Gmail and Outlook warning: Users targeted by worrying email threat – check your inbox NOW!

The spoof emails always then contain a phone number for customer assistance and once called the attack begins. Explaining more about these new scams, Proofpoint said: “Financial extortion actors typically use invoice lures associated with companies like Amazon, Paypal, or security software.

“Once a person calls the number listed in the email, the actor will direct the victim to install remote access software such as AnyDesk, Teamvier, Zoho, etc. and provide them access to interact with the machine under the guise of customer service.

“Often, the victim is directed to login to their bank account to get a refund, or purchase gift cards. Once the attacker is connected, they blackout the screen to hide their activities. They might edit the HTML of the banking webpage to show a different amount or attempt to steal the money directly.”