How to identify spam like "Quote That Meets Our Requirements"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Quote That Meets Our Requirements"?
Upon examining this "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" email, we learned that it is spam. This phishing message asks the recipient to provide a quote according to the requirements in the shared document. The promoted fake file transferring website targets email account log-in credentials.
"Quote That Meets Our Requirements" email scam overview
The email letter with the subject "CONTACT" (may vary) is written in both English and French. This message requests the recipient to provide a quote that meets the sender's requirements. Allegedly, the email needs human verification to avoid identification as spam. The full requirements can be found in the file shared via the WeTransfer file transfer service.
It must be reiterated that all the information in this message is false, and the scam mail is not associated with any real individuals, the WeTransfer service, or other legitimate entities.
The phishing site endorsed by this spam campaign is disguised as the WeTransfer website. This fraudulent page requests the visitor to provide their email account log-in credentials. Information entered into this webpage is recorded and sent to scammers.
Stolen emails can be variously abused, e.g., sensitive data found therein could be used for blackmail or other nefarious purposes. Work accounts can be targeted since they may serve as a way to infect the corporate network with trojans, ransomware, and other malware.
Access might be gained to the accounts, platforms, and services registered through the hijacked email. To expand upon this, cyber criminals can steal account owners' identities (e.g., emails, social networking, messengers, etc.) and request loans or donations from contacts/friends/followers, endorse scams, and proliferate malware by sharing malicious files or links.
Furthermore, stolen finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, e-commerce, digital wallets, money transferring, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions or online purchases.
In summary, by trusting a spam email like "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" – users can experience system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
If you have provided your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and contact their official support.
| Name | "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient is requested to provide a quote according to the shared file. |
| Related Domains | avolar[.]info |
| Detection Names (avolar[.]info) | CRDF (Malicious), Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (avolar[.]info) | 162.240.229.231 |
| 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
"Avoid Getting Locked Out", "Capital One - Purchase Was Charged To Your Account", "New Webmail 2.0", "Trust Wallet Sign-In Attempt", and "Wedding Invitation" are merely some of our latest articles on phishing emails.
In addition to log-in credentials, these campaigns commonly target personally identifiable information and finance-related data. Various scams are facilitated through spam mail, and it is used in malware proliferation.
Spam emails are often poorly written and riddled with mistakes, but they can also be competently made and even believably disguised as messages from legitimate entities (e.g., companies, organizations, institutions, organizations, service providers, authorities, etc.).
Due to how widespread spam mail is and how well-crafted it can be – we highly recommend approaching incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages with care.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns spread malware by distributing virulent files as attachments or download links. These files come in various formats, e.g., documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.
Merely opening an infectious file can be enough to initiate malware download/installation. However, some formats need additional actions to begin infection processes. For example, Microsoft Office files require users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents need them to click on embedded links or files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
We strongly advise treating incoming emails and other messages with caution. Attachments or links found in suspicious mail must not be opened, as they can be virulent.
However, malware is not distributed exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, we recommend vigilance when browsing since the Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content.
Additionally, all downloads must be performed from official and trustworthy sources. Software must be activated and updated using legitimate functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updates can contain malware.
We must emphasize the importance of having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept updated. Security programs must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected 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 "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" spam email letter:
Subject: CONTACT
Hello, (sir/madam)
We kindly ask you to provide us with a quote that meets our
requirements.
Please note that the message we have sent you requires your verification
as a living human being and not as spam.
So please use the following URL to view the full requirements of our
order: hxxps://www.avolar.info/we/WeTransfer/WeTransfer/WeTransfer/
We look forward to starting working with you or your company in the near
future
If you have any questions or need clarification, please do not hesitate
to contact us.
SIRET: 53154999600019
VAT: FR70531549996
Tel: +33 6 44 68 97 91
CHARLES WASHINGTON
Bonjour, (monsieur/madame)
Nous vous prions de bien vouloir nous fournir un devis conforme à nos
exigences.
Veuillez prendre note que le message que nous vous avons envoyé
nécessite votre vérification en tant qu'être humain vivant et non en
tant que spam.
Veuillez donc utiliser l'URL suivante pour afficher les exigences
complètes de notre commande : hxxps://www.avolar.info/we/WeTransfer/WeTransfer/WeTransfer/
Nous sommes impatients de commencer à travailler avec vous ou votre
entreprise dans un avenir proche
Si vous avez des interrogations ou si vous avez besoin de
clarifications, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter.
SIRET : 53154999600019
TVA : FR70531549996
Tél : +33 6 44 68 97 91
CHARLES WASHINGTON
Appearance of the "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" spam email (GIF):
Screenshot of the phishing website (fake WeTransfer site) promoted by this spam campaign:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Quote That Meets Our Requirements" 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?
Spam emails are not personal, even if they include information relevant to the recipients. These messages are distributed in massive campaigns – therefore, thousands of users receive identical (or incredibly similar) emails.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you have disclosed other private data (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit/debit card numbers. etc.) – immediately contact relevant authorities.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Merely reading an email is harmless. Systems 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?
Infection formats may influence infection success rates. Once opened, executables (.exe, .run, etc.) cause infections almost without fail. However, some formats require additional actions. For example, documents (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .one, etc.) may need users to enable macros, click embedded content, or perform other actions.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing practically all known malware infections. Remember that performing a complete system is essential since high-end malicious software usually hides deep within systems.
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