"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams

The email message below with the subject "Someone has Sent you a File via WeTransfer," which appears as if it was sent by WeTransfer, a popular cloud-based file transfer service based in Amsterdam that allows internet users to send small to large files, is a phishing scam. The fake email message was created and sent by cyber criminals to trick the recipients into clicking on the link within it, which will take them to a compromised or hacked website, used by cyber-criminals to steal their potential victims' Outlook, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL and other email accounts username and password.

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WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File Phishing Scams

Update: Cyber criminals have created new versions of the malicious "WeTransfer" email message, please view them in the comment section below.

The Fake WeTransfer Email Message

Subject: Someone has sent you a file via WeTransfer
From: WeTransfer (noreply@wetransfer.com)

You have received a new file.

Download

Files (28 MB total)
Will be deleted on
12 October, 2015

Get more out of WeTransfer, get Plus

WeTransfer Contact Legal Powered by Amazon Web Services

The links in the fake email message do not go to the legitimate WeTransfer website located at https://www.wetransfer.com, instead, the links go to a compromised or hacked website.

The Compromised or Hacked Website

Fake WeTransfer Website

Once on the compromised website, the potential victims will be asked to sign-in with their Outlook, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL or other email accounts. Once the victims have entered their information in an attempt to sign-in, their email account's username and password will be sent to the cyber-criminals or scammers behind the scam. With the victims’ credentials or sign-in information, the cyber-criminals will gain access to their email accounts and use them fraudulently.

Therefore, the recipients of email messages, which appear as if they were sent by WeTransfer, claiming that they have received a new file, should ensure that when they click on any of the links in the email message, they are taken to https://www.wetransfer.com. If they are taken to any other websites, they should close the web browser window and delete the email message.

Recipients of the fake WeTransfer email message who clicked on one of the links in the fake email message and who attempted to sign into the fake website are asked to change their email accounts password immediately, before the cyber-criminals use their stolen credentials to lock them out of their accounts, by changing their passwords.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 37)

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February 4, 2020 at 6:57 AM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

"sent you files

Tue 2/4/2020 6:13 AM

From: WeTransfer

Click 'Download images' to view images

info@onlinethreatalerts.com

sent you some files

1 item, 129 KB in total ・ Will be deleted on 4 February, 2020

Kindly check the attached in Wetransfer for the new quote I want you to send prices, and also, revert with your Company contract for signing.

Get your files"

Here is anothre scam.

Delete

April 8, 2019 at 7:59 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"Someone sent you a file via WeTransfer

Mon 4/8/2019 7:46 PM

From: "We Transfer"

WeTransfer

You have received a file via WeTransfer

3 Files, 20 MB in total · Will be deleted on 16th Apr 2019

Download your Docs here"

Delete

October 29, 2018 at 4:19 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
an anonymous user from: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

I fell for a WeTransfer scam yesterday.

The letter appeared to come from my solicitor, with all the credentials and presentation perfect. But how they managed to send as such was his credentials?

On closer examination, the letter was to "Undisclosed Recipients", so I would suggest anybody receives e-mails to go back and check this.

Not sure if this is the hallmark of this type of e-mail, perhaps someone could explain more.

I have thought the many years, and an increasingly doing so that so-called 'Snail Mail' was in the better – certainly for security, and in some ways although slower perhaps was ultimately more efficient in that letters were answered and not lost as e-mail spam/trash.

Delete

October 9, 2018 at 5:36 AM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"From: WeTransfer [mailto:noreply@wetransfer.com]

Sent: Tuesday, October 9, 2018 2:44 PM

Subject: You just received a files via WeTransfer

You have received a files via WeTransfer

2 files, 138 MB in total · Will be deleted on 30 August, 2018

Download Link

Click Here to Download File

WeTransfer"

Delete

August 23, 2018 at 10:47 AM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"From: WeTeam <no_reply@WeTeam.com>

Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2018 4:23 AM

Subject: Stragate Limited Sent You A File Via WeTransfer

Click 'Download images' to view images

Stragate Limited

sent you a file

1 file, 213 KB in total ・ Will be deleted on 25th August, 2018

Download File Here

Download link

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/

1 file

Sample Order.pdf"

Delete

June 22, 2018 at 6:43 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
an anonymous user from: San Diego, California, United States

I just got something from "no-reply at wetransfer.com," which I was suspicious of, so I emailed the person who supposedly sent the file to me.

I've gotten no response, so I am deleting the email without using the link. I assume I am in no danger if I only opened the email?

Delete

June 22, 2018 at 8:33 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

You will only be in danger if you open an attachment or click on a link in a malicious email.

Delete

April 12, 2018 at 7:33 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
an anonymous user from: Reston, Virginia, United States

My friends have asked if I sent a ‘we transfer’ file. I didn’t. What should I do?

Delete

April 12, 2018 at 8:25 PM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
info

Tell your friend to be careful because scammers are sending the fake and malicious emails and spoofing the From address to make them appear as if they came from someone else.

Use the Search button above and search for "Email Spoofing" to learn more.

Delete

March 20, 2018 at 11:36 AM by
"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams
an anonymous user from: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

3-19: received WeTransfer email. Appeared legit from a known source. Downloaded and opened file. Pointed to AOL, and entered a password. Turned off the computer. Have not rebooted that computer since. Using a laptop, iPhone 8, and iPad2, tried to change AOL password. Unsuccessful.

Suggestions?

Thx

Norm

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

"WeTransfer Someone Has Sent You a File" Phishing Scams