Avoid getting scammed by fake "AliExpress Package" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of email is "AliExpress Package"?
Following our review, we determined that the "AliExpress Package" email is spam. This fake message claims that the recipient's purchase from AliExpress is pending delivery. They are urged to schedule it through a phishing website that targets personally-identifiable and finance-related information.
"AliExpress Package" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "Shipment Pending - AliExpress Package" (may vary) is presented as a delivery notification from AliExpress. The letter states that the package is waiting for delivery. The recipient is encouraged to use the provided tracking code and subscribe to the push notifications, thus scheduling shipping and avoiding delays.
It must be emphasized that the information in this email is false, and the mail in question is not associated with the AliExpress online retail platform or any other legitimate entities.
After clicking the "SCHEDULE YOUR DELIVERY" button, we were redirected to a bogus AliExpress shipping site. The webpage continues with the charade and requests that the recipient make delivery choices (e.g., home/work location, work days/ weekends, etc.). This website also asks permission to display browser notification spam.
Once all the selections were made and we pressed the "Enter your delivery information" button, it resulted in a redirect to a different webpage. This phishing site targets the following personally identifiable information – first and last name, full home address, email, and telephone number. It also seeks credit card details – number, expiry date, and CVV.
Obtaining this vulnerable data is sufficient for cyber criminals to steal the victims' identities. Additionally, the financial details can be used to facilitate fraudulent transactions and online purchases.
If you have already disclosed this sensitive private information to scammers – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.
| Name | "AliExpress Package" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient's AliExpress package is pending delivery. |
| Disguise | AliExpress |
| Related Domains | webcaves[.]info, dailyprizegiveawaydeals[.]com |
| Detection Names (webcaves[.]info) | Netcraft (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (webcaves[.]info) | 172.67.169.15 |
| Detection Names (dailyprizegiveawaydeals[.]com) | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (dailyprizegiveawaydeals[.]com) | 104.21.9.192 |
| 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. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
We have investigated thousands of spam emails; "Temu - Pending Package Delivery", "DHL Express - Incomplete Delivery Address", "Email Authentication Expires", and "Adobe Scan email scam" are merely a few examples of ones used for phishing.
Spam is used to promote various scams, and it is even utilized in malware distribution. These emails can be plain and full of mistakes, or they may be competently disguised as messages from genuine companies, service providers, organizations, authorities, and other entities.
Due to how prevalent spam mail is – we strongly recommend being careful with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Malware is commonly spread through spam campaigns. Deceptive emails and messages can include malicious files as attachments or download links. Infectious files can be documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.
Upon opening, such a file starts the malware download/installation process. Some formats may require additional actions to jumpstart system infection chains. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click on embedded files/links.
How to avoid installation of malware?
We advise being cautious with incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages. Attachments or links found in suspect mail must not be opened, as they can be malicious. We recommend using post-2010 Microsoft Office versions since their "Protected View" mode prevents automatic macro command execution.
However, malware is not proliferated only through spam mail. Therefore, we also advise being vigilant while browsing, as fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears genuine and innocuous.
Another recommendation is to download only from official and verified channels. Additionally, all programs must be activated and updated using legitimate functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updaters may contain malware.
We must stress the importance of having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. Security software must be used to perform 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 "AliExpress Package" email letter:
Subject: Shipment Pending - AliExpress Package
AliExpress
Get Your AliExpress Package
YOUR PACKAGE IS ON THE WAY
You have (1) package waiting for delivery. Use your code to track your package and get it delivered before Christmas. Schedule your delivery now and subscribe to our push notification to avoid this delay again.
SCHEDULE YOUR DELIVERY
AliExpress
Track all your shipments in one place and get automatic updates on all your deliveries.
SCHEDULE YOUR DELIVERY
Screenshot of the fake AliExpress website promoted by this spam email (webcaves[.]info):
Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the previous site (dailyprizegiveawaydeals[.]com):
Appearance of the phishing websites promoted by the "AliExpress Package" spam campaign (GIF):
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:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner
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 read more.
Quick menu:
- What is "AliExpress Package" phishing 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?
Cyber criminals distribute spam emails in mass-scale operations – hence, thousands of users receive identical messages.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have disclosed your ID card details, passport scans/photos, credit card numbers, or other private information – immediately contact relevant authorities. However, if they provided data were your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, reading an email is harmless. Systems are compromised when malicious attachments or links are opened.
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 – your device was infected. However, you might have avoided this if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.). These formats can require additional user interaction to initiate malware download/installation processes (e.g., enabling macro commands, clicking embedded content, etc.).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to remove all manner of threats. It can detect and eliminate practically all known malware infections. It must be emphasized that running a complete system scan is essential since sophisticated malicious programs typically hide deep within systems.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion