"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam

The email message below with the subject: "Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed," which claims that some information on the recipients' mailboxes appear to be missing or incorrect, is a phishing scam created to steal AOL user names and passwords. The email message was not sent by AOL, but by cyber-criminals, whose intentions are to gain access to the potential victims' email accounts and use them for malicious or fraudulent purposes.

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Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed Phishing Scam

The "Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam

From: Team Service jamesolson@fuse.net

Date: December 13, 2016 6:56:25 AM PST

Subject: Aol Mail

Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed !

Some information on your mailbox appears to be missing or incorrect.

Please update your information promptly so that you can continue to enjoy.

all the benefits.

If you don't update your information within 72 hours, we will limit it.

Check It Here

The link in the email message goes to a fake AOL website in an attempt to trick the potential victims into entering their usernames and passwords on it. If the potential victims enter their AOL usernames and passwords on the fake website, it will be sent to the cyber-criminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack the victims' accounts.

Therefore, AOL users who have received email messages like the one above, should go directly to their email accounts instead of clicking on the links in the email messages. If there is anything wrong with their accounts, it will be shown to them after signing in.

Now, AOL users who were tricked by phishing scams should change their passwords immediately.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 7)

To protect your privacy, please remove sensitive or identifiable information from your comments, questions, or reviews. We will use your IP address to display your approximate location to other users when you make a post. That location is not enough to find you.

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September 18, 2019 at 11:29 PM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: New York, United States

Another phishing email:

"From: AOL Member Info

Sent: ‎9/‎16/‎2019 3:40 AM

Subject: AOL Member Notifications®

Aol.

Dear AOL User,

Important: It has come to our attention that your AOL records information are out of date,

to ensure that your email service is not interrupted,

We request you to update your billing information today

Please Click Here to Update.

Note: Failure to Update Billing will result in email account suspension.

Thanks for cooperation

Account Management

AOL Team

©2019 Verizon Media. All Rights Reserved"

Delete

June 13, 2019 at 7:53 AM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Have been geting daily notices regarding AOL account. I have been deleting them.

Delete

June 4, 2019 at 2:16 PM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: New York, United States

Just got messages that came from "AOL" telling me that my mail box was 99% full and needed to raise the size of the mail box from 25 to 50 gigs. I would be able to do that by "clicking" on the box and providing my name, etc. I naturally did not do so...and hope no one else does either.

Delete

October 8, 2018 at 3:32 AM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: Bergerac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Received this today originating from ...tbates8888@aol.com

I assume it is a phishing scam?

"Dear Member, AOL FINAL WARNING

We emailed you last month to let you know about changes we are making to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. These changes are key steps towards creating what's next for our consumers, like you, while empowering them with transparency and controls over how and when their data is used.

You can learn more about Oath and what these policies mean for you here, as well as more about the changes in our FAQs.

In order to continue to access your Mail account after October 15th 2018, you will need to confirm you accept the Terms of Service. We also need a few moments of your time to explain how we manage your data and provide you with some choices in relation to the processing of that data.

Click here to start.

If you do not want the new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to apply to you, you will no longer be able to access your account from October 15th 2018. If you would like the contents of your email account, you may obtain a copy of your data by clicking here.

Thank you for your time and cooperation.

Oath"

Delete

October 8, 2018 at 7:57 AM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
info

Yes, it is a phishing scam.

Delete

September 27, 2018 at 2:59 AM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: Hereford, England, United Kingdom

Thanks for the above. I noticed that the form looks shady and they sent another email just after I open the first email. Really helpful website. Thanks.

Delete

August 13, 2018 at 5:17 AM by
"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: London, England, United Kingdom

I have just received what appears to be a message from Oath saying that if I do not accept their new conditions, my email account will be closed next day.

However the email address of the sender is "JonesMotorHomes@aol.com"

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

"Your AOL Mailbox will be Closed" Phishing Scam