"AOL Quarantine Database Maintenance Update" Phishing Scam
AOL users should not follow the instructions in the phishing email message below, which claims their accounts will be closed if they do not update them. The fake AOL email message is being sent by cyber criminals to frighten and trick recipients into clicking on a link within it, which goes to a phishing website. The phishing website steals AOL usernames and passwords, therefore, any attempts to sign into it will result in the visitors' usernames and passwords being sent to the cybercriminals responsible for it. Once the cybercriminals have received the stolen usernames and passwords, they will use it to gain access to the accounts, hijack and use them fraudulently.
The Phishing AOL Email Message
From: david fisher - auctioneer@cableone.net
Sent: Tue, Apr 18, 2017 10:27 am
Subject: Important Account Update
Dear subscriber,
A Quarantine database maintenance is currently being carried out on our e-mail servers to upgrade spam and junk mail protection. We are also deleting all unused accounts in time for new accounts.To avoid closure of your account, you are obliged to update your account for the effect.
To update your account CLICK HERE
Thank you for using this service.
Warning: All email account owners who refuse to update account within two days of receipt of this email will lose his account permanently.
Regards,
David fisher
AOL Customer Service Team
Copyright ©2017, AOL All Rights Reserved
The link in the email message goes to the phishing website: hxxps://shopifyland.com/. The website looks similar to AOL's website and will ask visitors to sign-in. Once attempts are made to sign-in by visitors, their AOL usernames and passwords will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the scam. This is why AOL users should never click on a link to sign into their accounts. They should go directly to www.aol.com and sign-in from there. Once they have signed into their accounts, any updates or important notifications will be shown to them. Doing this will protect them from phishing scams.
AOL users who have already been tricked by the phishing scam are asked to change their passwords immediately. For those whose accounts have been hijacked, are asked to contact AOL for help.
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Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.