How to fix 'email may contain a virus' error in Zendesk?

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

A user reports that customers receiving emails forwarded from Shopify to Zendesk are getting “email may contain a virus” warnings, causing trust issues as customers suspect fraud.

Attached screenshots show:

  • Virus warning messages
  • Delivery failure notifications

Troubleshooting suggestions provided:

  • Verify proper configuration of email forwarding from Shopify to Zendesk
  • Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for misconfigurations
  • Add a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record to the Shopify-managed domain
  • Clarify whether Zendesk is being used to reply from a custom domain

Current status: The issue remains unresolved. A second user reported experiencing the same problem as of January 2025, indicating this is an ongoing issue affecting multiple users.

Summarized with AI on November 2. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
2

Hey @chriscena23 ,

To get a better understanding of your issue could you please answer the following questions:

  • How are your customers receiving the “Message may contain a virus” email when they are not being delivered (As shown in the “Delivery Status Notification:Failure” screenshot?
  • Do you use Zendesk to reply to customer emails from your custom domain?

Ensure that your Shopify email and email forwarding to Zendesk are properly configured. Check for any misconfigurations or issues with SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records. Incorrect email setups might increase the likelihood of triggering false virus alerts.

Look forward to hearing from you!