'New Security Features' Scam
An analysis of the 'New Security Features' email has revealed that it is part of an ill-minded phishing operation. The email falsely claims that the recipient's account will become unusable unless they update it. In reality, this is an attempt to deceive users into providing their email account login credentials to a fraudulent website. The goal of this tactic is to gain access to personal data that may allow the attackers to potentially collect money or commit other fraudulent activities. It is important for users to be aware of these tactics and take steps to protect themselves from becoming victims.
False Claims Found in the 'New Security Features' Scam Emails
The 'New Security Features' scam is a threatening email campaign that targets unsuspecting users. The email informs the recipient that new security features have been implemented on their specific email platform and its admin centers and requests them to check and update their accounts before a certain deadline – otherwise, they will supposedly become unusable and deleted.
However, when the users click the 'Update Information →' button, they are redirected to a phishing website that mimics the recipient's email account sign-in page. This site is designed to record any information entered into it, such as email addresses and passwords.
The cybercriminals behind this tactic can cause more damage than just collecting mail accounts – they also may attempt to hijack other of the victim's accounts registered through compromised email. For example, collected communication accounts (e.g., emails, social networking/media, messengers, forums) can be used to ask contacts for loans or promote schemes; while finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, e-commerce) can be used to make unauthorized transactions or purchases. In conclusion, trusting an email like 'New Security Features' can lead to serious privacy threats, financial losses and even identity theft.
Typical Signs of a Phishing Email
The first thing to watch out for with any email you receive is grammar and spelling mistakes. Legitimate companies usually take care to ensure their content reads clearly and correctly, so email messages that contain too many typos may be an indicator that it's not from who it claims.
Another sign of a phishing attack is when the email creates a sense of urgency, pressuring the recipient into taking some kind of action quickly. Often this will be openly asking for some kind of financial data, such as bank details or credit card numbers — something no trusted company would ever do over email.
Phishing emails often urge recipients to follow a hyperlink placed within the body text, which, when clicked on, leads the user through to a unsafe website. The phishing portal may be visually similar to the sign-in page victims expect to see. However, any information entered into the unsafe page will become available to the fraudsters. It's always best practice to hover your mouse over any links before clicking on them just in case they have been disguised and don't lead you where they claim they will.
