Watch out for this one

[Tonyblack]

It's pretty obvious that if you get an email, apparently from Hotmail and Hotmail won't show you the contents, then there's something up.

I just got such an email titled "Account Alert".

This is the text of the email:

Microsoft® respects your privacy. Please read Carefully.






Dear Account Owner,





This Email is from Windows Live™ Hotmail Customer Care™® and we are sending to all our account user for safety. Due to the anonymous registration of our account which is bringing congestion's to our service, so we are shutting down some account and your account is among. The purpose of this email is for you to verify that you are the owner of this account and you are still using it by filling the information below after clicking on the reply button:

* Full Name:..................................
* User Name:................................
* Password:..................................
* Date of Birth:..............................
* Country Or Territory:...............







After following the above instructions your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this effect. We apologize for any inconveniences.



Warning!!! Account owner's that refuses to update there account after three days of receiving
this warning will lose the account permanently.



NOTE: Click Reply To Fill in Required Information

Sincerely,

Steve Craddock

This is quite obviously a phony, even if it does look fairly kosher with all the Hotmail graphics - but a quick look at the appalling grammar in the email is enough to ring alarm bells.

If you get it, mark it as a phishing scam.

[Who's Wee Dug]

And if some recipients of that e-mail are not so clued up on the grammer or spelling they could become a victim as they won't spot the mistooks wot was made.

Microsoft does not contact individuals by e-mail, so that should ring warning bells.

[Tonyblack]

Obviously written by someone who doesn't understand the use of the apostrophe. And multiple exclamation marks - a sure sign of a sick mind.

Thank you Terry for teaching us how to spot them.

[Who's Wee Dug]

[Batty]

Last week I received an email from the Tax Office (HMRC) asking for my account details as I was due a large tax rebate.
The following day I had an email from the Halifax asking me to confirm my account details, or else my account would be suspended.

Can you imagine my distress! ... A large rebate and no account to pay it into!!
'Tis a shame that I don't bank with the Halifax, and had a similar email from HMRC last year.


Never mind. This time next year I could be a millionaire!

[Beautiful Dirt]

At least the hotmail, bank and revenue hoax emails are a little more interesting than the misspelt invitations I sometimes receive for shall we say 'relations' with strangers and any number of products to facilitate this

[Quatermass]

And phone calls. Remember, earlier this year, there was a spate of phony phone calls coming from Microsoft. My father got one, my brother got one, and I got one. We ignored them.

Basically, if an email comes or someone calls asking for details, don't answer the email or give your details over the phone. Microsoft's official policy is not to email or phone customers. This is basically social engineering.

[Penfold]

I thought I would resurrect this thread briefly because I got this Email.



Since I don't have a PayPal account and noticed the grammar was appalling, I rather suspect that it is another scam making the rounds. Needless to say I didn't click the link.

[The Mad Collector]

Paypal scams are usually really easy to spot as Paypal always emails the account holder by name never as "Dear Paypal Customer" or someother variant.

[wicked woman]

I'm still getting calls about viruses on the computer. Someone suggested that if you have a small child handy you should hand them the phone and suggest they tell the man about their latest poo.

[Penfold]

[Bouncy Castle]

[Batty]

I'm still getting calls about viruses on the computer. Someone suggested that if you have a small child handy you should hand them the phone and suggest they tell the man about their latest poo.

love it!

[Quatermass]

I'm still getting calls about viruses on the computer. Someone suggested that if you have a small child handy you should hand them the phone and suggest they tell the man about their latest poo.

I was rather more direct. Last time I got one of those, the moment they said "I'm calling from Microsoft" in a foreign accent, I just interrupted and said calmly but relentlessly, "No, you're not. You're a scammer, and you will stop calling me." And then, I hung up.

[meerkat]

Or do what I do. After a slight pause yell "Pervert" down the line and then hang up.