"Microsoft Final Email Upgrade Now" Phishing Email Scams

Microsoft Final Email Upgrade Now Phishing Email Scams

The email message below, which claims that a restriction has been placed on the recipients' email accounts since they have refused to upgrade their accounts, is a phishing scam being sent by cybercriminals to steal Microsoft Hotmail, Live or Outlook usernames and passwords. The fake email message tricks the recipients into visiting a phishing website where they will be asked to sign into their accounts, but any attempt to sign-in to the phishing website will result in their account credentials being sent to the cybercriminals behind the phishing email message.

A Sample of the "Final Email Upgrade Now" Phishing Email

From: Account Security <tmanoilova@hotmail.com>

Sent: August 8, 2017 5:22 AM

To: member_service@live.com

Subject: FINAL EMAIL UPGRADE!!

INTERNAL NOTICE

This is to notify you for the final time that we have stopped processing incoming emails on your account since you have refused to upgrade your account and we might be forced to lock up your account if this notice is ignored.

UPGRADE NOW

This restriction will be disabled intermediately we confirm upgrade successful.

Thanks

The email security team@2017

The link in the email message goes to a fake Microsoft Hotmail website, which will attempt to trick the 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, the information will be sent to the cyber-criminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack the victims' accounts.

If you receive email messages like these, please go directly to your email account instead of clicking on the links in the email messages. If there is anything wrong with your account or something needs to be done to it, it will be shown to you after you have signed into your account. If you were tricked by one of these malicious phishing scams, please change your Hotmail, Live or Outlook immediately. If you are unable to, click here to report it to Microsoft.

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: 6)

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  • April 21, 2018 at 6:16 PM by an anonymous user from: Irvine, California, United States

    Thank you so much for the information. I am so glad I did not reply to the email. Also I am getting notices on the side of the screen and also in notifications about my outlook

    account settings being out of date and another one saying there is a microsoft account problem,.

    "We need to fix your Microsoft account (most probably your password has changed.) Select here to fix it in shared experiences setting." Is this a scam also?

    The messages appear when I am online.

    Thank you.

    • April 21, 2018 at 6:59 PM by info

      It is a scam.

  • March 21, 2018 at 9:31 PM by info

    Here is another scam:

    - start of scam -

    From: TEAM MICROSOFT.COM <monicaguerrerop@hotmail.es>

    Date: March 21, 2018 at 10:48:51 AM MDT

    To: "account-security-service@e-mail.com" <account-security-service@e-mail.com>

    Subject: DEADLINE FOR YOUR UPGRADE IS TODAY! (DO NOT IGNORE)

    E-mail Deadline Upgrade

    Your mailbox will expire on MARCH 21TH, 2018

    Dear User,

    We are currently updating the windows services agreement and privacy statement. Please keep your security information updated. This is for your own safety.

    DO NOT IGNORE THIS NOTICE!

    UPDATE NOW

    NOTE: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE CLOSED IF NOT UPDATED. (UPDATE IS FREE)

    Thank you for using our services.

    We respect your privacy.

  • January 16, 2018 at 7:21 AM by info

    Here is another scam:

    "From: Webserver Message <pfletch78@hotmail.com>

    Sent: Monday, January 15, 2018 12:50 PM

    To: noreply@microsoft.net

    Subject: DEADLINE FOR YOUR UPGRADE IS TODAY! (DO NOT IGNORE)

    E-mail Deadline Upgrade

    This is to notify you for the final time that we have stopped processing incoming emails on your account

    since you have refused to upgrade your account to our new service and we have been forced to block your account if this notice is ignored.

    UPGRADE NOW

    Note: This restriction will be disabled intermediately we confirm upgrade successful.

    Thanks,

    Regards

    Customer Care Team ©2018"

  • December 28, 2017 at 10:45 PM by info

    Here is another scam:

    "From: EMAIL SERVER <rabih.h.n@hotmail.com>

    Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2017 11:36 PM

    Subject: 🚩 REMINDER: YOU HAVE 2 DAYS BEFORE CLOSURE!

    UPDATE ACCOUNT

    This is to notify you for the final time that we have stopped processing incoming emails on your account

    since you have refused to upgrade your account and we might be forced to lock up your account if this

    notice is ignored.

    UPGRADE NOW

    This restriction will be disabled intermediately we confirm upgrade successful.

    Thanks

    The email security team@2017"

  • November 4, 2017 at 6:47 PM by info

    Here is another scam:

    "From: WINDOWS LIVE <nazimkasoo@hotmail.com>

    Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2017 9:26 AM

    To: noreply@live.com

    Subject: Re: Upgrade 2017 processed

    INTERNAL NOTICE

    This is to notify you for the final time that we will have to stop processing incoming emails on your account

    We recommend you to update your account to avoid loosing your email account, failure to do so we will de-activate your mail account.

    notice is ignored.

    UPGRADE NOW

    This restriction will be disabled immediately we confirm that the upgrade is successful.

    Thanks

    The team."

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"Microsoft Final Email Upgrade Now" Phishing Email Scams