Vodafone ‘Bill a Bit More Than Usual’ Malware Emails

This story was first published on November 21, 2013

The email is not from Vodafone and the attachment does not contain billing information. Instead, the attachment contains a hidden.exe file that, if launched, can install malware on the recipient’s computer.

This email, which claims to be from phone service provider Vodafone, warns recipients that their current bill may be a bit more than usual. The email, which masquerades as an official Vodafone bill notification message and includes Vodafone graphics and formatting, urges recipients to check an attached file for more information about the bill.

However, the email is not from Vodafone and the attached file is not a billing statement as claimed. The attached file contains hidden malware. The amount of the supposed bill may vary in different incarnations of the scam.

Those responsible for the message hope that at least a few recipients, panicked into believing that they have received an unexpectedly large bill, will open the attached file without due forethought. And, many service providers now offer billing notifications via email, so the malware email may initially appear to be genuine.

Users who do open the attached.zip file will find a.exe file hidden inside. If they proceed to open this.exe file, they will install malware on their computer. Once installed, such malware can typically allow criminals to harvest personal and financial information from the infected computer. The malware may also allow the criminals to clandestinely take control of the infected computer and use it for their own nefarious purposes.

In the past, similar bogus notification emails have been used to distribute malware to AT&T customers. And, Vodafone customers have also been targeted in various phishing scams that used fake notification emails. Be wary of any email from your phone or Internet service provider that asks you to open an attached file or click a link to check bill details or update account information.