Left nav

Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Righ nav

"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams

Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018 Phishing Email Scams

There is no "Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018". Therefore, Microsoft users who have received the email message below, which claims they won't be able to sign into their email accounts are asked to delete it because it is a phishing scam being sent by cybercriminals to steal Microsoft Windows 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.

Advertisements - Continue reading below

The "Microsoft E-mail Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email

From: Windows Live 2018 <joymaria.a@hotmail.com>

Sent: 05 February 2018 03:31

To: noreply@microsoft.net

Subject: ADMIN ALERT: WE ARE CLOSING YOUR MAIL TODAY!

E-mail Upgrade 2018

Starting from 06/02/2018 you won't be able to sign-in into your email account unless you fix this urgent issue now.

Please confirm this request to complete our deactivation process:

Yes, I would like to upgrade my account

No i will not complete this request, Cancel upgrade request

This restriction will be disabled intermediately we confirm update successful.

Thank you,

Account service Team.

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 engine.Search
Write commentWrite your comment or view the ones below.    +
Was this article helpful?
Advertisements - Continue reading below

Comments, Answers, Reviews or Questions

To protect your privacy, please remove sensitive or identifiable information from your comments, questions, or reviews. Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic.

Comments 11

Aug 8, 2019 at 12:40 PM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
info

"From: Acc Center
Date: 8 August 2019 at 15:34:32 BST
Subject: Your Microsoft Account needs to be updated.

Hi,

Your Outlook Account needs to be updated.

We are upgrading our server to a more user friendly one..

Note
All customers are required to manually upgrade their accounts..
Upgrade your account"

Here is another scam.

Delete

Mar 11, 2019 at 7:55 AM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia

THIS IS ANOTHER SCAM...

"From: MailBox Update [mailto:riadishaq-hotmail.com]
Enviado el: lunes, 11 de marzo de 2019 3:09 a. m.
To: member_services-live.com
Asunto: Microsoft Account Reset Update
Importancia: Alta

E_MAIL 2019 FINAL VERIFICATION ALERT

This message is being sent to you to inform you that your account will expire on 03/12/2019.

If you wish to continue using this account please upgrade to our services. Ignoring this message will cause the account to be closed

Update your account

Note:This upgrade is required immediately after receiving this message

Thank you

Security account team"

Delete

Mar 4, 2019 at 3:02 PM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"From:
Date: 4 March 2019 at 17:21:54 GMT
Subject: Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade , March 2019


Hi

Your Outlook Account needs to be updated.
We are upgrading our server to a more user friendly one.

Note
All customers are required to manually upgrade their Microsoft Outlook accounts.
Due date 4 March 2019"

Delete

Aug 9, 2018 at 4:07 AM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Hereford, England, United Kingdom

My wife had exactly the same wording on her Hotmail account 09/08/2018 0945hrs, fortunately we are computer literate and searched for scams?

My daughter was not so lucky, same sort of message from BT clicked the link instead of opening her BT account followed a very helpful agent and had her bank account emptied.

Delete

Jul 13, 2018 at 10:58 PM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Mail Server
Sent: July 13, 2018 11:58 AM
Subject: ADMIN ALERT: YOUR MAIL UPGRADE DEADLINE IS TODAY!

CLOSURE OF EMAIL

We are informing you that your account will be closed ON 15/07/2018 because you have been ignoring all our update messages sent you.

If you wish to continue using this account update now to continue using our service.

Click here to update

Notice: Ignoring this message will cause this account to be terminated without your permission.

Thanks ,

Sincerely

Mail Protector ©2018"

Delete

Apr 19, 2018 at 3:51 AM by
"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Skebobruk, Stockholm County, Sweden

Here is another scam:

"Update alert

Dear User,

The deadline for updating all E-mail account is Today

You are advise to Update your account now

Update your account

Note: Your account will be suspended if not updated before the end of today.

Thank you

Security account team"

Delete

Advertisements - Continue reading below

waiting

Write Your Comment, Answer, Review or Question

"Microsoft E-mail Account Upgrade 2018" Phishing Email Scams