Avoid getting scammed by fake "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Invoice Online Document Is Ready"?
After examining the "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" email, we determined that it is spam. It is presented as a notification concerning an invoice document sent to the recipient.
The purpose of this scam message is to steal recipients' email accounts, and this is achieved via the promoted phishing site that imitates an email sign-in webpage.
"Invoice Online Document Is Ready" email scam overview
This spam email notifies the recipient that a file was sent to them. The document is identified as "#30862911 Payment_terms.pdf". The letter instructs to press the button in it and access the invoice document through the opened website by signing in using email account credentials.
It must be emphasized that the information in the email is false, and this mail is not associated with Docusign or any other legitimate services and entities.
After the "REVIEW DOCUMENT" button is clicked, it redirects to a phishing website disguised as an email account sign-in page. The fake webpage urges the visitor to – "Sign in to continue" – stating – "Authentication Required". Log-in credentials typed into this site are recorded and sent to scammers.
The danger exceeds the loss of an email; these accounts are used to register other services and platforms – cyber criminals may gain access to this linked content. The unauthorized access can be variously misused.
To elaborate, cyber criminals can steal the identities of account owners (e.g., emails, social networking, social media, messengers, etc.) and ask the contacts/friends for loans or donations, promote scams, and spread malware by sharing malicious links/files.
Any confidential/compromising content discovered on hijacked emails, data storage platforms, or other accounts can be used for a variety of nefarious purposes, including blackmail. Stolen finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, money transferring, digital wallets, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions and online purchases.
To summarize, by trusting an email like "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" – users can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.
If you have entered your log-in credentials into a phishing website/file – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support.
| Name | "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient was sent an invoice document. |
| Disguise | Docusign |
| Related Domains | qfsledgersfirm[.]com |
| Detection Names (qfsledgersfirm[.]com) | alphaMountain.ai (Phishing), Cluster25 (Phishing), CRDF (Malicious), CyRadar (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), 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. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
"Pending Emails On Server", "Verify Delivery Error", "Error In The Mail Service", and "Emails Need Your Attention" are merely a few of our latest articles on phishing campaigns.
Aside from log-in credentials, these emails commonly target personally identifiable details and finance-related information. However, other scams are promoted through spam mail as well. It is also used to distribute malware.
Due to how prevalent this mail is and how well-crafted it can be – we strongly advise exercising caution with incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns proliferate malware by distributing infectious files as attachments or download links. These files come in various formats, e.g., archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
When a malicious file is opened – the infection chain is initiated. However, some formats require additional user interaction to trigger malware download/installation. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click on embedded links or files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Incoming emails and other messages must be approached with caution. Attachments or links in dubious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or virulent.
It must be mentioned that malware is not distributed only via spam mail. Therefore, we recommend being careful when browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears genuine and innocuous.
Furthermore, all downloads must be performed from official and trustworthy channels. We advise activating and updating programs using legitimate functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updates may contain malware.
It is essential for device integrity and user safety to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. This software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats and issues. 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 "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" spam email letter:
Subject: Complete #30862911 Payment_terms.pdf Authorization Signature-Updated
********
#30862911 Payment_terms.pdf - Invoice online document is ready
A copy to review via DocuSign Electronic Signature.
REVIEW DOCUMENT
Note: To view the secure message, click view your message. and follow the instructions Sign in using your ******** email address.
Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" spam campaign:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Invoice Online Document Is Ready" 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?
Regardless of any relevant information that spam emails may include, they are not personal. Cyber criminals distribute this mail in massive operations with the hopes that at least some recipients will fall for their scams.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your account credentials – immediately change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support. And if you have disclosed other private information (e.g., passport photos/scans, ID card details, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – contact relevant authorities without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, reading an email will not initiate any malware download/installation chains. Devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
File formats can influence infection success rates. Once opened, executables (.exe, .run, etc.) cause infections almost without fail. However, some formats – like documents (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.) – may need additional actions. Hence, malware download/installation can only be jumpstarted after macro commands are enabled, embedded content is clicked, or other actions are performed.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to scan computers and eliminate all manner of threats. It can detect and remove almost all known malware infections. Note that sophisticated malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems – therefore, performing a full system scan is paramount.
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