What is "A Critical Virus Has Been Detected On Your Device" email scam

What kind of email is "A Critical Virus Has Been Detected On Your Device"?

We have examined this email and concluded it is a phishing scam. The message is disguised as an urgent security warning claiming a critical virus was detected on the recipient's device. Its actual purpose is to steal email account credentials by directing victims to a fake webmail login page, and it should be deleted immediately.

"A Critical Virus Has Been Detected On Your Device" email scam overview

The email carries the subject line Email is at Risk!!! and is sent from an address presenting itself as a "System Administrator Scan." It claims that a trojan named Trojan.Win32.Generic was detected on the recipient's device, listing fabricated details such as a risk level, a detection timestamp, and a scan engine name. The message urges the recipient to click Scan Now and Remove Virus.

Clicking that button does not run any scan. Instead, it opens a phishing website hosted on Google's Firebase cloud storage service - legitimate infrastructure that the scammers are abusing to make the page harder to block.

The phishing page adapts to the recipient's email provider, displaying a blurred version of the provider's interface in the background - in the screenshot provided, this is Gmail. Over that, a Roundcube "Welcome to Webmail" login dialog appears, prompting for a username and a password.

Anything entered into that dialog goes directly to the scammers. The Roundcube overlay remains the same regardless of which email provider is shown in the background, functioning as a generic webmail prompt that victims are likely to find familiar-looking.

With access to an inbox, cybercriminals can read private messages, use the account to send scam emails to the victim's contacts, and reset passwords for other services linked to that address. No email provider sends virus detection alerts through email, and this message has no connection to any real antivirus product or email company.

Email scams in general

In summary, this email is a phishing scam disguised as a security alert about a detected virus. It leads victims to a credential-harvesting page that imitates their email service provider's login interface. Recipients should delete the message without engaging with it in any way.

It is also worth noting that scam campaigns of this type are sometimes used to deliver malware rather than collect credentials.

More examples of similar scam emails are Secure Adobe PDF - Credit Card Authorization, Business Owner Compensation, and Policy Violation Detected.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Spam campaigns commonly spread malware through email attachments. The files sent can be in various formats - executables, Office documents, PDF files, archives, JavaScript files, and others. When such a file is opened, it may trigger the download or installation of malicious software.

Some emails instead include links to harmful websites. Visiting those sites can cause automatic malware downloads or prompt the user to manually run a dangerous file. In either case, malware generally requires some form of user interaction - opening an attachment or following a link - before it can cause damage.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Treat unexpected emails with caution, especially those from unknown senders that include links or attachments. Avoid clicking anything in a message that makes alarming claims about your device or creates a strong sense of urgency.

Only download software and updates from official websites and reputable stores. Avoid pirated programs, key generators, and cracking tools, as these are common vehicles for malware distribution. Keeping the operating system and all installed applications updated also reduces the risk.

Use a reliable security application and keep it updated. Do not grant notification permissions to websites you do not recognize or trust. If you have already opened a suspicious attachment, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to remove any threats that may have been installed.

Text presented in the "A Critical Virus Has Been Detected On Your Device" email letter:

Subject: Email is at Risk!!!

Virus Detected!

Your system is at risk - take action now!

A critical virus has been detected on your device. To protect your personal data, you must act immediately.

Threat Details

Threat Name: Trojan.Win32.Generic
Detected By: System Antivirus Scan
Risk Level: Critical
Last Detected: Today, 7/22/2026 5:26:03 a.m.

[Scan Now and Remove Virus]

A fake webmail 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:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is A Critical Virus Has Been Detected On Your Device 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?

Cybercriminals distribute these messages to large numbers of people at once. Email addresses are typically gathered through data breaches, fake websites, or similar methods. These messages are not personally targeted.

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

If you entered your email password, change it immediately. Also update passwords for any other accounts that use the same credentials. If financial or identification details were also shared, contact the relevant institutions without delay.

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

It depends on the file type. Executable files typically activate malware as soon as they are opened. Document types such as PDFs or Word files usually require an additional step, such as enabling macros, before anything harmful runs.

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

Simply reading or viewing an email does not cause any infection. Computers are put at risk only when the user actively interacts with malicious content - such as opening an attachment or clicking a link.

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

Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing the vast majority of known malware threats. Running a full system scan is important, as more sophisticated threats may require a thorough pass to be fully identified and eliminated.