How to avoid falling for the "You Have Virus On Your Email" scam

What kind of email is "You Have Virus On Your Email"?

We have inspected this email and determined it is a phishing scam. The message falsely claims that a trojan virus was detected on the recipient's email account and directs them to follow steps to secure it. Clicking the provided link leads to a fraudulent page designed to steal email credentials. This email should be ignored to prevent account takeover and identity theft.

More about the "You Have Virus On Your Email" scam

The email warns that a trojan virus has been found on the recipient's email account, claims it is powerful enough to wipe all email data, and urges them to take immediate action. The only call to action is a button labeled "Follow steps here."

Clicking that button opens a page hosted on api.xybos[.]tech that displays a fake email login form. The page is branded as a "Secure Mail Server" and shows Gmail-style branding, prompting the visitor to sign in again with their email address and password.

The phishing page appears to tailor its appearance based on the recipient's email provider. A person with a Gmail address would likely see Gmail branding, while users of other services might encounter a matching interface - making the fake page seem more believable to each target.

Any credentials entered on this page go directly to the scammers. Stolen email access can be used to reset passwords for linked services, read private messages, and carry out various forms of identity theft.

Google has no connection to this scam. The Gmail branding displayed on the phishing page is used without authorization, purely to make the fake login look trustworthy.

Email scams in general

In summary, this is a phishing email that uses a fabricated virus warning to trick recipients into handing over their email login credentials. The threat described in the message is entirely false, and the link leads to a fraudulent login page. More examples of similar scam emails are Document Ready For Your Signature, Bank Of America - Unusual Activities In Account, and American Express - Merchant Credit/Payment Approval.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Cybercriminals frequently distribute malware through email by attaching harmful files or including links to malicious websites. Common attachment formats include executable files, Microsoft Office documents, ZIP and RAR archives, PDFs, and script files. Opening such a file - or enabling macro commands in a document - can trigger a malware infection.

In other cases, spam emails link to pages that silently download malware or display fake prompts designed to get the user to run a harmful file themselves. Some form of user interaction is typically required before a system is compromised, but the steps involved are often made to look routine.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be cautious with emails from unknown senders, and avoid opening attachments or clicking links unless you are certain they are legitimate. Phishing emails regularly impersonate trusted services to create a sense of urgency and push recipients into acting quickly.

Only download software from official developer websites or verified app stores. Pirated content, software cracks, and key generators are a common vehicle for malware and should be avoided entirely.

Keep your operating system and all installed software up to date, and use a reputable antivirus solution. If you suspect you have already interacted with a malicious link or file, run a full scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to detect and remove any threats.

Text presented in the "You Have Virus On Your Email" letter:

Subject: Virus on email detected

You have virus on your email

Dear

We have detected trojan virus on your email, a very powerful virus that can wipe out all your email data, we recommend you to follow few steps below to secure your data and scan your email

[Follow steps here]

A fake email login page used in this scam:

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:

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Quick menu:

• What is You Have Virus On Your Email phishing scam?
• 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 sent out in large bulk campaigns, typically reaching thousands of recipients at once. Scammers collect email addresses through data breaches, fake websites, and similar methods. The emails are generally not targeted at specific individuals.

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

Change your email account password immediately, and update credentials on any other accounts using the same password. If you also disclosed banking details or identification information, contact the relevant institutions or authorities as soon as possible.

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

It depends on the file type. Executable files can infect a device the moment they are opened. Documents often require additional steps, such as enabling macro commands, before malware activates. The actual risk depends on the file format and how it was handled.

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

No. Simply reading an email does not infect your computer. An infection requires the user to actively open an attachment or interact with a malicious link contained in the message.

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

Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove most known malware infections. Running a full system scan is recommended to ensure all threats are identified, including any that may have been installed silently.