How to recognize fake "Shared-File Attachments" emails

What kind of email is "Shared-File Attachments"?

Our inspection of the "Shared-File Attachments" email revealed it to be spam. This message claims that the recipient has been sent remittance advice in a password-protected file. This spam mail aims to trick recipients into disclosing their email account log-in credentials to a phishing site.

"Shared-File Attachments" email scam overview

The spam email with the subject "Re:.Remittance Advice" (may vary) concerns remittance advice/ payment receipt. It was sent to the recipient in a password-protected PDF document. It must be stressed that the information in this email is false, and this mail is not associated with any legitimate service providers or entities.

When a user attempts to view the file by pressing the "PREVIEW REMITTANCE ADVICE" button – they are redirected to a phishing website. It is presented as an email sign-in page with the old Zoho Office Suite logo. Log-in credentials entered into this site are recorded and sent to scammers.

Hijacked emails can be variously abused, including to blackmail owners over sensitive content found therein or to try accessing the accounts/platforms/services registered through them. To expand upon this, scammers can steal account owners' identities (e.g., emails, social networking, social media, messengers, etc.) and request loans or donations from contacts/friends/followers, promote scams, and proliferate malware by sharing malicious files or links.

Furthermore, hijacked finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, money transferring, e-commerce, digital wallets, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions or online purchases.

In summary, by trusting an email like "Shared-File Attachments" – users can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

If you have already entered your log-in credentials into a phishing website or file – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and contact their official support without delay.

Phishing spam campaign examples

"Quote For Delivery Price And Time", "HSBC Fraud Victim Compensation", and "SharePoint Meeting Document" are merely a couple of our newest articles on phishing campaigns.

In addition to log-in credentials (usernames/passwords), these emails commonly target personally identifiable information and finance-related data. However, various scams are facilitated through spam mail, and it is also used to distribute malware.

While the widely held belief that spam emails are poorly written and full of spelling/grammatical mistakes is not untrue, it is not always the case. Spam mail can be competently put together and even convincingly disguised as messages from legitimate entities (e.g., service providers, companies, organizations, authorities, etc.).

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Malware distribution through spam campaigns is common. Deceptive emails/messages can include malicious files as attachments or download links. These files come in various formats, e.g., executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.

Malware download/installation is jumpstarted once such a file is opened. However, some formats require additional user interaction to initiate infection processes. 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?

We highly recommend approaching incoming emails and other messages with caution. Attachments or links found in suspicious mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or virulent.

It must be mentioned that malware is spread using various methods. Therefore, we advise being careful while browsing since fraudulent and dangerous online content typically appears legitimate and innocuous.

Additionally, all downloads must be made from official and verified sources. Another recommendation is to activate and update programs using genuine functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updaters may contain malware.

It is paramount for device/user safety to have a dependable antivirus installed and kept updated. Security software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats/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 "Shared-File Attachments" spam email letter:

Subject: Re:.Remittance Advice

Shared-File Attachments

FILE SIZE 132kb
DATE 4/15/2025 8:05:50 a.m.
FILE FORMAT PDF

PREVIEW REMITTANCE ADVICE

Docs sent mailto:to : {email} via EverNote. Supported by: Accounting Sec

Your payment receipt is password protected.
Payment has been made today by Bank Transfer.

Any queries please let me know.

Regards,

Farook
Finance Head Director

Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Shared-File Attachments" spam campaign:

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Quick menu:

• What is "Shared-File Attachments" 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 these messages by the thousand 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 disclosed your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support. And if you've provided other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans/photos, 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?

Opening/Reading an email does not pose an infection threat; 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?

Whether the device was infected might depend on the format of the file opened. Executables cause infections almost without fail (once opened). However, some formats – like documents – might need additional user interaction. For example, malware download/installation may only be triggered after macros are enabled, embedded content is clicked, or other actions are performed.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?

Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing nearly all known malware infections. It must be emphasized that since sophisticated malicious software usually hides deep within systems – performing a complete system scan is essential.