Microsoft account holders are asked to be aware of phishing email messages, which claim that their accounts will be deactivated or have been blacklisted due to policy violation. The email message below is a sample of the phishing email messages, which is created by cybercriminals to steal Microsoft Hotmail, Live or Outlook account usernames and passwords, in order to hijack the same accounts and use them fraudulently. Therefore, recipients of the similar email messages are advised to delete them, and should not to follow the instructions in them.
Sample of the "Microsoft Account has been Blacklisted" Phishing Email
From: CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE [team_member544@outlook.com ]
Sent: Friday, December 9, 2016 2:38 AM
To: no_reply@h Subject: PERMIT MAIL DEACTIVATION
Dear Valuable Customer,
Your Microsoft account has been (Black Listed) due to policy violation.by
Microsoft Corporation **(US)**
However to continue using your account safely, you need to verify and restore full service 30th November, 2016, you will not be able to read and send emails.
Verify email address <http://tinyurl .com/htz92yr>
To proceed request and verify your Microsoft account security settings to enable us protect you from spammers,
Thanks,
Microsoft service! 2016
Blacklisted: Policy Violation
The links in the email messages go to a fake Outlook or Microsoft website, which will attempt to trick the cyber-criminals' potential victims into entering their usernames and passwords on them. If the potential victims enter their Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail, Live usernames and passwords on the fake websites, that information will be sent to the cyber-criminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack their accounts.
If you have received the same email messages, please go directly to your email account instead of clicking on the links in the email messages. And, if there is anything wrong with your account, it will be shown to you after signing into it.
Now, if you were tricked by the phishing email, please change your Hotmail/Live/Outlook immediately. If you are unable to, click here to report it to Microsoft.
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