Home Malware Malware Email Claims ‘You Have Received a New Fax’
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Malware Email Claims ‘You Have Received a New Fax’

written by Brett M. Christensen December 3, 2014

According to this email, you have received a new fax. The email implies that printing company Epson sent the fax. Supposedly, you can view the fax by opening an attached .pdf.

However, the attachment is not a .pdf. Instead, it is a .zip file that contains a .scr file. Clicking the .scr file can install malware on the user’s computer.

The exact purpose of the malware may vary in different incarnations of the scam. Typically, however, the malware may collect personal information from the compromised computer and connect to servers operated by online criminals. It may also download and install even more malware. 

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Criminals regularly use bogus fax notification emails as a means of distributing malware. Be wary of any unsolicited email that claims that you can view a fax by clicking a link or opening an attached file.

Example

Subject: You have received a new fax
From: INTERNAL FAX
You have received fax from EPSON05217208 at [email address removed]
Scan date: Mon, 1 Dec 2014 15:01:19 -0500
Number of page(s): 99
Resolution: 400×400 DPI
Name: fax28173112.pdf

Attached file is scanned image in PDF format

 

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