Coinbase Verify Your Identity Email Scam (Virus Removal Guide)

Beware of scammers asking to verify your identity for Coinbase

Coinbase Verify Your Identity is an email scam campaign actively distributed by cyber criminals. The letter asks to click on a provided button to verify user’s identity because the ability to login to Coinbase account has been disabled. The scammers ask to click on a phishing link and provide ID document to them. However, the link provided in the message leads to a fake website and if you provide any personal information or a photo of your ID there, it will be sent straight to cybercriminals who will use your ID for other criminal activities. Needless to say, you do not want to share your sensitive information with such parties.

The scam is designed to imitate the design of official digital currency exchange service provider emails. The message includes the following lines: “Please log into your Coinbase account below from a web browser to verify your identity. You will not be able to verify your identity from the Coinbase App.“

In other words, scammers behind this email invite you to a fake Coinbase website and ask you to provide your login credentials (name or email and password), as well as your ID. If they get this information, they can hack your actual account and steal your funds or perform unsolicited transactions in your name.

It is important to point out that the real currency exchange service provider is entirely legitimate and safe, but the attackers are simply using its name illegally. Phishing email scams are extremely popular nowadays as people spend more time at home during the pandemic lockdown. Other examples of scams circulating around the web are DPD delivery scam, FastSupport.com-based scams, $750 Cash App Transfer and others.

It is important to remind you that you should never click on links provided in such messages as they always lead to deceptive websites. These websites are designed to look like their original copies, however, usually there are a lot of details that reveal true nature behind it. For example, majority of the links don’t work on such sites, except of the forms designed to collect sensitive information from the victim.

We also recommend avoiding any interaction with email messages that you didn’t wait for. For instance, never allow displaying images on such emails. Typically, email security systems block included images by default, suggesting that this protects user’s privacy. It is true, because if you enable remote images to be displayed, the cybercriminals will notice that you have accessed included images, meaning that you have opened their message. This can result in a larger flow of spam targeted at you.

If you have been asked to verify identity again and you have recently verified it to the legitimate service, we strongly recommend you to rush to official Coinbase website and change your login credentials. Next, you will have to import your local authorities about a theft of ID details.

In addition, we strongly recommend scanning your PC with anti-malware to check whether the phishing page didn’t land any malware on your computer. For virus damage repair, consider scanning with RESTORO.

Name	Coinbase Verify Identity Email Scam
Scam catchphrase	Important Notice: Please Verify Your Identity
Type	Phishing, Email Scam
Scam target	The email is designed to redirect the victim to a fake website to login using Coinbase’s credentials and upload personal ID
Danger	Loss of personal information, login credentials, social security number, personal ID, financial losses, potential malware infections
Distribution	The spam is distributed via email
Removal	Delete the email and never open it again. For your PC’s security, scan computer with anti-malware. To repair virus damage on OS, use RESTORO.

Dangers of email spam and how to avoid being infected

Cyber criminals typically use email scraping to collect a list of potential targets, but they can also buy these email lists on the dark web. Once they have the target list, they compose convincing emails, use email address spoofing techniques (this makes the sender’s email address appear legitimate) and URL shortening services to disguise anything suspicious-looking in the message.

While email spam without attachment typically means phishing-type attack (the one meant to swindle sensitive information from you), some scams include .DOCX, .PDF, .ACE, .IMG and other format attachments. You should never open these files as they deliver a malicious payload such as ransomware (f.e., QLKM, STOP/DJVU, DHARMA) or a password-stealer like Glupteba or Azorult.

If you suspect that you have downloaded or opened a malicious email attachment, do not delay the malware removal procedure. This will help to prevent additional damage to your computer.

Remove Coinbase Please Verify Your Email scam and related malware

Users who have received the fake message should remove Coinbase Verify Your Identity email and scan their computers for malware immediately. If you have interacted with the email’s contents (such as clicked on links provided in them, or provided sensitive data) should change their login credentials on official Coinbase website instantly, and report about personal ID data theft to local authorities immediately.

After Coinbase Verify Email virus removal, you should also contact the cryptocurrency exchange service and inform that your login information might be compromised.

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Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system:

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