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| scam alert: phishing email We've all been there: a quick glance at your inbox reveals an urgent-looking message. But before you click anything, take a second look. A recent scam email, cleverly designed to look like a genuine "Account Safety Desk" alert, is trying to trick users into giving away their details. |
What the Scam Looks Like
A user recently reported receiving an email with a subject line like "Re: DK" (which is suspiciously vague) or similar, but the content is what makes it dangerous:
Urgent Warning: It claims your "mailbox is at 96%" and that "Space is running low and email delivery may fail." This is designed to cause panic and make you act without thinking.
The Big Blue Button: There's a prominent button labelled "Upgrade Storage" (often in a bright, inviting colour). DO NOT CLICK THIS.
Suspicious Sender: The email in the reported case was sent from a highly generic and non-official-looking address (e.g.,
<avictor_331conant@hotmail.com>), even though it's warning about a completely different service.
🛑 What Happens if You Click "Upgrade Storage"?
If you click the button, you are usually taken to a convincing but fake sign-in page. The scammers' goal is to steal your email login credentials (your username and password). Once they have these, they can:
Access all your private emails.
Send malicious emails to your contacts, using your trusted name.
Use your email to reset passwords on other accounts (like banking, shopping, or social media).
✅ What Should You Do Instead?
The user who reported this did exactly the right thing! Here’s the official advice for anyone receiving a suspicious email:
Stop and Think: Does your legitimate email provider usually send storage warnings like this? Most major providers (like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo) usually manage storage more subtly within the account itself, not via urgent, plain emails.
Check the Sender: Look closely at the "From" address. If it doesn't match the official domain of the service it claims to be (e.g., if it's a Hotmail address warning you about a Gmail account), it’s almost certainly a scam.
DO NOT CLICK any links or buttons in the suspicious email.
Report It: Forward the suspicious email to the UK's dedicated reporting service:
report@phishing.gov.uk. This service, run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), analyses the emails and takes down the malicious websites.Delete It: Once reported, delete the email immediately from your inbox and your trash folder.
Stay vigilant and keep your accounts safe! A moment of caution can save you a lot of future hassle.
