The email message below, which claims that the recipients’ email account storage has exceeded its limit and need to be verified, is a phishing scam. The fake email message was created and sent by cyber-criminals to steal the recipients’ email account username and password. Once cyber-criminals have gotten their victims’ email account credentials, they will hijack their accounts and use them fraudulently. So, recipients of the fake email message should delete it and never attempt to click on the links or follow the instructions in it.
Recipients of the fake email message, who have already followed the instructions in it, should change their email account's password immediately before their accounts are hijacked and used fraudulently.
The "Microsoft Storage - Your Account has Exceeded its Limit" Phishing Email
From: Microsoft Storage mall-secruty@hotmail.com
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2016 3:22 AM
Subject: Your account has exceeded its limit
Dear User,
This is to inform that your account has exceeded its limit and need to be verified
Kindly click the link below to verify and validate your account.
VALIDATE MY ACCOUNT
Your account will be suspended if not validate within 48 hours.
Sincerely,
Outlook Storage
The link in the fake email message goes to a fake Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail or Live website. On the fake website, visitors will be asked to sign-in, if they attempt to do so, their email usernames and passwords will be sent to the cybercriminals responsible for the phishing email message. Once the cybercriminals have gotten their potential victims Microsoft account credentials, they will gain access to their accounts, hijack the accounts by changing passwords, and use the accounts fraudulently.