How to identify scams like "POLICY AMENDMENT" fake email

What kind of scam is "POLICY AMENDMENT"?

Our team has reviewed the email and discovered that it is designed to extract personal information. Such fraudulent messages are classified as phishing emails. The scammers behind this email include a link to a fake website to trick users into disclosing sensitive details.

More about the "POLICY AMENDMENT" scam email

The phishing email claims to announce upcoming company policy changes. It states that a new Protocol Assessment has been launched for all employees to promote ethical conduct and proper business practices. The message also mentions updates to access control policies and the introduction of a Sustainability Portfolio.

Recipients are urged to click a link labeled "FILL OUT FORM" to review the changes. This link opens a fake Roundcube Webmail login website. On this site, users are instructed to enter their email addresses and passwords (login details), which scammers steal once they are submitted.

When cybercriminals have access to an email account, they can look for personal information within messages, impersonate the victim to send scam emails, and distribute other malicious content. If the victim reuses the same password on other platforms, those accounts become vulnerable too.

If successful, these attacks can cause various issues, such as financial damage, unauthorized use of personal information, privacy breaches, and more. It is crucial to handle suspicious emails carefully and never enter sensitive information on sites included in them.

Similar scam emails in general

These emails are designed to look official and urgent and trick recipients into revealing their login details or other information. They are often created to lure recipients into clicking links to fake websites. It is important to examine unexpected messages and avoid entering personal information on provided websites.

More examples of similar scams are "DocuSign Electronic Signature Request", "Cloud Storage Alert" , and "Access From A New Device To Your Mailbox". It is important to note that these emails can also be used to trick users into infecting their computers.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Threat actors spread malware via email by including infected attachments, such as PDF files, Office documents, executable files (.exe), scripts, or ZIP and RAR files. Simply opening these files, or enabling certain features like macros in Office documents, can lead to an infection.

Another method involves including a link in the email. Clicking it may lead to a malicious website that either tricks the user into downloading malware or starts the download automatically.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be cautious when dealing with emails or messages, especially those from unknown or suspicious senders that contain links or attachments. Avoid clicking on pop-ups, ads, or buttons on suspicious websites, and never grant these sites permission to send notifications.

Download software and files from official sources, such as trusted websites or app stores. Do not use pirated programs, unofficial activation tools, or key generators. Keep your operating system and applications up to date, and use reputable antivirus software. 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 "POLICY AMENDMENT" email letter:

Subject: Confidential: Upcoming Policy Changes – Effective Monday, August 4, 2025

POLICY AMENDMENT
Dear ********,

Please be informed that, in accordance with company policy, we have inaugurated a new Protocol Assessment for all employees. This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to reinforcing proper business practices and ethical conduct across the organization.

In addition, we have strengthened our access control policies and introduced a comprehensive Sustainability Portfolio , reflecting our strategic direction and long-term corporate responsibility goals. These updates will take effect from next week Monday, August 4, 2025.

We strongly encourage each of you to sign in below to review these policy changes in detail. A clear and thorough understanding of these updates is essential to ensure alignment and compliance.
FILL OUT FORM
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. We look forward to your continued support as we strive to enhance our work environment and policies for the benefit of all employees.

HR DIRECTOR

In the event that you have any questions or suggestions pertaining to these modifications, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at ********

Phishing site used in this scam:

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Quick menu:

• What is POLICY AMENDMENT 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?

You received this scam email most likely because your address was exposed in a data leak or collected through other means. These types of emails are sent to many recipients and are not targeted personally.

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

If scammers have gained access to your email login credentials, immediately change your email password. Also update passwords for any other accounts that could be at risk, especially if they use the same or similar login details.

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

Running an executable file likely means your computer is infected. However, just opening documents such as .pdf or .doc files typically will not cause infection unless macros or similar features were activated.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Simply opening an email is safe and cannot damage your device, but clicking links or opening attachments in malicious emails can.

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

Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing most known threats. Still, since advanced malware can hide deeply within the system, running a full system scan is highly recommended for protection.