The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam

Yahoo users, be aware of "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" email messages like the one below, which claim that you need to verify your Yahoo account because it is almost full. The fake email messages are phishing scams being sent by cybercriminals to steal Yahoo usernames and passwords, by tricking Yahoo users into visiting a phishing website that steals email account credentials.

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The Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification Phishing Scam

The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam

From: Yahoo Mail lafleetmo@yahoo.com

Subject: Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification [Do Not Ignore]

Date: September 11, 2018 at 12:06:19 AM PDT

Reply-To: Yahoo Mail lafleetmo@yahoo.com

Yahoo!

Yahoo! account

Account Notification

Your mailbox is almost full.

1969MB

2000MB

Current size

Maximum size

Your account has exceeded its megabyte limit and needs to be verified.

Verify within 48hours, to avoid account suspension

Click here to verify you email account

Replies sent to this email cannot be answered.

The link in the phishing email message goes to a fake or phishing Yahoo website, which will attempt to trick the potential victims into entering their usernames and passwords on it. If Yahoo users attempt to sign into the phishing website with their Yahoo usernames and passwords, it will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack their accounts. The hijacked Yahoo accounts will then be used by cybercriminals fraudulently.

Remember, 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 something wrong with your account, it will be shown to you after signing in. And, if you were tricked by one of these phishing scams, please change your password immediately before your Yahoo account is hijacked.

For victims whose accounts have already been hijacked, click here for help.

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: 5)

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June 7, 2020 at 12:09 AM by
The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam
info

"From: Yahoo!Mail Security® <jazzyizzy@yahoo.com>

Date: June 6, 2020 at 1:15:44 PM PDT

To: "noreply@yahoo.com" <noreply@yahoo.com>

Subject: ✉: Notice : ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION (ACTION REQUESTED)



YAHOO!

Dear Subscriber

We noticed an attempt to shut down your Yahoo account. We are attending to this request and soon we will close down your account in 48 hours. If this wasn't you and you think you are receiving this message by mistake, please click here to sign in back again in order to keep your account active, otherwise your mailbox will be shut down in 48 hours from now. And your two incoming mails was placed on pending.

Yes, l wouId Iike to CIose my account"

Here is another scam.

Delete

March 13, 2020 at 1:11 PM by
The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam
info

"From: "Yahoo Mail" <bkyaros@yahoo.com>

Sent: Fri, Mar 13, 2020 at 12:41

Subject: Yahoo Account Shutdown! (FINAL WARNING)

Yahoo

Dear valued user,

Your request to terminate your Yahoo account has been received. to avoid permanent deactivation of your account as our record indicates your account is yet to be verified.

Take a minute to Cancel Deactivation

your account for faster, safer and full featured YAHOO! experience.

Note: Your email address information will be deleted from our data if action is not taken.

Technical Team

c 2020!, Inc. All rights reserved."

Another scam.

Delete

January 31, 2020 at 8:19 AM by
The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam
info

"From: "Yahoo Account update" <roefieldstables@hotmail.com>

To: "noreply@yahoo.com" <noreply@yahoo.com>

Sent: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 at 13:04

Subject: Administration

Account

Our record indicates that you recently made a request to shutdown your Yahoo account and this request will be processed shortly.

If this request was made accidentally and you have no knowledge of it, you are required to cancel the request now by clicking on the link below,

Cancel Request Here

However, if you do not cancel this request your account will be shut-down within the next 24 hrs and all your email data will be lost permanently.

Sincerely,

Yahoo Support Team.

©2001 - 2020 Administrator. All Rights Reserved."

Here is another scam.

Delete

August 1, 2019 at 9:56 AM by
The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam
info

"From: yahoo. com <0988777nfor32446@msn.com>

Sent: Thursday, August 1, 2019, 08:39:14 AM MDT

Subject: Act of Securities Rules

Dear User,

Your e-mail account has been blocked due to suspicious activities.

You will not be able to use your e-mail account until proper action is taken.

To avoid shutdown, you have to follow the link below:

Click here to Proceed

Failure to comply will lead to final shut down of e-mail account.

Thank You.

yahoo.com 2019 Yahoo Support. All rights reserved."

Here is another scam.

Delete

September 29, 2020 at 8:04 PM by
The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam
SmthPJ67 from: Lexington, North Carolina, United States

This was the type I received on my google account. My android locked the phone locked as if lost. So did my apple just getting back in. There are a lot of Scarmmers now. Stay safe use at least 2 pass codes

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The "Yahoo Account Shutdown Notification" Phishing Scam