Do not get scammed by :Coloquei malware no site adulto email

What is "Coloquei malware no site adulto" email?

"Coloquei malware no site adulto" ("I put malware on the adult site") is an email scam targeting Portuguese users. The scheme uses the sextortion scam model to extort money from recipients through blackmailing them with threats to expose their sexual activity.

The message claims that the user's device has been hacked and exploited to obtain compromising material (via the webcam). It warns victims that should they fail to pay a specified sum, this content will be publicized. "Coloquei malware no site adulto" is simply a scam, the alleged material (videos) does not exist, and the user's system has not been infected.

According to a rough translation, the message urges recipients not to ignore it, if they value their privacy. It claims that users' devices have been infected with malware (spyware to be exact), which has originated from an adult-themed site. The individuals responsible for this infection state that they have recorded users via their webcams while they were visiting adult websites.

Additionally, the scammers have apparently made screenshots of the content, which was being viewed at the time. After this blackmail material had been gathered, the (nonexistent) malware had supposedly collected the user's email, messenger and social media contact lists.

The message declares that as this compromising content has already been exfiltrated and cannot be deleted by reinstalling the OS (Operating System).

The scam demands that recipients pay 7,690 GBP (approximately equivalent to 10,000 USD at the time of writing) in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, otherwise the videos will be sent to all of their contacts (email, messaging platform, Facebook and other social media accounts).

Furthermore, the recorded material will be published online: YouTube and similar sites. The message recommends that victims search YouTube and/or use a search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) to find out how to acquire Bitcoins, if they are unfamiliar with this digital currency.

The recipients supposedly have eight hours to make the transaction from the moment they open the email. If they pay, the (fictitious) content is destroyed and the scammers promise to never contact them again. Users are warned that reporting this to the authorities can block the cryptowallet, which will allegedly force publication of videos made of all victims who are yet to pay.

Thus implying that the recipient will be responsible for compromising not only their integrity, but others as well. The scammers inform users to only make contact to reconfirm the Bitcoin address and/or to make similar queries, since they are supposedly using a hacked and compromised email account.

Note: all claims made in "Coloquei malware no site adulto" are false. Recipients' devices have not been hacked/infected, no data has been stolen and no compromising material exists.

This email is merely a scam and should be ignored. Regardless of the validity of claims made by cyber criminals, you are strongly advised against meeting their ransom demands. They cannot be trusted and there are no guarantees that these criminals will hold up their end of the bargain.

Deceptive emails are sent during mass scale scam campaigns. A wide variety of scam models are used to trick users into performing certain tasks such as making monetary transactions, revealing personal information, downloading/installing/purchasing untrustworthy or malicious software and so on.

"I KNOW YOU OPENED MY LAST MAIL", "The last time you visited a Porn website", "Hacker Who Has Access To Your Operating System" and "Looked at you for several months" are some examples of other email scams similar to "Coloquei malware no site adulto".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Systems are infected via dangerous files attached to and/or linked in deceptive emails. The messages are usually disguised as "urgent", "official", "important" or otherwise marked as priority mail. These files can be in various formats including Microsoft Office and PDF documents, executables (.exe, .run) and archives (RAR, ZIP), JavaScript, etc.

Once an infectious file is opened, the infection process is initiated and it begins downloading/installing malware. For example, MS Office docs cause infections by executing malicious macro commands. Opening these documents with MS versions released prior to 2010 is enough to start the infection.

Newer versions ask users permission to enable macros (i.e., enable editing) - the malicious software installation begins only if they are enabled.

How to avoid installation of malware

Do not open suspicious and/or irrelevant emails, especially those received from unknown addresses. Any attachments or links present in suspect messages must never be opened, as these files are potential sources of infection.

Use only official and verified download channels, as opposed to Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, free file-hosting websites, third party downloaders and other untrustworthy sources. Programs must be activated and updated with tools/functions provided by legitimate developers.

Illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third party updaters are high-risk and should not be used. Have a reputable anti-virus/anti-spyware suite installed and kept up-to-date. This software is to be used for regular system scans and removal of detected 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 "Coloquei malware no site adulto" email message:

Subject: ::RESPONDA AGORA: MENSAGEM URGENTE

 

Acho que você es=á se perguntando por que está recebendo este e-mail, certo? Seria alt=mente benéfico para sua privacidade se você não a ignorasse.
Coloquei um malwar= em um site adulto (… P… 0… r… n) e, ao visitar e=assistir ao vídeo, seu dispositivo foi afetado, colocando um spyware em=sua máquina. Que gravou vocês dois com webcam e captura de tela enquanto você se divertia, me permitindo ver exatamente o que você vê=
Isso também afet=u seu smartphone por meio de um expl0it. Portanto, não pense por um min=to que você pode contornar isso reinstalando o sistema operacional. Voc=EA já foi gravado.
Depois disso, meus=malwares coletaram todos os seus mensageiros, e-mails e contatos de redes=sociais.
Acho que não sã= boas notícias, certo?
Mas não se preoc=pe, há uma maneira de corrigir esse problema de privacidade. Tudo o que=eu preciso é de um pagamento em Bitcoin de £7,690.00 GBP, o que eu acho que é um preço justo, consideran=o as circunstâncias.
O endereço do=Bitcoin para efetuar o pagamento é: 13j2z2t6F59qndXekHwqvazgnFDNsUyqkt
NOTA: Lembre-se de=reconfirmar o endereço de Bitcoin conosco antes de fazer o pagamento pa=a evitar fazer o pagamento duas vezes.
Se você não en=ende o bitcoin, acesse o YouTube e pesquise "como comprar bitcoin&qu=t; ou o google para "bitcoins locais", é muito fácil fazê=lo.
Você tem apenas =8 horas depois de ler este e-mail para enviar o pagamento. Esteja avisado=quando você abriu e leu este e-mail. Coloquei uma imagem em pixel dentr= dele. O que me permite saber quando você abriu a mensagem exatamente que dia e hora)
Se você decidir =gnorar este e-mail, não terei outra opção a não ser encaminhar o =ídeo para todos os contatos coletados que você possui na sua conta de=e-mail, postar nas suas contas de mídia social e enviar como uma mensagem pessoal a todos os contatos do Facebook . e, é claro,=disponibilize o vídeo publicamente na Internet, via YouTube e sites adu=tos. considerando sua reputação, duvido muito que você queira ser e=posto a sua família / amigos / colegas de trabalho durante esse período atual.
Você pode realme=te ir à polícia, mas essas pessoas provavelmente não farão nada, = coisa mais significativa que podem fazer é trancar minha carteira e vo=ê privará outras pessoas da oportunidade de me pagar. Então pense duas vezes antes de fazer coisas tolas.
Se eu receber o pa=amento, todo o material será destruído e você nunca mais terá not=EDcias minhas. Se eu não receber meus fundos por praticamente qualque= motivo, como a incapacidade de enviar dinheiro para uma carteira na lista negra - sua reputação será destruída. Entã= seja rápido.
Lembre-se, aqui=está o endereço do Bitcoin para efetuar o pagamento : 13j2z2t6F59qndXekHwqvazgnFDN=Uyqkt
Responda apenas pa=a reconfirmar o endereço do Bitcoin para pagamento ou se você tiver d=FAvidas sobre como efetuar o pagamento, clique em responder. Não tente =ntrar em contato comigo porque estou usando um e-mail de vítima que foi invadido e exposto.

Aviso de Confidencialidad:

Toda la informacion contenida en este mensaje es confidencial y de uso exc=usivo
de COSAPI S.A. su divulgacion, copia, adulteracion o cualquier otro tipo d= accion
estan prohibidas y solo debe ser conocida por la persona a quien se dirige=este
mensaje.
Si Ud. ha recibido este mensaje por error por favor proceda a eliminarlo y=notificar
al remitente.

(Tildes omitidas intencionalmente)

Another variant of "Coloquei Malware No Site Adulto" scam email:

Text presented within:

Subject: Mensagem urgente: responda agora
 
Acho que você está se perguntando por que está recebendo este e-mail, certo? Seria altamente benéfico para sua privacidade se você não a ignorasse.
Coloquei um malware em um site adulto (… P… 0… r… n) e, ao visitar e assistir ao vídeo, seu dispositivo foi afetado, colocando um spyware em sua máquina. Que gravou vocês dois com webcam e captura de tela enquanto você se divertia, permitindo que eu visse exatamente o que você vê.
 
Isso também afetou seu smartphone por meio de um expl0it. Portanto, não pense por um minuto que você pode contornar isso reinstalando o sistema operacional. Você já foi gravado.
Depois disso, meus malwares coletaram todos os seus mensageiros, e-mails e contatos de redes sociais.
 
Acho que não são boas notícias, certo?
Mas não se preocupe, há uma maneira de corrigir esse problema de privacidade. Tudo o que eu preciso é de um pagamento em Bitcoin de £2,960.00 GBP, o que eu acho que é um preço justo, considerando as circunstâncias.
 
O endereço do Bitcoin para efetuar o pagamento é: 1Hjpxh59r5wUgt2f11W5Vew1SGKRYY1XgL
 
NOTA: Lembre-se de reconfirmar o endereço de Bitcoin conosco antes de fazer o pagamento para evitar fazer o pagamento duas vezes.
 
Se você não entende o bitcoin, acesse o YouTube e pesquise "como comprar bitcoin" ou o google por "bitcoins locais", é muito fácil fazê-lo.
 
Você tem apenas 48 horas depois de ler este e-mail para enviar o pagamento (esteja avisado quando sei que você abriu e leu este e-mail, coloquei uma imagem em pixel dentro dele. O que me permite saber quando você abriu a mensagem exatamente que dia e hora)
 
Se você decidir ignorar este e-mail, não terei outra opção a não ser encaminhar o vídeo para todos os contatos coletados que você possui na sua conta de e-mail, postar nas suas contas de mídia social e enviar como uma mensagem pessoal a todos os contatos do Facebook . e, é claro, disponibilize o vídeo publicamente na Internet, via YouTube e sites adultos. considerando sua reputação, duvido muito que você queira ser exposto a sua família / amigos / colegas de trabalho durante esse período atual.
 
Você pode realmente ir à polícia, mas essas pessoas provavelmente não farão nada, a coisa mais importante que podem fazer é trancar minha carteira e você privará outras pessoas da oportunidade de me pagar. Então pense duas vezes antes de fazer coisas tolas.
 
Se eu receber o pagamento, todo o material será destruído e você nunca mais terá notícias minhas. Se eu não receber meus fundos por praticamente qualquer motivo, como a incapacidade de enviar dinheiro para uma carteira na lista negra - sua reputação será destruída. Então seja rápido.
 
Lembre-se, aqui está o endereço do Bitcoin para efetuar o pagamento - 1Hjpxh59r5wUgt2f11W5Vew1SGKRYY1XgL
 
Responda apenas para reconfirmar o endereço de Bitcoin para pagamento ou se você tiver dúvidas sobre como efetuar o pagamento, clique em responder. Não tente entrar em contato comigo porque estou usando um e-mail de vítima que foi hackeado e exposto.

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Types of malicious emails:

If you opened an attachment or downloaded a file from a suspicious email, run a full system scan with Combo Cleaner. If you only received the email and didn't engage with it, you don't need to scan anything - just identify the scam and delete it. The full procedure below covers both situations and what to do if you already clicked, replied, or sent money.

Credential theft Phishing emails

Fake login pages disguised as PayPal, Microsoft, Apple, banks, or social networks. The email pushes a link to a near-perfect copy of the real login screen. The moment you type your username and password, the attacker has them.

Common subject lines

• "Action required: confirm your account"
• "Your password expires today"
• "Unusual sign-in attempt detected"
• "Verify your billing information"

Malware delivery Emails with malicious attachments

Trojans hidden inside fake invoices, faxes, shipping confirmations, or Office documents. Opening the attachment runs the payload and infects the system - often with an info-stealer or remote-access trojan.

Common subject lines

• "Invoice INV-2026-XXXX attached"
• "Fax received - 3 pages"
• "Your shipping document is ready"
• "Voicemail from +1-XXX-XXX-XXXX"

Extortion Sextortion emails

Fake claims of webcam recordings demanding cryptocurrency. Almost always a bluff: the attacker pulls a real password from an old data breach to make the threat look credible, then claims to have video of you. They have no recording and no access.

Common subject lines

• "I know your password is XXXX"
• "Your account has been hacked"
• "I have recorded you - 48 hours to pay"
• "You have been compromised"

Callback fraud Refund & callback scams

"Your subscription was renewed for $499 - call to cancel." Norton, McAfee, Geek Squad, PayPal, and Wells Fargo variants are all common. There's no real subscription. The phone number in the email connects directly to the scammer, who walks you through "refunding" yourself - which is actually them stealing money from your bank.

Common subject lines

• "Norton subscription auto-renewed - $499.99"
• "McAfee Total Protection invoice"
• "Geek Squad order confirmation"
• "Your PayPal payment is being processed"

Credential theft Account suspension & verification scams

"Your account will be deleted in 24 hours - verify now." The artificial deadline is the whole point: it pressures you to click before checking details. The "verify" link goes to a phishing page styled to look like the real provider.

Common subject lines

• "Your account will be deleted in 24 hours"
• "Suspicious activity detected - verify now"
• "Final warning: account closure"
• "Action required to keep your account active"

Mixed payload Delivery & package scams

Fake DHL, USPS, UPS, or FedEx tracking, customs fees, or "package undeliverable" notices. Targets anyone expecting a parcel - the timing alone catches many people. The link hides either phishing (asking for card details to "release" the package) or a malware download.

Common subject lines

• "Your DHL package is held at customs"
• "USPS - delivery attempt failed"
• "FedEx tracking update - action required"
• "Pay $2.99 redelivery fee to release your parcel"

Remote access Tech support scams

Fake Microsoft, Apple, or "Windows Defender" security alerts pushing a phone number. Real Microsoft and Apple never email a phone number to call. The number connects you to a scammer who asks for remote access to "fix" the imaginary problem and then demands payment.

Common subject lines

• "Microsoft Defender expired - renew now"
• "Apple ID security alert"
• "Critical: virus detected on your PC"
• "Windows license expired - call now"

Wire fraud Advance-fee scams

Inheritance, lottery wins, romance, or business deals that ask for a small fee to release a much larger sum. The classic "Nigerian prince" 419 family of frauds. Once you pay the first fee, more fees appear (taxes, lawyer, transfer charges) until you stop paying. The promised money never exists.

Common subject lines

• "Inheritance from a relative you didn't know about"
• "You won the international lottery"
• "URGENT - business proposal worth $XX million"
• "Compensation fund release for fraud victims"

Wire fraud Business email compromise (BEC)

CEO impersonation asking employees to wire money or buy gift cards, or fake supplier invoices with newly "updated" bank details for payment redirection. The email often spoofs a real internal executive's display name and uses an external lookalike domain.

Common subject lines

• "Quick task - need you to buy gift cards"
• "Updated banking details for invoice payment"
• "Wire transfer request - urgent"
• "Are you available?" (CEO impersonation opener)

How to spot a malicious email?

Phase 1~ 2 min

Spot - identify the red flags

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1

Check the sender's actual address, not the display name

30 sec

The display name (the human-readable part) is trivial to fake. Always check the full address that comes after it. Common red flags:

• Domain mismatch - service@paypa1.com, support@micros0ft-help.com, look-alike domains using digits or extra hyphens
• Free-email impersonation - any "official" message from a bank, courier, or platform sent from a @gmail.com, @outlook.com, or @yahoo.com address
• Reply-To mismatch - the From address looks legitimate but Reply-To points somewhere completely different

Why this matters

Real companies own their domains and send mail from them. A "DHL" message from a Gmail address is never legitimate, regardless of how convincing the body looks.

2

Watch for urgency, threats, and generic greetings

30 sec

Scams almost always rush you. The point is to make you act before you think. Treat any of the following as a strong signal:

• "Your account will be deleted in 24 hours"
• "Final notice" / "Immediate action required"
• "Dear Customer" or "Dear User" instead of your real name
• Threats of fines, account closure, legal action, or arrest
• Promises of refunds, prizes, or money you didn't earn
• Spelling and grammar mistakes in messages claiming to come from a major brand

3

Hover over every link before clicking

30 sec

On a desktop, hover the mouse over the link without clicking. The real destination shows in the bottom-left status bar of your browser or email client. On a phone, long-press the link to preview the URL.

• Real Microsoft, PayPal, or bank links go to those exact domains, not redirects through unrelated sites
• Shortened URLs (bit.ly, tinyurl, t.co) hide the real destination - never click them in unsolicited mail
• The visible link text and the actual URL must match - mismatches are the single biggest phishing red flag

Pro tip

When in doubt, don't click the link. Open a new browser tab and type the company's address yourself, then log in normally. If there really is an issue with your account, you'll see it there.

4

Treat unexpected attachments as hostile

30 sec

If you didn't ask for the file, don't open it - even if it appears to come from someone you know. Categories that should never be opened from email without verification through another channel:

• .exe, .scr, .iso, .img, .vbs, .bat - executables, never legitimate attachments
• .docx, .xlsx, .pptx with "Enable macros" prompts - the macros run the malware
• .pdf with "Click here to view" buttons - usually a phishing redirect, not a real document
• .zip, .rar, .7z archives, especially password-protected ones - the password defeats the email scanner

Phase 2~ 2 min

Report and delete - if you haven't engaged

---

If you only received the email and didn't reply, click, or open anything, the steps below are all you need. Your computer is not infected.

5

Don't reply, don't click "unsubscribe"

30 sec

Replying confirms your address is real and monitored, which gets you added to higher-value scam lists. The "unsubscribe" link in a scam message is rarely a real opt-out - it usually leads to a phishing page or downloads a tracking pixel.

Instead, mark the message as junk or phishing inside your email client (this trains the spam filter), then block the sender.

6

Report the scam to your email provider and authorities

1 min

Inside your email client:

• Gmail: open the message → ⋮ menu → Report phishing
• Outlook / Outlook.com: ⋯ menu → Report → Report phishing
• Apple Mail / iCloud: Move to Junk, then forward to reportphishing@apple.com

Forward or report to authorities:

• International: forward to reportphishing@apwg.org
• United States: ic3.gov (FBI)
• United Kingdom: forward phishing emails to report@phishing.gov.uk (NCSC SERS); for financial loss report at reportfraud.police.uk (Report Fraud, the successor to Action Fraud; 0300 123 2040)
• Canada: antifraudcentre.ca
• Australia: scamwatch.gov.au
• EU: your national CERT - find yours via the ENISA CSIRT map

After reporting, delete the email and empty the Trash folder so you don't accidentally open it later.

Phase 3~ 10–60 min

Recover - if you already engaged with the scam

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Pick the step below that matches what you did. If multiple apply, work through them in the order they appear - the steps are arranged from lowest to highest risk.

7

You only clicked a link (didn't enter anything or download anything)

Scenario: clicked link only10 min

Close the page right away. Don't enter any information, even if the page looks legitimate.

• Clear your browser cache and cookies for the last hour - Chrome/Edge: Ctrl+Shift+Del → Last hour → check Cookies and Cached files
• Run a quick scan with Combo Cleaner in case the page tried to drop a file silently (drive-by download)
• Update your browser to the latest version - most drive-by exploits target outdated browsers
• Watch for new browser pop-ups, redirects, or unfamiliar notifications over the next few days

Why this matters

Modern browsers block most drive-by attacks, but a single click on a phishing page can still be enough on an outdated browser or unpatched plugin. A quick scan catches anything that landed silently.

8

You opened an attachment or downloaded a file - run a full malware scan

Scenario: opened attachment⚠ Highest risk60–90 min

Opening an attachment is the most common path to actual infection. Treat the system as compromised until the scans below come back clean. Work through these sub-steps in order:

8.1Disconnect from the network

Unplug Ethernet and turn off Wi-Fi. If the attachment was an info-stealer or remote-access trojan, this stops it from sending data out or receiving commands. Keep the network off until you've booted into Safe Mode (next step) - you'll reconnect there briefly to download the scanners.

8.2Boot into Safe Mode with Networking, then download the scanners

Windows 11: Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → press 5 or F5.

Windows 10: hold Shift, click Power → Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → press F5.

Once Safe Mode has loaded, turn Wi-Fi back on and download Combo Cleaner (used in 8.4) and Microsoft Safety Scanner (used in 8.5). Safe Mode loads only minimal drivers, so most malware can't auto-run while you're getting the tools. Save both installers to your Desktop.

8.3Run Microsoft Defender Offline

Reboot to normal Windows. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options. Select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts into a stripped-down environment and scans the disk before Windows fully loads - this is what catches rootkits and bootkits.

Recommended antivirus

Combo Cleaner

VB100 certified. Includes anti-trojan, registry/persistence scanning, and anti-spyware in one pass. The 7-day free trial is available.

Download Combo Cleaner

8.4Run a full Combo Cleaner scan

Install Combo Cleaner and run a full system scan (not the quick scan). Let it complete fully, review what it found, and apply the recommended actions. Combo Cleaner will quarantine known trojans and remove their persistence in the registry.

8.5Run Microsoft Safety Scanner as a second-opinion scan

Download Microsoft Safety Scanner (MSERT.exe). The binary expires every 10 days, which means every download has the latest signatures. Run a full scan after Combo Cleaner to catch anything one engine alone might miss.

8.6Reset browsers and clear notification permissions

Many email-borne trojans drop adware that hijacks browsers. Reset each browser you use:

Chrome: chrome://settings/reset → Restore settings to their original defaults. Then chrome://settings/content/notifications - remove unfamiliar sites.

Edge: edge://settings/reset. Then edge://settings/content/notifications.

Firefox: about:support → Refresh Firefox.

8.7Re-enable Defender, Tamper Protection, and update everything

Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings and confirm Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, and Tamper Protection are all on. Then run Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates and update browsers and applications.

Important

If the scans keep finding new threats on each run, or files reappear after deletion, you may have a deeper compromise that needs a clean Windows reinstall. See pcrisk's full manual malware removal guide for the extended procedure (Process Explorer, Autoruns, hosts file inspection).

9

You entered credentials on a fake login page

Scenario: shared password⚠ Act fast20 min

Assume the attacker has your password and is using it right now. Speed matters.

1. Change the password from a different, known-clean device (your phone is fine if it's not infected). Don't reuse the old password anywhere else.
2. Enable two-factor authentication if you haven't already. Prefer an authenticator app or hardware key over SMS.
3. Sign out of all sessions - most platforms have a "sign out everywhere" option in security settings, which kicks the attacker out.
4. Review recent activity - look for unfamiliar logins, new devices, forwarding rules, or app permissions. Remove anything you don't recognize.
5. Check your other accounts - if you reused that password anywhere else, change it there too. Check your exposure at haveibeenpwned.com.
6. Update security questions - the attacker may have seen the answers in your account profile.

Why email comes first

If you only have time to change one password, change your primary email password - it's the recovery hub for every other account. An attacker who controls your email can reset everything else.

10

You sent money or shared bank, card, or ID details

Scenario: financial loss⚠ Contact bank now30 min

Time is the single biggest factor in recovering money. Banks can sometimes recall a wire or reverse a card transaction within the first few hours.

1. Call your bank or card issuer immediately. Use the number on the back of the card, not any number from the scam email. Ask them to freeze the card, reverse the transaction if possible, and flag the account for fraud monitoring.
2. If you sent a wire transfer or used a money-transfer service (Western Union, MoneyGram, Zelle, Wise), call them directly and request a recall. Some can be reversed within minutes if reported fast.
3. If you sent cryptocurrency or gift cards, recovery is unlikely - but report it anyway, since law enforcement tracks these patterns.
4. File a police report. You'll need the report number for any insurance, bank, or credit-bureau claim. Save the report number.
5. File with the right authority for your country:
   • US: ic3.gov + reportfraud.ftc.gov
   • UK: reportfraud.police.uk (Report Fraud, the successor to Action Fraud; 0300 123 2040)
   • Canada: antifraudcentre.ca
   • Australia: scamwatch.gov.au
   • EU: your national CERT or police cybercrime unit
6. Set fraud alerts on all major credit bureaus if you shared any ID details. US: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion. UK: Experian, Equifax, TransUnion (Cifas Protective Registration is a stronger option).
7. Save all evidence - the original email (with full headers), screenshots of the fake site, transaction records, any phone numbers or chat logs.

Phase 4~ 15 min + 30 days

Verify & monitor

---

11

Final scan and startup-app check

15 min

Reconnect to the network and run one final full scan with Combo Cleaner, followed by a Windows Defender quick scan. Then open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and switch to Startup apps - disable anything unfamiliar.

Make sure Windows, browsers, and any applications you use are fully up to date. The infection vector that worked on you once usually involves outdated software.

12

Monitor accounts and credit for 30 days

5 min/day · 30 days

Most fraud follow-ups land in the first month. Until that window closes, keep watching:

• Bank and card statements - daily for the first week, then weekly
• Email - watch for password-reset confirmations or login alerts you didn't trigger
• Credit report - US: free at annualcreditreport.com; UK: Experian, Equifax, TransUnion all have free tiers
• Breach alerts - sign up at haveibeenpwned.com to be notified when your email appears in new leaks

If anything new appears in any of those, treat it as a continuing compromise: change passwords again, contact the bank again, and update the police report.

Important: If you didn't click anything, didn't reply, and didn't open any attachment, your computer is not infected - just delete the email and move on. If you opened an attachment or downloaded a file, run an automated scan with Combo Cleaner and Windows Defender and stop there. That path catches the vast majority of email-borne malware without the risk of breaking Windows by deleting the wrong file.