Beware of Phishing: Understanding the ‘Email Confirmation’ Trojan Disguised as a Shipping Update

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Article Summary

1. What is it? -Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email is a scam where cybercriminals trick you into sharing personal info or downloading malicious attachment.
2. What to do? – Do not call or download any software suggested. Check the legitimacy of the URL you are being redirected to.
3. How to Protect?
   Ignore the email and delete any attachments if you have downloaded. If you want to make sure that there was no malicious activity -
   Download MalwareFox to detect all possible Malware infections.

A lot of people have been recently receiving fake emails with the subject – “Reconfirm Shipping Documents”. The mail will seem like it is from any reputed shipping company, but in reality, it is a scam meant to steal your personal data. These kinds of emails can not only steal your personal information but can also be used to send malicious links that can get a harmful virus into your system.

Understanding the Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email Scam

Reconfirm shipping documents email scam is a phishing scam that is aimed at impersonating a legitimate company and tricking the receiver into sharing their personal details. The scammer who is the mastermind behind these kinds of activity sends out mass emails to an illegally procured email list as a shipping company like FedEx or Bluedart. The email you receive will state that they are reaching out on behalf of the company and have been contacting you regarding your shipment. The message in the mail will say that you need to confirm the details as soon as possible; otherwise, the goods won’t get dispatched.

The email will also come with some attached files, which are in PDF or HTML format. All of these files will be renamed as invoices, payment slips, or any other files that will be relevant to shipping. And once you try to open these documents, it will ask for some sensitive information such as login credentials, passwords, and personal financial information. This information can then be used by scammers to make fraudulent purchases and even steal the identity of the receiver. If you click on any such attachment then you can run an antivirus scan using any antivirus that may be installed (TotalAV is my favorite ) which can detect and prevent the malware from stealing your personal information.

It is similar to FastSupport Scam or Summon to Court for Pedophilia scam where cybercriminals disguise themselves as an reputed authority.

How to detect Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email Scam

With a lot of emails and advertisements pouring into the inbox daily, it becomes quite difficult for people to spot any scam email. However, there are some ways that will help you find the Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email Scam in a few easy steps:

Check the sender’s email ID

Have a look at the sender’s email address. The email id that the scammer will use will probably be a generic or a cheap copy of the original one. The name of the email will also not match with the company’s official domain name. For instance, instead of support@dtdc.com , they will use names like noreply@dtdc-courier.com or dtdc@delivery-support.com .

Check the File’s extensions

Have a close look at the extensions of the files that are attached to the email. The files may have extensions such as .zip, .exe, .bat., and .scr. Files with these extensions have a probability of containing malware that can be used to infect the device of the receiver and steal the data in the device. The files may also have external links leading to the company’s fake websites, which can ask you to enter sensitive information that can then be used for fraudulent activities.

Check the tone

Look at the tone of the mail, the tone will have a tone of urgency, and you might find a lot of words like immediately, “Do this before the goods are dispatched”, or “The shipping will be delayed if not sent on time”. The scammer will also lead with messages such as, “If not sent on time, the goods will not be dispatched”.

Look at the Grammar

Now observe the spellings of the words that are used in the mail. They may have grammar or spelling errors. The mail will have poor use of punctuation, word choice will be poor, and the capitalisation of some words will be off. And you might also find the use of a lot of abbreviations in the message, like – “send your documents ASAP”.

Comes with suspicious links in the Mail

There is a high probability that the scam mail will be containing a link that will not lead to the brand’s website. So if you find anything suspicious, contact the brand directly and verify the details.

How to prevent Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email Scam

You can save yourself from Reconfirm Shipping Documents Email Scam by following these tips:

Mark it as spam

Almost every online email service, such as Gmail, will mark suspicious mail as spam. And if it does not mark it, you can mark it as spam so any other future email from the same user will not reach you directly.

Clear out your Spam Folder

Gmail has a dedicated spam folder where it automatically directs emails that it identifies suspicious emails . However, keep your spam folder empty to save yourself from accidentally opening any such scam emails.

Unsubscribe from unwanted e-mail campaigns

While browsing on the internet, you might have come across various websites that offer free newsletters if you provide them with your email id. These emails may include marketing campaigns such as launch of new products or information about a sale and can bombard your inbox easily. However, scammers can also impersonate these companies and send fake emails containing malicious content. You can save yourself from any such emails by tapping on the unsubscribe button at the bottom.

Bottomline

All the tips mentioned in the previous section will help you in saving yourself from any such scams. But if you click on any such email by mistake, you need to have a strong antivirus to protect yourself at all times. This software is available for both Android and Windows devices, and you can install it to save yourself from malware attacks.

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