Microsoft Outlook ‘Account Exceeded Storage Limit’ Phishing Scam

According to this email, which claims to be from the  Microsoft Outlook account team, your email account has exceeded its storage limit.

It warns that incoming messages may be ‘placed on pending’ and urges you to open an attached file to verify the account and upgrade your storage. It also threatens that, should you not verify the account within 24 hours, all of your incoming messages will be deleted.

However, the email is not from Microsoft. It is a phishing scam designed to steal your Microsoft Account login details. If you click the attachment, a fake ‘Outlook Web App’ login box will open in your default browser.  If you enter your Microsoft Account details in the fake box, you will then be automatically redirected to the real Outlook.com website.

But, alas, your account login details can be collected by scammers and used to hijack not only your Outlook.com email account but any other connected Microsoft  services you may have. Once they have  gained access, the scammers can use  your account to launch further spam and scam campaigns in your name. They can also steal information from connected accounts such as OneDrive

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Webmail accounts sometimes do exceed their allowed  quota and you might  receive an  automated message informing you  of this issue. However, this message will not demand  that  you click a link or open an attachment to deal with the issue.  You can  normally remedy the problem of an over-quota account yourself  by logging in to your account and deleting unnecessary emails.

Criminals often use fake “exceeded storage limit” emails to steal personal information.

Original Source : https://www.hoax-slayer.net/microsoft-outlook-account-exceeded-storage-limit-phishing-scam/