The "Closing and Deleting Your Outlook Account in Progress" Phishing Scam
The "Closing & Deleting Your Outlook Account in Progress" email message below, which claims that the recipients' accounts need to be validated to avoid termination, is a phishing scam created to steal Microsoft Outlook or Hotmail usernames and passwords. The email message was not sent by Microsoft, but by cyber-criminals, whose intentions are to hijack email accounts and use them for malicious purposes. So, recipients of the same email message are advised to delete it, and not follow the instructions in it.
The "Closing and Deleting Your Outlook Account in Progress" Phishing Scam
From: Outlook Service - wardhanazakram@hotmail.com
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2018 3:28:07 PM
To: upgradeverify@outlook.com
Subject: Closing & Deleting Your Outlook Account in Progress (FINAL WARNING)
Outlook Security Verification
Dear Outlook User,
Security raised concerns on your account. This is to notify all Users of our service that we are validating active accounts to avoid termination.Kindly confirm that your account is still in use or your account will be deactivated.
Resolve this issue below.
Resolve Here
Thanks,
Outlook System Administrator Team 2018
The link in the email message goes 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 cyber-criminals 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 message. And, if there is anything wrong with your account, it will be shown to you after signing in. If you were tricked by the phishing email, please change your Microsoft Hotmail/Live/Outlook immediately. If you are unable to, click here to report it to Microsoft.
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