The email message below which claims that the recipients' email accounts will be locked due to failure to re-verify and confirm ownership, is a phishing scam that has been created by cyber criminals to steal Microsoft Hotmail/Live/Outlook usernames and passwords. The intention of the cyber-criminals is to hijack email accounts and use them fraudulently. So, recipients of the same email message are advised to delete it, and not to follow the instructions in it.
Sample of a "Your Account Will Be Locked" Microsoft Outlook Phishing Scam
From: Microsoft Account Team <Verificationdesk@server.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2017 12:30 AM
Subject: FINAL WARNING:YOUR ACCOUNT TERMINATION PROCEEDED™
Email Require Re-validation
Dear
Your Account will be locked due to failure to re-verify and confirm ownership.
Kindly Click Here Now to verify and get more secured to continue using our service.
Ignorance will lead to temporary suspension of your service provision,
NOTE: This is a one time user verification carried out in purpose to provide a more secured platform and shut down robot or malicious users created in purpose of spamming and other fraudulent activities.
Best Regards,
(C) 2017 Mail. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801
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 it. If the potential victims enter their Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail, Live usernames and passwords on the fake website, it will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack their accounts.
If you have received the same email message, 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.
This scam is similar to the following: