How to spot scams like "FedEx Express - Your Shipments Were Received"

What is "FedEx Express - Your Shipments Were Received" scam?

Our team has inspected the email and concluded that it is a scam. The message is disguised as a notification from FedEx (a legitimate company providing delivery services) to trick recipients into opening the attached file. The purpose of this fraudulent email is to deliver malware. Thus, it should be ignored and deleted if ever received.

More about the "FedEx Express - Your Shipments Were Received" scam email

The scam email claims that shipments were received by FedEx Express on February 16, 2026 (the date may vary), and includes a fake waybill number (775037409198). It states that the shipping documents are attached and instructs the recipient to print them, confirm their correct address, sign them, scan them, and return them by email.

It also claims that the original copy will be sent to the confirmed address after the signed document is received. The attached file ("FedEx Shipping Doc_ 775037409198.docx") is a malicious document. It contains hidden malware that activates after enabling macros (editing). The type of malware distributed through this attachment is currently unknown.

That malware may be ransomware that encrypts the victim's files and demands payment to restore access. It may also be spyware that collects information such as login credentials, financial data, or browsing activity, or a keylogger that records keystrokes. It may also be a cryptocurrency miner, a remote access Trojan, or another type of malware.

Interacting with the attached document may lead to data or financial loss, identity theft, account hijacking, or other serious issues. Thus, the email should be ignored and its attachment should not be opened.

Conclusion

This email is a scam pretending to be from FedEx with a fake shipping document. The attachment contains hidden malware that can steal information, encrypt files, allow remote access, or perform other malicious actions. Recipients should always examine suspicious emails before opening files or links.

Examples of similar scams are "Voyage Travels & Tours Reservation Email Virus", "DocuSign - Industrial Estate Project Email Virus", and "Booking.com Reservation Confirmation Email Virus".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Malware is often spread through email by sending malicious attachments or links. Attachments may appear as regular files like documents, PDFs, executables, or archives, but they can contain hidden malware. Opening the file and enabling certain features can trigger the infection.

Email links can also lead to fake or compromised websites that prompt automatic downloads or trick users into running harmful files or apps, which can infect the device.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Always examine unexpected or irrelevant emails and messages, particularly if they include links or attachments. Regularly update your operating system and software, and run routine system scans to detect possible threats. When downloading applications or software, use official, verified websites or trusted app stores.

Do not use pirated copies, cracking tools, or activation programs. Exercise caution while browsing, ignore suspicious ads, pop-ups, or links, and do not allow notifications from untrusted sites.

Text presented in the "FedEx Express - Your Shipments Were Received" email letter:

Subject: Urgent: Validate Your Address for Shipping Dispatch (AWB# 775037409198)

Hi Team, Your shipments were received to FedEx Express on Mon, 16/02/2026.

Please find attached a copy of the shipping documents with (AWB# 775037409198). Kindly print out the document, validate your correct address, and sign it. Afterward, please scan the signed document and return it to us via email.

The original copy will be dispatched to the confirmed address once we receive your confirmation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Kind regards,

Clark Beltran | GSSC ECR Team | FedEx Logistics

FedEx, Attn: Email Address Update, 3640 Hacks Cross Road, Memphis, TN 38125-7305

© 2026 FedEx . All rights reserved. The content of this message is protected by copyright and trademark laws under U.S. and international law. Some social media platforms may not be available in all areas.

Malicious document attached to the email:

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Quick menu:

• What is FedEx Express - Your Shipments Were Received fake notification?
• 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?

Scammers send the same email to many people. These emails are not personalized and delivered using addresses obtained via data breaches, fake sites, or similar sources.

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

Update passwords for any accounts whose login credentials may have been exposed. Contact your bank or proper authorities immediately if personal or financial information was shared.

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

Executable files can run malware as soon as they are opened, whereas files like PDFs or Word documents usually need the user to take additional steps before any damage occurs. Generally, whether a computer is infected depends on the file type and actions taken.

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

A system becomes infected only if the user opens malicious attachments or clicks on deceptive links. Opening emails without interacting with their contents cannot launch malware.

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

Combo Cleaner can find and remove most known malware, though some advanced threats may remain hidden deep in the system. Performing a full system scan is advised to eliminate concealed and (or) advanced malicious software.