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attachments sent in an email

SallyG
SallyG Posts: 850 Forumite
I had to complain to a large retail organisation about my online order today - they sent me a generic acknowledgment/holding email with an attachment - I've no idea what's in the attachment because something in the back of my head said never click on an attachment in an email - I rang them instead - but is clicking on an attachment in an email risky?

Comments

  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    You were expecting an email from them, so no not really.
    It's unsolicited emails you need to worry about OR if for example a friend sends you an email you didn't expect, their account may have been hacked.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

    <><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/
  • tronator
    tronator Posts: 2,859 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    SallyG wrote: »
    I had to complain to a large retail organisation about my online order today - they sent me a generic acknowledgment/holding email with an attachment - I've no idea what's in the attachment because something in the back of my head said never click on an attachment in an email - I rang them instead - but is clicking on an attachment in an email risky?

    It's risky if you don't expect an email with an attachment, even if you know the sender. In this case you are in contact with this company and it's quite unlikely that somebody spoofs the sender's email address and and sends you a malicious attachment around the same time. What file extension does this attachment have? It might be just the html part of the multipart message. Is there anything in the email referring to an attachment?

    To be safe, you could first save the attachment to your compiter, run a virus scan over it and then open it.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,129 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    As above, always right click and save to desktop first, then scan it.
    Probably just a graphic for a signature or logo.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    The type of attachment is also a dead give away, anyone who opens a .exe file attachment is blithering idiot.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

    <><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/
  • SallyG
    SallyG Posts: 850 Forumite
    The attachment says it's winmail.dat 3.7kb
    I'm going to desktop then scan it.
  • TadleyBaggie
    TadleyBaggie Posts: 6,994 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Don't bother, it is irrelevant and contains nothing worth viewing.
  • Chino
    Chino Posts: 2,031 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    "Email received from a sender using Outlook includes a Winmail.dat attachment": https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/278061
This discussion has been closed.
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