here for a list of free antivirus software.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 27)

To protect your privacy, please remove sensitive or identifiable information from your comments, questions, or reviews. We will use your IP address to display your approximate location to other users when you make a post. That location is not enough to find you.

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January 5, 2021 at 8:58 PM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
an anonymous user from: Downtown Redmond, Redmond, Washington, United States

What if the file was attempted to be opened on an iPhone?

Delete

January 5, 2021 at 9:38 PM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

The files are used to target Windows computers, not Apple iOS that your iPhone uses, therefore, your phone will not get infected.

Delete

March 4, 2019 at 8:32 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another scam:

"PO / New Order

Mon 04/03/2019 09:24

From: "Skylite Royal Group"

To: Recipients

Attachments1

Please find attached PO copy for subject mentioned Order.

Regards,

Skylite Royal Group"

Delete

June 23, 2017 at 12:04 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email:

"PO#1036-1

Thu 22/06/2017 23:44

From: Joselito

To: undisclosed-recipients:

-

Good day.

Kindly find the attached our Company official PO#1036-1 dated:22-06-2017 and please confirm on receipts.

I will send the swift copy of payment once I received the message from our bank.

Note: we will make PO for the item 29-34 once you confirm the availability. ( awaiting for your quotation.)

Thanks’

Joselito"

Delete

January 8, 2017 at 12:33 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
an anonymous user from: Mesa, Arizona, United States

Here's a couple we got over the holidays:

FedEx Priority Solutions <bradley.byrd@walkingthemedicinewheel.com>

To: [deleted]

Parcel #00965297 shipment problem, please review

Dear Customer,

We can not deliver your parcel arrived at December 25.

You can find more details in this e-mail attachment!

With gratitude,

Bradley Byrd,

Office Clerk.

Delivery-Receipt-00965[#].zip

- - -

USPS Ground Support <lee.cunningham@lassalinas.es>

To: [deleted]

Notification status of your delivery (USPS 0934#)

Dear Customer,

We can not deliver your parcel arrived at December 15.

Please check the attachment for details!

Yours sincerely,

Lee Cunningham,

USPS Senior Office Manager.

Delivery-Receipt-0934[#].zip

Delete

September 29, 2016 at 10:05 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email message that should be deleted if received:

"Subject: Temporarily blocked

From: Kelly Conrad (Conrad.415@constructionlawseminars.com)

Sent: Thu 9/29/16 9:02 AM

Attachment: debit_card_37763763.zip (11.0 KB)

Dear info,

this is to inform you that your Debit Card is temporarily blocked as there were unknown transactions made today.

We attached the scan of transactions. Please confirm whether you made these transactions.

King regards,

Kelly Conrad

Technical Manager - Online Banking

e-mail: Conrad.415@constructionlawseminars.com"

Delete

September 29, 2016 at 8:39 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email message:

"From: Marcella Gibson (Gibson.533@pldt.net)

Sent: Wed 9/28/16 9:19 PM

Attachment: contract_scan_9727a6f53.zip (10.7 KB)

Dear, thanks for working with us.

We are sending the contract that we agreed on last week.

Please read through the attachment and return us the scan of the signed contract.

King regards,

Marcella Gibson

Managing Director

e-mail: Gibson.533@pldt.net"

Delete

September 28, 2016 at 9:31 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email message:

"From: Gregg Reeves (Reeves.57@wellchosenwords.biz)

Sent: Wed 9/28/16 7:50 AM

Attachment: proposal_form_2d3dc889.zip

Dear,

You are receiving this email because the company has assigned you as part of the approval team.

Please review the attached proposal form and make your approval decision.

If you have any problem regarding the submission, please contact Charmaine.

Best regards,

Gregg Reeves

Head of Finance UKGI Planning"

Delete

September 25, 2016 at 9:45 AM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email:

"From: Global Service Exchange <no_replay@idmsa-gsx-support.com>

Subject: Your Apple ID has been locked for security reasons

Date: Sun 9/25/16 7:36 AM

Attachment: Case ID_1000531542.zip

Your Apple ID has been locked for security reasons.

Dear user,

You must unlock your account before signing in please download attached file in email .

Your Case ID: 1000531542

Apple Support"

Delete

September 22, 2016 at 7:11 PM by
Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus
info

Here is another malicious email:

"From: Corina Dunn (Dunn.168@avertex.com)

Sent: Thu 9/22/16 5:25 PM

Attachment: 34bbdfd04ad.zip (11.0 KB)

Dear info, thank you very much for your order!

Total amount of $354.57 was charged for your order #D-1732005.

All the details are in the attachment. Delivery will arrive at 15:00 coming Monday."

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Fake Emails with a Malicious Zip File Attached that Contains a Virus