This is a scam that I have described previously on Scamicide, but it bears repeating, particularly because I recently received an email that is shown below, which means that other people are also receiving this scam email. The message line of the email is entitled “SECURITY ALERT” and as you can see, the email tells me that I have exceeded my email accounts limit and I am requested to verify my account or my account will be terminated. This is just a scam. If you get this type of email or even in the copy below, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK “VERIFY NOW.” If you do so, you will only either end up being asked to provide information that can be used to make you a victim of identity theft or, even worse, you will end up downloading a keystroke logging malware program that will steal all of the information from your account and lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft.
“Dear User,
Your e-mail account has exceeded its limit and needs to be verified, If not verified within24hrs, we shall terminate your account.
Thank You.”
TIPS
As I always say, trust me, you can’t trust anyone. Never click on links or download material unless you are absolutely positive it is legitimate. Often scammers and identity thieves use these links and attachments to make you a victim of identity theft by tricking you into providing information or by your unwittingly downloading keystroke logging malware that can steal all of the information from your computer such as your bank account information, Social Security number, credit card number or other information that can be used to make you a victim of identity theft. In the case of this particular scam email, the email address is not from my email provider. In fact, this particular email did not even name an email provider or show a logo. Even if it did, those things can be forged, but when they don’t appear, you know it is a scam.