Avoid getting scammed by fake "Money Order Check" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Money Order Check"?
After reviewing the "Money Order Check" letter, we determined that it is a phishing email that also aims to scam recipients out of their money.
This spam mail is presented as a letter from Jill Biden – the first lady of the United States, the wife of Joe Biden – the 46th president of the United States. The email states that the funds the recipient was entitled to but unable to collect will be reissued; the sum is reduced yet still in the multimillion range.
It must be stressed that all these claims are false, and this mail is in no way associated with the US president, the First Lady, or any legitimate governmental or philanthropic entities.
"Money Order Check" email scam overview
The scam email with the subject "Attention" (may vary) is presented as a missive from the first lady of the United States – Jill Biden. Supposedly, the sender's husband – president Joe Biden – had signed a release clause on the recipient's pending fund, which is worth 20,500,000 USD.
Information has come to light that the recipient was unable to pay the necessary charges in 2021, 2022, and even 2023 due to their financial circumstances. The sender claims to have requested that the president and the cabinet reissue a "money Order Check" with 15,500,000 USD to compensate the recipient.
Demands have been made that the recipient appear in person in Washington, DC – to collect the check within three work days. If they cannot make it, an attorney will be hired on their behalf, and their services will cost 100 USD.
As mentioned in the introduction, all information provided by this spam email is false, and this mail is in no way associated with any real individuals or entities.
The recipient is requested to pay the bogus attorney fees by purchasing a 100 USD worth iTunes, Apple, Steam, or Sephora gift card. The letter instructs to scratch off the hidden area to reveal the card's codes, take a photo of the card, and then attach the picture to the response email.
Scammers commonly ask for gift cards; typically, they resell the codes. It must be mentioned that victims of this type of scam cannot retrieve their funds. Gift cards cannot be returned, and redeemed cards cannot be reused.
Additionally, the "Money Order Check" spam email targets personally identifiable details. The recipient is asked to provide their full name, birthdate, birthplace, occupation, home address, and mobile phone number, as well as send a copy of their ID card.
This sensitive information can be used to steal the victim's identity and carry out a variety of nefarious deeds. It is pertinent to mention that successfully scammed victims are often targeted repeatedly.
In summary, by trusting an email like "Money Order Check" – users can experience serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
If you have already provided your private data to scammers (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.
| Name | "Money Order Check" spam email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient can collect their $15.500.000 check by going to Washington, DC or paying $100 for an attorney to send it to them. |
| Disguise | Email sender claims to be Jill Biden – the first lady of the United States |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Spam campaigns in general
We have analyzed thousands of spam emails; "JPMorgan Chase Online Security Department", "Microsoft Ending Promotion Award", "Cloud Voicemail", "McAfee Has Successfully Renewed Your Membership", "Password Was Compromised Through A Legitimate Website", "Deceased Relative", "WebMail Server Manager", and "Shipping Bills & Export Declaration Form" are just some examples of our newest finds.
Various schemes are promoted through spam. This mail likewise uses a broad range of scam models to gain and subsequently abuse victims' trust.
These letters can promise exorbitant sums (e.g., governmental payouts, tax reimbursements, inheritances, philanthropic efforts, lotteries, etc.), notify of subscription expiration/renewal, offer tech support, alert of account issues, blackmail with nonexistent explicit material, etc.
Aside from scam promotion, spam mail is also used to proliferate malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, etc.). These emails can be nebulous and riddled with inconsistencies/errors or be competently disguised as messages from legitimate companies, service providers, organizations, authorities, and other entities.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam emails/messages can include malicious files as attachments or download links. These files come in various formats, e.g., documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.
Upon opening, a virulent file initiates the system infection chain. However, some formats may require additional actions to trigger malware download/installation processes. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click embedded links or files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Due to how widespread and potentially well-made spam mail can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution with incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages. Attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be infectious.
Another recommendation is to use post-2010 Microsoft Office versions since their "Protected View" mode prevents automatic macro command execution.
However, it must be mentioned that malware is not proliferated exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, we also advise being careful while browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content typically appears legitimate and harmless.
Furthermore, all downloads must be performed from official and verified sources. What is more, all programs must be activated and updated using genuine functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updates may contain malware.
We must emphasize the importance of having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. Security software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats. 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 "Money Order Check" spam email letter:
Subject: Attention
Attention
I am sending you this message as directed by my Husband. Please read with your good understanding and avoid any sentiment.
My Husband the President of the United States of America Dr.Joe Biden has signed a release clause on your pending fund the sum of USD20, 500 000.00. In this regard it was told that you were unable to pay some delivering/routine charges leveled on the fund for the year 2021/2022 and 2023 due to your financial position.
However, with my position as the First Lady of the United States of America, I have pleaded to my Husband and the rest of his Cabinet to re-issue you a money Order Check of at least USD15.500 000.00 as a compensation over your struggles and troubles this transaction may have caused you, and as God may have it, my Husband signed this request on 27/08/2023 and as I speak to you right now, your Money Order Check worth a total sum of USD15. 500 000.00 is ready and should be delivered to your home address with immediate effect. Am so sorry for not having informed you all these while, I had a very tight schedule but right now I have made out time to work on this and I appreciate if you put your time and effort for us to achieve a successful end.
Furthermore, the White House Cabinet being more skeptical about this have demanded that you come over to Washington DC to sign for collection of your money Order Check and also for them to verify your details and Identity, upon completing this scenario they will release it to you and will help you cash it out from any Bank or USPS office nearby. Please I will appreciate your effort to find a way to come over here in DC within 3 working days, and in other hand I will also like you to let me know if you cannot come over here in DC for some personal reasons, then I will hire Attorney who will help you sign for the collection on your behalf and he will bring it down to your location but it will cost you only the sum of $100 to hire Attorney who will help you sign the on your behalf.
This is a very important message and it requires your frantic effort and commitment. My primary objectives are to help the less privileged and to put smiles on the faces of people all over the world. Yes it is true that my Husband may have not been a good President because no one is above mistakes, but my work is to make things look good and to reshape his Presidential tenor to be acceptable before the entire American citizens and the World at large.
The president immunity waiver certificate number will be attached in your consignment so that airport authority will know that President immunity covers your fund. Finally, I want you to reply this message with sincerity and avoid any negative thoughts or whatsoever. I have been to some part of the World, including Africa, Middle East, Asia, Europe and South America etc...I have been able to put smiles on the Faces of their respective citizens and I am looking forward to do the same to you. Just buy $100 iTune card or steam wallet card or Apple gift card or Sephora card to cover the payment.scratch it and attached the picture to this email.
I have attached the scanned copy of my id card to you. Try and fill out your personal details including your, Full name, Home address, Occupation, Date of Birth, Place of Birth and Mobile number and also copy of your ID if there is any. Thanks and may the Lord be with you and your entire Family.
Best regards
Jill Biden Ponders Whether 'America Missed an Opportunity' When
Husband Didn't Run - ABC News
Mrs. Jill Biden
Appearance of the "Money Order Check" spam email (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is "Money Order Check" spam 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?
Spam emails are not personal. Cyber criminals distribute this mail in massive campaigns with the hopes that at least some recipients will fall for their scams.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided scammers with your private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans/photos, credit card numbers, etc.) – contact relevant authorities without delay. And if you've disclosed your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Opening/Reading an email is harmless. Devices are infected when a malicious attachment or link is opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
If the opened file was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes – the system was compromised. However, you might have avoided an infection if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.). These formats may require extra actions to jumpstart malware download/installation chains (e.g., enabling macro commands, clicking embedded files/links, etc.).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and eliminating practically all known malware infections. It is noteworthy that performing a full system scan is essential since sophisticated malicious software typically hides deep within systems.
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