What kind of scam is "Confirmation Of Request For Quotation (RFQ)"

What kind of email is "Confirmation Of Request For Quotation (RFQ)"?

We have examined this email and determined it is a phishing scam. The message is crafted to resemble a legitimate business procurement request attributed to ExxonMobil. In reality, the HTML attachment it carries opens a fake email login form on the victim's device to steal credentials. This email should be ignored and its attachment never opened.

"Confirmation Of Request For Quotation (RFQ)" email scam overview

The email appears to come from ExxonMobil LTD and asks the recipient to review an attached RFQ document, then respond with manufacturing details including pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times, and packaging specifics. It is signed by a named procurement manager, lending it the appearance of a genuine business inquiry.

The email references an attached file named RFQ-62924-0187.pdf. The actual attachment, however, carries a .xls.html extension - a double extension designed to make it resemble an Excel file while hiding the fact it is an HTML document. Opening it in a browser loads a fake Gmail login form locally on the victim's device.

The fraudulent page displays Gmail branding, a "Verify Email Address" heading, and input fields for an email address and password. A fake security notice is shown at the bottom. None of this is connected to Google or Gmail - the page exists solely to capture whatever the victim types into those fields.

Any credentials submitted on this page go directly to the scammers. A compromised Gmail account can be used to read personal and business messages, reset passwords for linked services, and send further fraudulent emails to the victim's contacts.

ExxonMobil is not associated with this scam in any way. Legitimate procurement inquiries would never ask a supplier to verify their personal email credentials through an HTML file attachment.

Similar scam emails in general

In summary, this is a phishing scam that exploits ExxonMobil's name to distribute an HTML attachment disguised as a business document. The attachment opens a fake Gmail credential form on the victim's device. Recipients should delete the email immediately and avoid opening the attached file under any circumstances.

In some campaigns, emails of this kind carry malware instead of - or alongside - a credential-stealing page. More examples of similar email scams are GreenState Credit Union Transfer Received, LinkedIn - Outstanding Invoice, and Webmail Optimum Terms and Conditions Update.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Cybercriminals frequently distribute malicious content through email by attaching harmful files. These attachments can take many forms - executables, compressed archives, Office documents, PDFs, script files, and HTML files like the one used in this campaign. Opening such a file can trigger a harmful process, whether that involves running hidden software or displaying a credential-stealing form.

Email-embedded links work similarly. Clicking a link in a scam email may redirect the user through several pages before landing on a harmful site, or trigger an automatic file download. In most cases, some form of user interaction - opening an attachment, clicking a link, or entering data on a fake page - is required before any damage occurs.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be cautious with any unsolicited email that contains an attachment, especially one that urges immediate action. A legitimate business would not ask a new or unrelated contact to open an HTML file disguised as a PDF or Excel document. When an email seems business-related but unexpected, verify it through the sender's official website before acting.

Download software only from official and verified sources. Avoid pirated programs, key generators, and cracking tools, as these are frequently used to hide and deliver malware. Keeping the operating system and installed applications updated is equally important, as security patches close vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit.

A reputable antivirus or anti-malware solution should be kept active and regularly updated. If a suspicious file has already been opened, running a full scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows can help detect and remove any threats that may have been installed as a result.

Text presented in the "Confirmation Of Request For Quotation (RFQ)" email letter:

Subject: RFQ-62924-0187#923194 - ********

Dear,

Please find attached RFQ RFQ-62924-0187.pdf. Kindly review it and confirm whether you can manufacture the requested product.

If so, please provide:

MOQ
Unit price
Lead time
OEM/ODM availability
Packaging details

If you need any clarification, please let us know. We look forward to your quotation.

Kind regards,

Celia Chow
Procurement Manager

A fake Gmail login page displayed by the HTML attachment used in this scam:

Instant automatic malware removal:

Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is Confirmation Of Request For Quotation (RFQ) 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?

These emails are sent in bulk to large numbers of recipients, not targeted at specific individuals. Cybercriminals build mailing lists using addresses gathered from data breaches, compromised databases, and similar sources. The business-themed framing is simply a tactic to appear relevant to a wider audience.

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

Change the password for your email account immediately and update any other account that shares the same login credentials. If your inbox is linked to financial services or other sensitive accounts, contact those providers as well to alert them of the potential compromise.

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

Executable files can compromise the system the moment they are opened. Document files, HTML files, and similar formats typically require additional user interaction - such as submitting a form, enabling macros, or clicking a link - before causing harm. The risk depends on the file type and how the user engages with it.

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

No. Reading an email without interacting with its attachments or links poses no risk. Your computer is only in danger if you open the attached file, click a link, or enter information on a page the email directs you to.

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

Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and remove a wide range of malware. Running a full system scan is the most thorough approach, as sophisticated threats may attempt to conceal themselves and evade detection during a standard scan.