How to spot scams like "Vendor Evaluation"

What kind of email is "Vendor Evaluation"?

After inspecting this email, we determined that it is a phishing scam. The message is disguised as a business invitation to review a Request for Quotation (RFQ), but its real purpose is to send recipients to a fake email login page that steals account credentials. The email should be ignored to avoid account theft and follow-on fraud.

"Vendor Evaluation" email scam in detail

The email arrives under the subject Document Ready for Review and presents itself as a Bid Invitation for a Vendor Evaluation Opportunity. It claims the sender is organizing an infrastructure initiative scheduled for early Q2 2026 and invites the recipient to review a Request for Quotation (RFQ) document supposedly attached to the message.

What looks like an attached PDF (Bid_Invitation_RFQ_2026_Q2.pdf) is not an actual file. Both that element and the Review RFQ Securely button below it are simply clickable areas that open the same external link. The reference to a submission deadline and the small link expires 20 days notice are added to push the reader into clicking quickly.

At the time of our analysis, the website behind these links was already offline. However, it was set up to imitate an email service provider's login page. Phishing pages of this kind often detect the recipient's email domain and display a matching login screen - a Gmail-themed page for Gmail users, an Outlook-themed page for Outlook users, and so on - to make the prompt feel familiar.

Anything typed into such a page (the email address and password) is sent directly to the attackers. Stolen email credentials are especially dangerous because the same login often controls password resets for other services tied to that address.

With access to the inbox, attackers can read private correspondence, take over banking or social media accounts through password resets, send further scams to the victim's contacts, or sell the access on underground markets. In some cases, the same accounts are later used to launch business email compromise attacks against the victim's employer.

Whichever email provider the phishing page tries to mimic, that provider has no connection to this scam. The organization that supposedly sent the bid invitation and the contact address in the body are fabricated. Recipients who already entered credentials on the linked page should change that password immediately, repeat the change on every account that shared it, and enable two-factor authentication where available.

Email scams in general

In conclusion, this email is a phishing scam disguised as a business bid invitation. It aims to steal email account credentials through a fraudulent login page. Recipients should ignore the message and avoid clicking any links or buttons inside it in order to protect themselves from account theft and identity fraud.

Sometimes, scams of this kind also serve as a vehicle for malware - the same template can be reused to drop trojans, info-stealers, or other harmful programs through booby-trapped attachments or links.

More examples of similar scam emails are Facebook Casino Online Promotions, American Airlines Account Information Has Changed, and You Have Virus On Your Email.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Threat actors frequently use email as a malware delivery channel by attaching infected files. These can be executables, Microsoft Office documents, PDF files, archives such as ZIP or RAR, JavaScript files, and other formats. Opening such a file, or enabling content like malicious macro commands inside a document, is usually what triggers the actual infection routine on the device.

Other emails skip attachments and rely on links to harmful websites instead. Visiting one of these pages can launch an automatic download, or trick the user into manually fetching and running a malicious installer. Either way, the infection chain typically needs the recipient to take some action before the malware can land.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Treat unexpected messages with caution, especially when they come from unknown senders, contain urgent deadlines, or push the reader toward opening attachments and following embedded links. Inspect such emails carefully and, when in doubt, contact the supposed sender through an official channel rather than replying to the message itself.

Download software only from official websites and trusted stores. Avoid pirated programs, cracking tools, and key generators, as these are common malware carriers. Keep the operating system, browsers, and security tools updated, and use a reputable antivirus product to scan downloaded files before opening them.

If you have already opened files attached to suspicious messages, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Vendor Evaluation" email letter:

Subject: Document Ready for Review

Bid Invitation
Vendor Evaluation Opportunity

We are in the early stages of organizing an infrastructure initiative scheduled for early Q2 2026. Based on your team's background, we would like to invite you to participate in our vendor evaluation.

We are currently gathering preliminary outlines. The comprehensive Request for Quotation (RFQ) is attached to this message for your reference. It outlines the project scope and technical requirements.

Attached Document
Bid_Invitation_RFQ_2026_Q2.pdf
Size: 2.4 MB • Expires: May 7, 2026

Submission Timeline

We ask that all materials be sent over by May 29, 2026.
All bids and questions must be sent to:
[email address]

[Review RFQ Securely]

Link expires 20 days

This message was sent to you by pcrisk

© 2026 All rights reserved.

Full appearance of the "Vendor Evaluation" scam email (GIF):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Vendor Evaluation phishing scam?
• 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?

Scam emails like this one are sent out in bulk and are not personally targeted. The sender obtains address lists from previous data leaks, fake sign-up forms, harvested public sources, and similar channels, then sprays the same template to thousands of recipients at once.

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

Change the password of any account whose credentials may have been exposed, and do the same on every other account that uses the same password. If financial or identification details were shared, notify your bank, card issuer, or the relevant authorities as soon as possible.

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

It depends on what was opened. Executable files (such as .exe) often launch the malicious payload as soon as they are run. Documents, archives, and similar formats usually require an extra step, like enabling macros or running an installer inside them, before infection begins.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

No. Simply reading a phishing or spam email does not compromise the system on its own. An infection typically requires the recipient to click a malicious link, open an attached file, or otherwise interact with the harmful content carried by the message.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Combo Cleaner is able to detect and remove the vast majority of known malware families. A full system scan is recommended, since more advanced threats often hide deep inside the operating system and only surface during a complete sweep.