Hotmail users warned of phishing attack
Photo by: Kecko
Microsoft sought to warn all its Hotmail users to beware of a phishing scam that is after their account login details. According to an alert, the scam is sending emails to all Hotmail account holders warning them of a security problem in the network. Claiming to come from Hotmail Customer Care, the mail states the network is suffering from a lock jam caused by a few Hotmail account users.
The scam says it is tackling the issue by deactivating all suspicious accounts. It then proceeds to name the recipients account as being one of the suspected ones and at risk of being deleted by the team. The account holder, however, can avoid this by sending across account details like username, password, country of origin, and date of birth to the scammers.
The scam goads users next by claiming their accounts will be suspended in case they do not act within 24 hours. If the users further choose to ignore their warnings, their accounts will be marked for complete deletion in two weeks.
Hotmail users ought to be alerted of the scam from the subject line itself. The heading goes:
Hotmail Warning (Verify Your Hotmail Account now To Avoid It Closed)??
,
in typical broken language.
Microsoft issued the warning through an alert posted in its Windows Live Hotmail Technical Support blog , where it has also posted a copy of the scam mail.
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October 9th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
My hotmail site was hacked and I am not able to get access to it because the password has been changed. What can I do to stop this person from sending people in my address book letters that I need money because I am stranded in England. Any help would be appreciated very much and anything I can do to stop this person immediately.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Dear Betty…
You can try contacting Microsoft Live Support at
https://support.live.com/eform.aspx?productKey=wlmail&page=wlsupport_home_options_form_byemail&ct=eformts
Hope this helps!
Best Wishes!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:57 am
My hotmail nivdk@hotmail.com has been hacked. somebody is phising with my mail box, please help me i am unable to open my mail box too as the password has been changed. Since yestreday night 8.25 P.M. this has been happening, poeple are calling me and asking about my well being, as the letter mentioned that I am stratnded in Nigeria and I need urgently money to come out of that place. People are even rhinking of sending me thye money, i am terribly upset about the whole thing. i want to at least open my account and reply back to all my friends and contacts who all are thinking what to do about this strange letter.
Kindly help me out
November 25th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Nivedita…
Have you tried contacting MSN at the link above?
It would help. If you get in touch, they would either restore control of the account over to you or they would deactivate the account altogether.
Meanwhile, you would do well in informing everyone you remember saving in your contacts list, and apprise them of the hack via SMS or by using an alternative email account. This would limit the damage the hacker/s can cause.
Best Wishes!