How to spot scams like "Complete The Authentication Process"

What is "Complete The Authentication Process" scam?

Our team has discovered that this is a phishing email posing as an important notification from the "email security team". It contains a deceptive link designed to open a fake web page (a phishing site). On that site, visitors are instructed to disclose personal information. The consequence of falling for this scam can be account hijacking and possibly other issues.

More about the "Complete The Authentication Process" scam email

This fraudulent email claims that verification is required to maintain account security and prevent unauthorized access. It urges the recipient to complete an authentication process through a provided link ("VERIFY ACCOUNT") and warns that access to certain account functions may be restricted until verification is completed.

It also includes a note stating that no action is needed if the process has already been completed. None of the claims in this email are true, and clicking the included link (button) leads to a deceptive website. That site can mimic the design of the recipient's email provider.

For example, it can present a fake Gmail login form if the recipient's email provider is Gmail. During our analysis, the site displayed a fake Webmail login form. The purpose of this scam site is to steal login credentials for email accounts. Once stolen, these details can be used to hijack accounts.

Scammers can exploit this access to harvest personal information, send emails containing misleading links or malicious files, or use it for other malicious purposes. Moreover, fraudsters may attempt to log in to other services, like banking, social media, or gaming platforms, and misuse them as well.

Overall, disclosing login credentials on the website included in this scam email can result in financial loss, identity theft, and other issues. Recipients of suspicious emails should be careful and not interact with them without ensuring that it is safe.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this email is a clear phishing attempt designed to steal login credentials by directing recipients to a fake site. Interacting with the link or providing account information can lead to account hijacking, identity theft, and financial or personal harm. Recipients should avoid clicking any links and verify messages before taking action.

Sometimes, trusting such emails can lead to malware infiltration. Additional examples of similar scams are "Microsoft OneDrive - Files Shared With You", "DHL Express - Incoming Package Arrival Notification", and "cPanel Account Suspension".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Threat actors distribute malware via email by attaching seemingly harmless files. These files may be Word, Excel, or PDF documents, ZIP or RAR archives, scripts, executables, or other types of files. The infection occurs when the file is opened, macros are turned on, or malware is activated in another way.

Additionally, emails may contain links that direct users to fake or hacked websites. These pages are built to silently download malware or persuade users to download it themselves. Most infections happen because a recipient clicks a link or opens a malicious attachment.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Download software and files only from official sources and reputable app stores. Make sure your operating system and programs are kept up to date, and run system scans with a trusted security solution to help protect your device. When visiting websites, do not engage with pop-ups, advertisements, buttons, or suspicious links on questionable sites.

Treat emails and messages with caution, especially unexpected ones or those from unknown senders, and avoid opening attachments or clicking links in them. Do not use pirated or cracked software, key generators, or similar tools, as they often contain malware.

Text presented in the "Complete The Authentication Process" email letter:

Subject: ******** pending notification for "********"

Dear ********,
This verification is required to maintain account integrity and prevent unauthorized access in accordance with internal security policies.

Please complete the authentication process using the secure portal below.
Access to certain account functions may be restricted until verification is completed.

>>VERIFY ACCOUNT

If you have already completed this process, no further action is required.
Yours faithfully,

Email Security Team
©2025 ******** All right reserved
DO NOT REPLY — This is an automated security notification. Replies are not monitored.
This message is confidential and intended solely for the designated recipient.(********)

Fake website used in this scam:

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Quick menu:

• What is Complete The Authentication Process 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?

These messages are often distributed to large lists of email addresses obtained from data breaches, fake websites, or similar sources, which is why they rarely contain the recipient's name or personalized information.

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

Update passwords for all accounts that may be at risk. Immediately notify the appropriate institutions if sensitive data, including financial or identification information, has been exposed.

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

The chance of malware infiltration depends on the file format. For example, .exe files can cause infections instantly, and document files typically pose a risk only after opening them and enabling macros.

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

Merely opening an email does not compromise a device. Risk arises only when a malicious attachment is opened or a harmful link is clicked.

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

Running a scan using Combo Cleaner can eliminate the majority of malware, and a full scan helps identify and remove hidden or complex infections.