Voicemail Notification Email Scam
This scam emails a fake 'new voicemail' or 'missed call' notification with a link or attachment to 'listen', which leads to a phishing login page or downloads malware.
By the Scam or Safe Editorial TeamResearched & reviewed for accuracyQuick verdict
How this scam works
This scam emails a fake 'new voicemail' or 'missed call' notification with a link or attachment to 'listen', which leads to a phishing login page or downloads malware.
Email scams, or phishing, remain one of the most common ways criminals steal logins, payment details, and money. A convincing message imitates a brand or contact and steers you toward a fake login page, a malicious attachment, or a fraudulent payment.
In short, the giveaway is usually simple: An email says you have a voicemail and links or attaches a file to 'play' it. Do not click or open the attachment. Check voicemail through your real phone system.
Scammers rotate tactics constantly, the same operation may also run the Malware Attachment Scam and the WeTransfer File Scam. See the full Email Scams guides hub, or test a suspicious message with the scam checker.
How to spot this scam
- A voicemail notification arriving by email unexpectedly
- A link or attachment to 'play' the message
- A login page appearing when you try to listen
- A threat that the message will be deleted soon
- A sender address unrelated to your phone provider
What the message looks like
This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.
What gives it away: An email says you have a voicemail and links or attaches a file to 'play' it.
The scale of it
How to protect yourself
- Check voicemail through your actual phone or provider's app
- Do not open attachments or click links in the email
- Report the email as phishing and delete it
- Run a security scan if you opened anything
Already responded? Do this now
- If a login page appeared and you entered details, change that password immediately
- If you opened an attachment, run a security scan
- Enable two-factor authentication on important accounts
- Update any reused passwords from a trusted device
Mistakes to avoid
- Do not open 'voicemail' attachments
- Do not enter login details to 'listen'
- Do not trust the urgency to play it now
Related scams to know
Malware Attachment Scam
In a malware attachment scam, an email arrives with a file posing as an invoice, receipt, CV, statement or delivery note. Opening the attachment, or clicking a prompt to 'enable content' or 'enable macros', can quietly install malware that steals passwords, banking logins or files. The message is often crafted to feel urgent or routine so you act before thinking. Treating every unexpected attachment with caution, and verifying it through a separate channel, is one of the most effective defences.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
WeTransfer File Scam
This scam imitates WeTransfer or a similar file-sharing service. You receive an email saying a contact has sent you files, with a prominent Download button. Instead of delivering a file, the link opens a fake login page designed to capture your email address and password, often your work account. Because file transfers feel routine at work, many people click without checking. Treating an unexpected transfer with caution and verifying the sender first are the safest responses.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Email Storage Full Scam
This scam warns that your mailbox or storage is full and that you will stop receiving messages unless you 'verify' or 'upgrade' through a link. The link leads to a fake webmail login page that captures your email password.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Common questions
Do voicemail systems email me a file to open?
Why does clicking ask me to log in?
I opened the attachment. What now?
How can I tell it is fake?
Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the Scam or Safe Editorial Team