Alert - "Your password is Set to Expire" is a Microsoft Phishing Scam

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Updated: May 24, 2017 2017-05-24T10:33:23 -
Date: May 24, 2017 2017-05-24T10:26:37

Microsoft users who have received email messages like the one below, which claim that their passwords are set to expire should delete them because they are phishing scams. The phishing email messages are being by cyber criminals to trick their potential victims into clicking on the within them that go to a fake Microsoft website. Once on the fake website, visitors will be asked to sign-in with their Microsoft account credentials (username and password). But, any attempts to sign into the fake website will send their credentials to the cybercriminal behind the scam.

A Sample of the "Your password is Set to Expire" Microsoft Phishing Scam

From: Microsoft Outlook <info85892@ultraviolet-derfilm.de>

Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2017 6:43 AM

To: Janie MacDonald

Subject: Your password is set to expire

Microsoft account

Dear Janie

We are contacting you for the last time before locking you out.

You have 24 hours to respond.

Resolve this by following directives below.

RECTIFY PASSWORD EXPIRATION

Sincerely

Microsoft Office365

Once the cybercriminals have gotten their potential victims' Microsoft account credentials, they will gain access to their accounts, hijack them, and use them fraudulently. Hijacked accounts that are used fraudulently will be blocked by Microsoft, therefore, Microsoft users who have been tricked by the phishing scam are asked to change their passwords before their accounts are hijacked.

Microsoft users whose accounts have already been hijacked may follow the instructions below to recover their accounts:

Go to https://login.live.com/
Enter your email address and click the "Next" button
Click the "Forgot my password" link
Click "I think someone else is using my Microsoft account" link
Follow the rest of the instructions

Remember, never click on a link in an email message to sign into your Microsoft account. Always go directly to www.hotmail.com, www.outlook.com, or login.live.com to sign-in instead. After signing in, important notifications, changes or updates will be shown to you, if there is any.

Note: Some of the names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers or other information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

Please share what you know or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. Also, check the comment section below for additional information, if there is any.

Remember to forward suspicious, malicious, or phishing email messages to us at the following email address: info@onlinethreatalerts.com

Also, report missing persons, scams, untrustworthy, or fraudulent websites to us. Tell us why you consider the websites untrustworthy or fraudulent.

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