Yahoo users who have received email messages like the one below, which claim that their mailboxes will close down should delete them. This is because the email messages are phishing scams being sent by cyber criminals to trick the recipients into clicking on the links in them that go to phishing websites that steal email account usernames and passwords.
The "Yahoo Mailbox Close Down Notice" Phishing Scam
Subject: Mailbox Close Down Notice
YAHOO !
Dear Valued User,
We received your request to close down your account.
We will process your request within 24 hours.
If it was not you, kindly follow below and sign in to cancel request and continue using our services.
CANCEL REQUEST HERE
Failure to follow this notification will lead to error or your mailbox will be closed completely.
Regards
Yahoo Team.
If the links in the phishing email messages are clicked by the recipients, they will be taken to a phishing website and ask to sign-in. If they attempt to do so, their email account credentials (usernames and passwords) will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the scam. Once the cybercriminals have gotten the stolen credentials, they will gain access to the accounts, hijack them, and use them fraudulently.
Therefore, online users who have received email messages with a link to update their information or make changes to their accounts should always go directly to their email account provider's website and sign into their accounts instead of clicking on the link. Once online users have signed into their accounts, they will be noticed of changes or updates, if there are any. Going directly to their email provider's website and signing in from there is the only guaranteed way of preventing online users from becoming victims of phishing scams.
Online users who have already been tricked by the phishing scam are asked change their passwords immediately before their accounts are hijacked and used fraudulently. If their accounts have already been hijacked by cyber criminals they need to contact their email providers for help.