Emails purporting to be from the Royal Mail could actually be a vehicle for a Trojan virus.

Brits using the services of the Royal Mail may be encouraged to find parcel delivery alternatives if they have become the target of a computer virus.

Hidden in a PDF file which claims to come from the delivery firm, the Zeus Trojan - also known as Zbot - encourages email recipients to open an executable attachment which attacks their computer.

It is believed that many of the emails come in the form of a message explaining that a parcel could not be delivered, but victims could end up having information such as bank details stolen.

The virus is controlled in China and once computers are infected, data about the user's activities which could then be used to extract money from them are sent back to hackers in the country.

Parcel delivery firm customers could experience genuine problems with undelivered packages, however, as a number of companies have been heavily hit by the volcanic ash cloud floating towards the UK from Iceland following last week's eruption.

Posted by Lucy Pritchard

Article Added: 19/04/2010 14:34:15