Today’s Scam of the day comes right from my own email account although many people are reporting receiving the same email.  It appears to be from iTunes and indicates that there is a problem with my account and that in order to continue to use iTunes I must verify information in my account.  The email is a scam and works in one of two ways, both of which are bad.  In one scenario if you click on the link to provide information, you will be turning over your personal information to an identity thief who will use the information to make you a victim of identity theft.  Even worse is the other possible scenario which is that when you click on the link, you will unwittingly download a keystroke logging malware account that will permit the identity thief to steal all of the information on your computer and use it to access your credit cards, bank accounts and make you a victim of identity theft.  This particular email which is reproduced below contains a number of clues that it is a scam.  Often these emails come from botnet zombie computers that have been hacked into to send out these emails and so the email address from which it was sent will not have anything to do with Apple or iTunes, but will carry the address of the unfortunate person whose email was hacked and taken over.  Also, although it is easy to copy logos, identity thieves, particularly when they are from foreign countries do not use proper grammar or proper English.  For instance, in this email it reads “Visit the link blow for iTunes! Account Verification” rather than “below.”

Here is a copy of the email I received.  DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.

Dear iTunes Customer,

iTunes Logon Notification 

We recommend that you verify your online account as soon as possible. Some iTunes services, such as Bill payment may not work until you verify your account.

If you choose not to verify your account at this time, please note that you are leaving your account and information at risk, Information records.

Visit the link blow for iTunes! Account Verification:

Click Here To Validate Your Account

For further help please contact support.

Thank You for using iTunes,
Online Customer Services

© 2013 Apple.com All rights reserved.

TIPS

Never click on a link unless you are absolutely sure that it is legitimate and unfortunately whenever you receive an email or a text message with a link, you cannot be sure that the message is legitimate.  Many times you will receive emails or texts such as this purporting to be from companies that you do not even do business with and you obviously can ignore these.  But if you have any thoughts that the email might be legitimate, you still shouldn’t click on the link.  Instead you should call the particular agency or company at a telephone number that you know is accurate to inquire as to whether the email or text message was legitimate.  Chances are that you will find out that it is a scam.  Once, I received a large invoice from a company with which I do business for goods I did not order, but rather than click on the link provided in the email, I went directly to the company’s website to question the invoice.  When the website came up, the first thing I saw was a large announcement that the invoice was a scam and that many people had received these phony invoices.  If I had clicked on the link, I would have become a victim of identity theft.