4 Suspicious Email Attachments You Should Never Open—They Might Contain Viruses and Phishing Attempts: Links To Websites & More

How many times have you received an email from someone you don’t know with an alluring-looking attachment or link that you really, really want to click on or open? You would be wise NOT to click on anything from anyone you do not recognize or know personally — you never know where a virus or malware could be lurking. It is extremely common for hackers to try and infiltrate your device and data via emails and attachments, so being as cautious as possible is important.

Be especially careful of these four suspicious email attachments that experts say never to open.

Links to Websites

Even if a link looks legit — it may claim that it’s going to lead you to a popular bank or shopping site — that doesn’t always pan out as promised. Oftentimes, hackers will change one letter or add a symbol to the name of a real company, making it look like the real thing at first glance. But once you click on these links, you could be making yourself vulnerable to phishing attempts.

ZIP or compressed files

ZIP and compressed files contain multiple files within them, including scripts that aren’t always visible. For this reason, you’re taking a big chance clicking on these files and could be opening yourself up to hackers.

JavaScript Files

When you click on JavaScript files, they can immediately execute commands on your computer. For this reason, hackers often use them to deliver harmful malware to users. The moment you click on one, the malware can be installed on your device without your knowledge.

Scam Invoices and Receipts

One of the scariest emails you can get is scams that claim you purchased something for $500 and your receipt is attached. Everything in your being may propel you to investigate matters, but remember: unless you actually made a purchase, it’s likely a scam. Opening so-called invoiced and receipts can download malware to your device. Delete these emails and report them to Apple.