What kind of scam is "cPanel Email/Password Update"

What kind of email is "cPanel Email/Password Update Scam"?

We have examined this email and concluded it is a phishing scam. It poses as an automated notice from cPanel Webmail support, falsely claiming the recipient must update their email credentials or lose mailbox access. This email should be ignored.

"cPanel Email/Password Update Scam" email scam in detail

The email claims the recipient's mailbox will become inaccessible after July 31, 2026 unless they update their email address and password. It warns that permanent access restrictions may follow if the notice is ignored, and includes a link labeled "CLICK HERE TO UPDATE" to push recipients into acting immediately.

Clicking that link opens a fake Webmail login page hosted on Google Cloud Storage. The page imitates a real cPanel Webmail interface, showing the recognizable Webmail logo alongside fields for an email address and password. The recipient's email address appears to be pre-filled in the form, which makes the page look even more convincing.

Any credentials typed into that form go directly to the scammers. With access to the victim's email account, cybercriminals can read private messages, reset passwords for other services linked to that address, and use the inbox to send further scam emails to contacts.

Stolen accounts are often sold to other cybercriminals or exploited for identity theft. It should be noted that cPanel, L.L.C. has no connection to this scam - the company's branding is being misused purely to make the fake page appear legitimate.

Similar scam emails in general

In summary, this email is a phishing scam disguised as an automated notice from cPanel Webmail support. Its only purpose is to lead recipients to a fake login page and steal their email credentials. The email should be deleted, and its link should not be clicked under any circumstances.

More examples of similar scam emails are Misdirected Payment, New Device Signed In To Your Account, and Invoice Is Past Due.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Cybercriminals often deliver malware via email attachments. These can be executable files, Microsoft Office documents, archives, PDFs, and script files. Opening such files - or enabling malicious macro commands within a document - can trigger malware installation on the device.

Some emails skip attachments and instead link to malicious websites that download harmful software automatically, or prompt users to do so manually. In either case, malware generally cannot run until the user takes some action first.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be cautious with unsolicited emails, especially those that demand urgent action or contain unexpected links and attachments. If a message looks suspicious, avoid opening any files or clicking any links within it, regardless of how official it appears.

Only download software from official developer websites or trusted app stores. Avoid pirated programs, key generators, and cracking tools, as these are widely used to distribute malware.

Keep your operating system and installed applications updated at all times. Use a reputable antivirus program and run regular scans. If you have already opened a suspicious file, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to detect and remove any installed threats.

Text presented in the "cPanel Email/Password Update Scam" email letter:

Subject: [********]: Please Confirm To Continue.

Webmail

In other to continue accessing your Mailbox after
31 July, 2026. You need to Update your Email/Password.

We may permanently restrict your access if this notice is ignored or immediate action not taken.

[CLICK HERE TO UPDATE]

This is an automated message. Please do not reply to this email.

2026 © ******** Webmail Support. All rights reserved Web App Support.

A fake cPanel Webmail login page used in this scam:

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is cPanel Email/Password Update 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 emails are sent in bulk to large numbers of people at once and are not personally targeted. Cybercriminals collect email addresses through data breaches, fake websites, and similar channels, then distribute identical messages to everyone on their lists.

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

If you entered your login credentials, change your email password immediately and update it for any other accounts where the same password is used. If you also disclosed financial or identification details, contact the relevant institutions right away.

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

Executable files can infect a device as soon as they are opened. Documents and archives usually require additional interaction - such as enabling macros or running an installer - before any malware activates. The risk depends on the file type and what the user does with it.

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

No. Simply reading an email does not put your computer at risk. A device can only be compromised if the user clicks a link, opens an attachment, or interacts with content inside the email that is designed to cause harm.

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

Combo Cleaner can detect and remove the vast majority of known malware. That said, a full system scan is essential - sophisticated threats can conceal themselves deep within the system and may not be caught without a thorough scan.