How to avoid getting scammed by fake "Request By Admin Department" emails

What kind of email is "Request By Admin Department"?

Our review of the "Request By Admin Department" email revealed that it is spam. It states that the recipient has been requested to sign the shared Microsoft Excel document. This phishing mail aims to trick recipients into disclosing their email log-in credentials (passwords).

"Request By Admin Department" email scam overview

This spam email states that the Admin Department has requested the recipient to sign the shared Excel document. An impression of legitimacy for this message is created by using the branding of the Xodo Sign e-signature service.

It must be emphasized that the information in this email is false, and this mail is not associated with Xodo Sign, Excel, Microsoft, or any other legitimate services/entities.

The phishing site promoted by this campaign is disguised as an Excel file and states that – "This document has been encrypted, please proceed with your credentials to authenticate". Log-in credentials entered into this page are recorded and sent to scammers, thus enabling them to hijack the exposed account.

Emails are of interest to scammers since they tend to include sensitive data and may allow the theft of linked accounts, platforms, and services. Work email accounts are of particular interest, as they may be utilized in efforts to infect the corporate network with trojans, ransomware, and other malware.

Scammers can steal an account (e.g., email, social networking, social media, messenger, etc.) owner's identity and request loans/donations from contacts/friends/followers, endorse scams, and spread malware by sharing malicious files/links.

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

In summary, by trusting an email like "Request By Admin Department" – users can experience system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

If you have provided your log-in credentials to a phishing website/file – immediately change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and contact their official support.

Phishing spam campaign examples

We have analyzed countless spam campaigns; "DHL - YOUR PARCEL HAS BEEN DELIVERED", "Renew Your Webmail Access", and "Action Required On Your Email Account" are merely some of our newest articles on phishing emails.

Aside from log-in credentials, these messages often target personally identifiable information or finance-related data. However, spam mail is used to promote various scams and proliferate all kinds of malware.

While the widely held belief that these emails are shoddily constructed and riddled with grammatical/spelling errors is not untrue, it is not always the case. This mail can be competently put together and convincingly disguised as messages from legitimate entities. Hence, we strongly advise exercising caution with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Spam campaigns spread malware through infectious files attached to or linked inside the emails/messages. 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.

Merely opening a virulent file can be enough to initiate the infection chain. Some formats may need additional interaction to jumpstart malware download/installation. For example, Microsoft Office files require users to enable macro commands (i.e., content/editing), while OneNote documents need them to click embedded links or files.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Incoming emails and other messages must be approached with caution. We advise against opening attachments or links present in suspicious communications.

It must be mentioned that malware is not spread only through spam mail. Therefore, we recommend being careful while browsing since the Internet is full of deceptive and dangerous content.

Another recommendation is to perform downloads only from official and verified channels. Software must be activated and updated using functions/tools provided by legitimate developers, as illegal program activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updates may contain malware.

It is paramount to have a reputable antivirus installed and kept updated. Security 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 "Request By Admin Department" spam email letter:

Subject: Docusign ********- Sign-Agreement First 2025_final.docx.xls

xodo sign
by apryse

This is to remind you that you are requested by the Admin Department of ******** to sign this Excel document.

Requester: ******** Admin (********) on behalf of ********
Receipient: ********
Review & Sign

You can reply to this email in order to deliver a message to the requester.

Do Not Share This Email
To ensure the security of your data, do not share this message or forward it to others.

Processed by Xodo Sign on behalf of ********

Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Request By Admin Department" spam campaign:

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Quick menu:

• What is "Request By Admin Department" 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, these messages are not personal. Cyber criminals distribute spam emails 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 – change the passwords of all possibly compromised accounts and inform the official support without delay. However, if you have provided information of a different personal nature (e.g., passport scans/photos, ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact relevant authorities.

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

Reading an email does not pose an infection threat; systems are compromised 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 may 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.) – might need extra interaction. In these instances, the infection chain is 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 designed to scan devices and eliminate all kinds of threats. It is capable of detecting and removing almost all known malware infections. Remember that performing a full system scan is crucial since sophisticated malicious software typically hides deep within systems.