Actual HP warning e-mail or Phishing e-mail?

[ahande02]

Received the following suspicious e-mail supposedly from HP. Wondering if this is legitimate or a phishing e-mail.

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FROM: Marc Andersen {Content Removed}

SUBJECT: Security Advisory: HP Computers

Good day,

This is Marc Andersen head of the R and D section for HP Computers. We sincerely apologize for this unsolicited email. However, as the official research and development team for HP, we feel it is our sole responsibility to issue this advisory not only to our loyal customers but to all computer users as well.

We have been getting reports over the last week of the sudden emergence of a new version of the Blackmal computer virus. This virus infects the computer's core and deletes files with such precision that even the most popular security program out there can't prevent or even detect.

As of the moment we have received over a million confirmed reports of total computer data wipe out without the chance of file recovery. Please be aware that besides HP computers, we have also received reports coming from other brand users as well.

This is very serious.

Currently, we are still in the process of formulating possible countermeasures. So for now, we highly advise that you make an online backup for all of your important documents as a precautionary measure. Please use the link below to create a free online backup account.

{Content Removed}

It is very important that you make an online backup account as this is not affected by the virus. External storage devices are still at risk. If you have questions or clarifications, please don't hesitate to email us at {Content Removed}. However, we must stress out that you make an online backup first before contacting us.

Please add our email address to your contact list to make sure that you will be receiving our updates in the next few weeks. Furthermore, please forward this email to your friends and relatives to spread the word of this issue. Rest assured we are doing everything we can to resolve this, and we highly appreciate your patience and cooperation during these times.

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[DavidPK · Accepted solution]

Hi,

It's a scam, just delete it - the link takes you to a company called myPCBackup.  The same company product appears on quite a few security forums - an example can be seen Here.

Regards,

DP-K

[ahande02]

Okay, thanks.

[RJ167]

Where can we forward phishing and/or scam emails to HP

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're welcome

Regarding where you can report this, I don't work for HP, but I'll make an internal enquiry - either myself or someone from HP will get back to you shortly.

Regards,

DP-K

[PaPaw2four]

The first email link will send you to something that looks like the Kaspersky store, but it places you in the checkout to buy using DigitalRiver dot com.  There's a second follow-up email offering a $100 starbucks gift card.  The link looks like it sends you to starbucks for the gift card, but if you press the Next button after entering your email, you'll go to Awardhotspot dot com.  Neither of these look like a good place to go.

[Fwenzy]

https://h41268.www4.hp.com/live/index.aspx?qid=11503

The above link can be used to report HP security issues. Be careful of the content you submit. The data is limited with an exclusion explained as follows, “ …html tags such as into text fields in the form. Such html tags or similar text is not permitted since, if allowed, they could potentially be used to try and hack the application using a scripting attack.”

My email with headers was rejected due to this. I had to clean it up to be accepted.

As the prev. poster said, there must be an email addr to send suspicious EMs you receive. Sorry, I don’t know it either.

See also the following post I submitted for more info on the bogus EM you originally posted about.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems-Software-Recovery/Email-from-Marc-Andersen-lt...