How to identify scams like "Mail Queue Manager"

What is "Mail Queue Manager" scam?

We have inspected the email and found that it is written by scammers who seek to trick recipients into believing that they received a message (a "mail queue notification) from their email service provider. The purpose of this fraudulent message is to steal personal information through a fake website. It should be ignored.

More about the "Mail Queue Manager" scam email

The message is presented as a notice from a "Mail Queue Manager". It claims that several emails are being held for the recipient and provides a list of supposed senders. The recipient is instructed to complete a quick re-authentication step in order to release these messages. The email also states that replies are not accepted.

The link (labeled "Re-authenticate Now") opens a fake email account login website designed to steal email addresses and passwords. Scammers can use these details to hijack email accounts and misuse them to collect information, send scam emails, and distribute malicious files or software.

They may also try to access social media, gaming, banking, or other accounts. If accessed, those accounts can be misused to steal identities, make fraudulent purchases or transactions, and engage in other malicious activities. Overall, scam emails like this one should be recognized and ignored to prevent the aforementioned risks.

Conclusion

This is a phishing attempt designed to trick recipients into revealing login credentials via a fake login page. Scammers aim to gain access to email and other linked accounts for malicious purposes. To avoid potential account compromise and data theft, such messages should be ignored, and any included links should not be opened.

It is also important to note that scam emails can be used to deliver malware. More examples of similar scams are "Cloud Storage Renewal Failed", "Mailbox Quota Is Nearly Exhausted", and "Zoho - File Shared With You".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Malware is commonly spread through emails by tricking people into clicking or opening something. One way this happens is through attachments. An email might include a file that looks normal, but it can infect a device after opening it or taking additional steps. These files can be different types, like executables, documents, PDFs, compressed folders (ZIP/RAR), or scripts.

Another method is through links in emails. These links can take recipients to dangerous websites. On some of these sites, malware may download automatically as soon as the page is visited.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be careful with emails or messages if they come from unknown addresses or are irrelevant or unexpected. Avoid opening links and attachments in suspicious messages. Keep your system and apps up to date and download software from official sources like trusted websites or app stores. Do not use pirated programs, cracks, or keygens, as they often contain malware.

Also, do not click on suspicious ads or links, especially on unreliable websites. If a questionable site asks to send you notifications, deny the request.

Text presented in the "Mail Queue Manager" email letter:

Subject: Mail queue notification for ********

Mail Queue Manager

The following messages are being held for ********:
• Sender: support@klima-alfa.com | Subject: Invoice #2878
• Sender: no-reply@hydrofiltsep.com | Subject: Account update
• Sender: billing@ahlada.com | Subject: Payment confirmation

To release these messages, complete the quick re-authentication step:

Re-authenticate Now

Do not reply to this automated message.
Mail Queue Manager

Fake website used in this scam:

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Quick menu:

• What is Mail Queue Manager fake email 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?

Such scam emails are typically sent to numerous recipients at the same time. Email addresses are usually collected through leaks, fake platforms, or similar channels.

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

If login details have been exposed, all related passwords should be updated. In cases where financial or personal information is affected, the appropriate banks, services, or authorities should be informed.

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

Files with extensions like .exe can infect a system instantly when executed. Meanwhile, documents such as PDFs or Word files tend to be less harmful, as opening them does not usually trigger an attack. The danger depends on both the file type and the user's actions.

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

A deceptive email can be safely opened and read, as long as there is no interaction with any links or files it contains.

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

Combo Cleaner is effective against most malware. Advanced threats may avoid being detected by concealing their presence. Conducting a full system scan is advisable when dealing with hidden infections.