Computer virus attached to mail order purchases

(WOFL FOX 35) - Buyers beware! Hackers are preying on people who are shopping online, and they're delivering something you didn't order: a big computer virus!

FOX 35 reporter Tiffany Tift almost fell victim when she received an email from what she thought was United Parcel Service (UPS). The fake email claimed that ups was unable to deliver a package tiffany was expecting and stated she needed to download and print the attached invoice and bring it to a local ups store to pick up her package.

However, the attachment was no invoice from ups, rather it was a virus hidden in a zip file.

Local IT expert Adam Baligian, a consultant for iVenture Solutions , says the "UPS/FedEx virus" has been recently circulating the web, and, if downloaded, can cause total computer meltdowns.

"Most likely what this would do is you download this, it would prompt you to install something and it would start downloading fake viruses," said Baligian, which is why you should treat your email like you treat the real world.

Baligian explained, "Just because someone comes to your door saying they’re with FedEx and wearing a FedEx shirt doesn’t mean they’re really from FedEx. You have to make them prove it."

Here are some tips on how to steer clear of a total computer catastrophe:

• Be weary of domain names in email addresses or web links. For example, these UPS/FedEx email spoofers used "UPS.com" and "FedEx.com."
• Be suspicious of any email that has an attachment.
• If an email doesn't look right, call the company associated with it.
• Get anti-virus software and frequently update.

If you have a virus already, there is free software online that will fix your computer. Some of those applications include

ESET

,

Trend Micro

, and

Malwarebytes

.

However, Adam Boligian advises that you be proactive and buy software that will help protect you from viruses before they infect your computer.

Both ups and FedEx have posted warnings about the "UPS/FedEx virus."

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On the web:

iVentureSolutions.com

ESET.com
TrendMicro.com
Malwarebytes.com

UPS warning:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/fraud.html?srch_pos=14&srch_phr=virus

FedEx warning:

http://www.fedex.com/us/security/prevent_fraud.html