Do not trust the fake "Automatically Generated Invoice" email

What kind of email is "Automatically Generated Invoice"?

After analyzing the "Automatically Generated Invoice" email, we determined that it is spam. This fake letter claims to contain an invoice attached to it. After inspecting this attachment, we learned that it operates as a phishing file targeting email account log-in credentials.

"Automatically Generated Invoice" email scam overview

The spam email with the subject "Overdue Invoice for Feburary Payment." (may vary) states that the attached invoice had been generated via an internal system automatically.

When we opened the attachment, we found that it is an HTML format file that appeared as an email account sign-in page. The email account password entered into this file – will be recorded and sent to the cyber criminals behind this spam campaign.

With this information in their possession, the scammers can steal the exposed email accounts and potentially the content registered through them. Hijacked accounts and platforms can be variously abused to generate profit.

For example, stolen financial accounts (e.g., online banking, e-commerce, digital wallets, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions or online purchases. Scammers can also steal the identities of social account owners (e.g., emails, social networking, messengers, etc.) and ask the contacts/friends/followers for loans or donations, promote scams, and even spread malware by sharing malicious files/links.

To summarize, by trusting an email like "Automatically Generated Invoice" – users can experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

If you have already disclosed your account credentials – change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and contact their official support without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Automatically Generated Invoice" phishing email
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Email has an overdue invoice attached to it.
Attachment(s)	[recipient's_email_address] INV02026023.shtml (filename may vary)
Detection Names (attachment)	Avast (HTML:PhishingMail-VT [Phish]), AVG (HTML:PhishingMail-VT [Phish]), Fortinet (HTML/Phish.BSY!tr), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Phishing spam campaign examples

We have analyzed thousands of spam emails; "Requested Information Or Content", "Your Domain And/Or Service Requires Upgrade", "World Lottery", and "Account Will Be Terminated" are just some examples of letters used for phishing purposes.

In addition to various scams, spam mail is used to proliferate trojans, ransomware, and other malware. Deceptive emails can wear a variety of disguises, including as messages from legitimate companies, service providers, institutions, authorities, governmental bodies, and other entities.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Spam emails can have malicious files attached to or linked inside them (i.e., links leading to websites capable of stealthy downloads/installations or tricking visitors into downloading/installing malware themselves). Virulent files can be archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.

When an infectious file is executed, run, or otherwise opened – the malware download/installation chain is jumpstarted. For example, Microsoft Office documents infect devices by executing malicious macro commands, while virulent OneNote files require users to click on embedded files/links.

How to avoid installation of malware?

We advise treating incoming emails and messages with caution. The attachments and links present in suspicious mail must not be opened, as they can be infectious. It is important to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010 since they have the "Protected View" mode that prevents automatic macro execution.

However, it must be mentioned that malware is not proliferated exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, we advise downloading only from official and verified sources. Additionally, all programs must be activated and updated using legitimate tools/functions, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updates can contain malware.

Another recommendation is to be vigilant when browsing since fake and malicious online content typically appears harmless.

We must emphasize the importance of having a dependable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. Security software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Automatically Generated Invoice" spam email letter:

Subject:  Overdue Invoice for Feburary Payment.

This Invoice has been generated automatically through an internal system ****

Screenshot of the phishing file attached to this spam email ("[recipient's_email_address] INV02026023.shtml" filename):

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▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Automatically Generated Invoice" phishing email?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Cyber criminals send these emails in large-scale campaigns – therefore, thousands of users receive identical emails. This mail is not personal, although sophisticated campaigns may be more relevant (e.g., spam that targets company employees could include business-related language or concepts, etc.).

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?

If you have provided your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all possible exposed accounts and inform their official support. And if you've disclosed other private data (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.

I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked; merely opening an email will not trigger any infection processes.

I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?

If the opened file was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes – your device was infected. However, you might have avoided triggering an infection if it was a document (.one, .doc, .xls, .pdf, etc.). These formats may need additional actions (e.g., enabling macro commands, clicking on embedded content, etc.) to begin downloading/installing malware.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and eliminate practically all known malware detections. It must be stressed that since high-end malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems – running a complete system scan is essential.

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