How to prevent email scams like "Looking For Business To Invest"

What kind of scam is "Looking For Business To Invest"?

We have determined that this letter is an investment scam email. The individuals behind this scam purport to be interested in investing in a business and request the recipient's assistance with receiving and securing funds. Such scam emails are frequently used to obtain money and (or) personal information from unsuspecting users.

More about the "Looking For Business To Invest" scam email

This email claims that a person named Rusadabraka O. Mark, from Moscow, Russia, expresses interest in investing in a profitable business. He proposes to invest $25,000,000 in a business idea and request assistance in receiving and securing the funds. He asks for any viable business ideas and indicates that he will provide more details upon receiving a response.

Typically, the individuals perpetuating investment scams promise high returns, easy money, and guaranteed profits. Their goal is to deceive recipients into providing personal information, such as credit card details, identification documents, social security numbers, or other sensitive information, or transferring money to them.

However, those who fall for these scams never see any financial gain. Instead, they lose money, and by providing personal information to scammers, they risk having their identities stolen, their online accounts compromised, and more. Therefore, suspicious emails offering easy money must be ignored.

Similar scam emails in general

It is common for scam emails to be disguised as official/important/urgent letters from real people, legitimate companies, organizations, or other entities. Typically, they are used to extract sensitive information or money (including cryptocurrency). They often include links to phishing websites (e.g., fake pages prompting to provide login information).

Examples of scam emails are "Investment Into Building Homes For Orphans", "Attached Payment Invoice", and "Update Your Email Account Scam". It is important to mention that emails sent by cybercriminals can be used to deliver malware.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Cybercriminals often use emails to deceive users into downloading and installing malware on their computers. These emails contain malicious attachments or links that, when opened, infect computers with malware. The attackers aim to lure recipients into executing the malware via opened attachments or links.

Examples of files that are used to spread malware usually include malicious executable files, JavaScript files, archive files (such as ZIP or RAR), ISO images, Microsoft Office documents, and PDFs.

How to avoid installation of malware?

It is important to thoroughly investigate emails before opening any links or attachments. Be wary of emails from unknown senders, as they can contain malware. Do not open files downloaded from unofficial websites, third-party downloaders, or P2P networks to avoid infection. Instead, only download software from reputable sources such as official websites and app stores.

Also, keep your computer (the operating system and installed applications) up-to-date to protect your computer from malware. Using reputable antivirus software and regularly scanning a computer for threats is also recommended.

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 "Looking For Business To Invest" email letter:

Subject: Hello

Dear Friend,
My name is Rusadabraka O. Mark. I’m from Moscow’, the State of Russia.
I’m interested in investing in any good profitable yielding business and
I would appreciate any viable ideas you could come up with. I’m proposing
to invest the sum of Twenty Five Million United States Dollars ($25,000,000
USD).I don’t know if you can be of help to me and trusted for this. In
recent times, the Russian and Ukrainian government have been having issues and as a
result I will need your assistance to receive and secure the fund for me. I
will give you more details once I receive your response.  

Regards,
Mr. Rusadabraka O. Mark.

Another example of an email from "Looking For Business To Invest" spam campaign:

Text presented within:

Subject: A BUSINESS/INVESTMENT COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITY

 

A BUSINESS/INVESTMENT COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITY

Attention: CEO/DIRECTOR,

I am writing based on the information about your e-mail which I got from the foreign office of South African Chamber of Commerce

Allow me this opportunity to introduce myself and the purpose of this proposal. I am Dr Bongani David Bongo, Member of Contract and Business Forum, which is a team for a rural community consortium here in South Africa formed for the sole purpose of bidding for a lucrative infrastructural project from the current government here in South Africa.

I am reaching you in my private capacity, regarding various opportunities in infrastructural development that we both can benefit immensely from. A brief background of myself, I do belong to the ruling party here in South Africa's current democratic government. I am an active member in good standing till date for more than thirty years.

Due to my activism and close connection to top members of the governing party, some of us happen to have privileges to lucrative contracts from the government on infrastructural development through a private rural community consortium, formed as a vehicle for this purpose. I am a full-time politician and also a business executive.

My reason for contacting you, is to solicit your candid assistance in collaborating with me through this consortium as a foreign company sub-contractor, to enable the facilitation of payment release of some lucrative contracts awarded to us and which has also been executed. These executed contracts were over invoiced during the bidding and award process, through the assistance of our inside contacts at the Chief Procurement Officer's office at national treasury, who is a comrade.

Full details of this opportunity will be unfolded to you, including the amounts involved once I have a positive indication of your willingness to collaborate with me through our consortium in facilitating the payment release.

My assurance to you, is that every of your involvement with me on this collaboration, will be transparent and 100% risk free I am a member of the ruling party, as all we need to do is have your company as a foreign sub-contracting partner company to our consortium to legitimize the total contract amount which will include the over invoiced portion.

Kindly do let me know of your willingness to collaborate with me, by a reply email to this effect.

Sincerely Yours

Dr Bongani David Bongo
Member of Contract and Business Forum
RE: CONTRACT PARTNERSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

Another example of investment-themed spam email:

Text presented within:

Subject: confidential business proposal

GOOD DAY;

I'm Cindy Fenol. The only Daughter of Late John Fenol.
I am 28 years old girl, an orphan.  I lost my Dad when I was  25, and my mother left me when i was 5 and ran away with another man, I Lives all my life with my father , The greatest surprise is that He left  approximately (USD6,500,000,000)  Six Billion Five Hundred Million Dollars in a Global Financial LTD IN TURKEY.
 

I would like to invest the fund in your country with your consent, cooperation, support, advice and help.Secondly, if you fully agree to work with me to this end, please kindly express your interest by replying to me so that I can provide you with the necessary information and details on how to proceed.
I am willing to offer you 25% of the total amount of money on the final release to your custody or to your bank account.

Awaiting your urgent reply.

My best regards to you and your whole family.
i need your guidance

I have  also  attached my ID for record purposes.

Many Thanks,

Cindy Fenol

Another example of an email from "Looking For Business To Invest" spam campaign:

Text presented within:

Subject: From Mrs Aisha Al-Qaddafi;

 

Dear Friend

How are you doing today, I came across your e-mail contact prior a private search while in need of your assistance. I hope my mail meet you in good condition of health? Dear I have decided to contact you after much thought considering the fact that we have not meet before, but because of some circumstance obliged me, I decided to contact you due to the urgency of my present situation here for your rescue and also for a business venture/project which I need your assistant in this business establishment in your country as my foreign partner as well as my legal appointed trustee.

I am Aisha Muammar Gaddafi, the only daughter of the embattled president of Libya, Hon. Muammar Gaddafi. Am a single Mother and a Widow, I am writing this mail with tears and sorrow from my heart asking for your urgent help, I have passed through pains and sorrowful moment since the death of my late father.

At the meantime, my family is the target of Western nations led by Nato who wants to destroy my father at all costs. Our investments and bank accounts in several countries are their targets to freeze. My Father of blessed memory deposited the sum of eighteen million, Two Hundred Thousand, Dollars ($18.200.000.00) in Central Bank Of Africa Burkina Faso which he used my name as the next of kin. I have been commissioned by the Bank to present an interested foreign investor/partner who can stand as my trustee and receive the fund in his account for a possible investment in his country due to my status not being able to invest the money in my family name because of the sanction imposed on my family name by the international communities.

I am in search of an honest and reliable person who will help me and stand as my trustee so that I will present him to the Bank for the transfer of the fund to his bank account overseas. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust. But rather take me as your own sister or daughter. I am willing to negotiate investment /business profit sharing ratio with you base on the future investment earning profits. Apologetic for my pictures I will enclose it in my next mail and more about me when I hear from you okay.

Best Regard
Yours Sincerely.
Aisha Al-Qaddafi.

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:

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.

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

---

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

---

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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Scammers sent this email to a large number of people. It means that this letter is not personal.

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

If you have provided login information (a username and a password or other login credentials), change all passwords as soon as possible. Contact corresponding authorities if scammers have obtained other personal information (such as credit card details, ID card information, social security numbers, or other details).

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

It depends on the type of file that you have opened. For instance, opening executables usually infects computers immediately. However, malicious MS Office documents can only infect computers if macros commands are enabled after opening malicious documents.

I have read the email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?

No, opening emails is harmless. Computers get infected via malicious attachments or links within emails.

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

Combo Cleaner will run a system scan and remove detected threats. It can detect almost any malware. Users must run a full system scan to remove high-end (advanced) malware since malware of this kind can hide deep.