"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams

Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled Phishing Scams

Microsoft Hotmail or Outlook users who have received email messages like the one below, which claim that their email accounts will expire or email address will be disabled if not updated, 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.

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A Sample of the "Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scam

From: Account Team <lindasavage65@hotmail.com>

Subject: Upgrade your Sign-in security

Date: 5 September 2017 04:06:30 BST

To: "members_service@outlook.com" <members_service@outlook.com>

Security Info Update

Your Mailbox will expire on Sept 07, 2017

This is to notify you that we are currently updating the windows services agreement and privacy statement. Please keep your security information updated.

Do not ignore!

UPDATE NOW

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

Thank you for using our services.

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.

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Comments 6

Sep 17, 2018 at 12:16 AM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: "Date: 17 September 2018 at 10:33:01 am AWST To: "microsoftteam.account@noreply.com" Subject: 🚩ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION Microsoft Your Mailbox will expire on September 18th, 2018 Please keep your security information updated. Do not ignore! UPGRADE NOW NOTE: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISABLED IF NOT UPDATED. (UPDATE IS FREE) Thank you for using our services."

Delete

Aug 20, 2018 at 8:16 PM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: "From: microsoft.com team Sent: Monday, August 20, 2018 1:04:28 PM Subject: Upgrade Account Your mailbox will expire on august 21, 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."

Delete

Jul 5, 2018 at 10:25 AM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: "From: Account Team Sent: 02 July 2018 11:48 To: Microsoft Rewards Subject: Final Account Update Account Security Info Update Your Mailbox will expire on JULY 2, 2018 This is to notify you that we are currently updating the windows services agreement and privacy statement. Please keep your security information updated. Do not ignore! UPGRADE NOW NOTE: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISABLED IF NOT UPDATED. (UPDATE IS FREE) Thank you for using our services."

Delete

Jun 14, 2018 at 4:38 PM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: - - - - - - From: MSN Service Sent: Friday, June 15, 2018 5:36:57 AM Subject: Error Sign-in Security Info Update Your Mailbox will expire on June 15th, 2018 This is to notify you that we are currently updating the windows services agreement and privacy statement. Please keep your security information updated. Do not ignore! UPGRADE NOW NOTE: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISABLED IF NOT UPDATED. (UPDATE IS FREE) Thank you for using our services.

Delete

Jun 14, 2018 at 4:37 PM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: "From: Mail Support Sent: Friday, June 15, 2018 7:16:08 AM To: Mail Support Subject: Unlock your account Security Info Update Your Mailbox will expire on TODAY This is to notify you that we are currently updating the windows services agreement and privacy statement. Please keep your security information updated. Do not ignore! UPGRADE NOW NOTE: YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISABLED IF NOT UPDATED. (UPDATE IS FREE) Thank you for using our services."

Delete

Dec 3, 2017 at 3:14 PM by
"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams
info

Here is another scam: "From: Microsoft.com Team Sent: Sunday, December 3, 2017 2:04 PM Subject: 📣 FINAL REMINDER! Your mailbox will expire on December 5th, 2017 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."

Delete

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"Your Mailbox Will Expire and Email Address Disabled" Phishing Scams