Phishing emails: fake account alerts, locked accounts and expiring passwords
An email or text says your account is locked, suspended or about to expire, and links to a sign-in page.
Could you spot it?
4 quick examples. Decide scam or legit for each.
How it works
The message copies the look of a company you use: email, streaming, cloud storage, work software. Something is wrong with your account and you must sign in through the link to fix it. The sign-in page is a copy that captures your password, and sometimes your verification code too.
AI writes these in perfect, personalized language now, so good grammar is no longer a sign that a message is safe.
Red flags
- Pressure: your account will be closed, deleted or suspended soon.
- A link to sign in, where the web address isn't the company's real site.
- A greeting that's generic or uses only part of your email address.
- Requests to update payment details or “verify” your identity.
What it looks like
You work at Brightwater Freight. Company email addresses end in @brightwaterfreight.com.
Hi Jamie,
Your Brightwater Freight network password expires today at 5:00 PM. To avoid losing access to email and shared files, please confirm you'd like to keep your current password.
Keep current password
This is an automated message from IT Service Desk. Please do not reply.
The tells:
- A look-alike domain: brightwaterfreight-it.com, not brightwaterfreight.com.
- “Keep your current password” isn't a real option. The button leads to a fake sign-in page.
- A same-day deadline.
A training example written for this site. Names, numbers and links are made up, and links are disabled.
What to do
- Don't use the link. Open the app or type the website address yourself and check for alerts there.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for important accounts.
- Report it with your email's “Report phishing” button.
If you already paid or shared information
- Contact the company you used to pay (your bank, card company, gift card company, payment app or wire service) right away and ask them to reverse the payment.
- If you shared a password, change it now and turn on two-factor authentication.
- If you gave out your Social Security number or other ID details, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For scams that happened online, you can also report to the FBI at ic3.gov.
From FTC: What to do if you were scammed.
Latest alerts about this scam
No recent FTC, CISA or FBI alerts are tagged with this scam. The guidance below still applies.
Sources
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