G
Guest
Don't respond to phony e-mail sent to MSN customers requesting
personal information
If you receive an e-mail message claiming to be from MSN (as shown
below) asking you to update "your information" to keep your account
from being "deactivated," please do not respond. This is a hoax
designed to steal personal information including your MSN account
password, credit card number, mother's maiden name, date of birth,
and Social Security number.
You may receive an e-mail message that looks like this. These e-mail
messages are NOT from MSN; they are fake and could result in theft of
your money or your identity if you respond to them.
Thieves entice you to click the link in the e-mail which takes you to a
phony Web site (or pop-up window) where they hope you'll "verify"
this sensitive information. Depending on the information you may give,
thieves can make purchases on your credit card, open bank accounts,
take out loans, cash in on your government benefits-even commit
crimes-all in your name.
These scams are commonly referred to as phishing. Learn more about
phishing and how to avoid getting hooked.
What if you've already responded to an e-mail scam?
If you've replied to one of these scams by entering some personal
information, read What to do if you've responded to a phishing scam.
There you'll find a series of steps you can take to help lessen the
impact of having responded, and help restore your credit and good name.
How can you tell if an e-mail message from MSN is real or a fake?
MSN will NEVER send unsolicited e-mail requesting personal or financial
information. Because we care about your privacy, MSN will only ask
subscribers to our premium services to update their personal account
information at https://billing.microsoft.com, or
http://membercenter.msn.com.
* Read up on the warning signs of a phishing scam and examine another
phishing scam up close.
* Hotmail users can trust the MSN butterfly. If you see a butterfly
next to an e-mail message (as shown below), know that it is an official
e-mail to Hotmail members from Microsoft Online Services. While a scam
artist can add a butterfly to the e-mail message itself, no one except
Microsoft Online Services can put a butterfly icon in this spot.
* See a bogus Microsoft bulletin and find out How to tell if a
Microsoft security-related message is genuine.
What is MSN doing to stop phishing?
MSN is working both to block these e-mails from reaching your inbox and
to remove phony Web sites. In addition, Microsoft works with law
enforcement, including the FBI, and industry partners to help identify
the cyber-criminals responsible for these attacks and to bring them to
justice.
A special thanks to the vigilance of the many MSN members who reported
receiving these fraudulent e-mail messages. Phishing scams target all
kinds of businesses-banks, credit card companies, etc.-so be on
alert for such scams, and continue to report them to the company that
is being misrepresented following these instructions.
Where can I get more information about phishing?
Learn more: Find out how phishing works and read five simple ways you
can help protect yourself from other phishing scams.
Recommended Reading
* Online safety and security home
* Protect yourself from junk e-mail
* Protect your privacy online
* Protect your children online
* Protect your PC
More on MSN
* A parents guide to online safety
* Spam-proof your inbox
* MSN Premuim offers safer protection
* See more Microsoft security resources
* MSN Tech & Gadgets virus and security site
Get the latest critical security updates
Stay protected with Automatic Updates
More security resources
* Get the latest antivirus information
* Protect yourself from spyware
* Receive security bulletins and virus alerts
Get secure
Shop MSN for anti-virus and security products
Try MSN Internet Software for FREE!
MSN Home | My
MSN | Hotmail | Shopping | Money | People &
Chat | Search
personal information
If you receive an e-mail message claiming to be from MSN (as shown
below) asking you to update "your information" to keep your account
from being "deactivated," please do not respond. This is a hoax
designed to steal personal information including your MSN account
password, credit card number, mother's maiden name, date of birth,
and Social Security number.
You may receive an e-mail message that looks like this. These e-mail
messages are NOT from MSN; they are fake and could result in theft of
your money or your identity if you respond to them.
Thieves entice you to click the link in the e-mail which takes you to a
phony Web site (or pop-up window) where they hope you'll "verify"
this sensitive information. Depending on the information you may give,
thieves can make purchases on your credit card, open bank accounts,
take out loans, cash in on your government benefits-even commit
crimes-all in your name.
These scams are commonly referred to as phishing. Learn more about
phishing and how to avoid getting hooked.
What if you've already responded to an e-mail scam?
If you've replied to one of these scams by entering some personal
information, read What to do if you've responded to a phishing scam.
There you'll find a series of steps you can take to help lessen the
impact of having responded, and help restore your credit and good name.
How can you tell if an e-mail message from MSN is real or a fake?
MSN will NEVER send unsolicited e-mail requesting personal or financial
information. Because we care about your privacy, MSN will only ask
subscribers to our premium services to update their personal account
information at https://billing.microsoft.com, or
http://membercenter.msn.com.
* Read up on the warning signs of a phishing scam and examine another
phishing scam up close.
* Hotmail users can trust the MSN butterfly. If you see a butterfly
next to an e-mail message (as shown below), know that it is an official
e-mail to Hotmail members from Microsoft Online Services. While a scam
artist can add a butterfly to the e-mail message itself, no one except
Microsoft Online Services can put a butterfly icon in this spot.
* See a bogus Microsoft bulletin and find out How to tell if a
Microsoft security-related message is genuine.
What is MSN doing to stop phishing?
MSN is working both to block these e-mails from reaching your inbox and
to remove phony Web sites. In addition, Microsoft works with law
enforcement, including the FBI, and industry partners to help identify
the cyber-criminals responsible for these attacks and to bring them to
justice.
A special thanks to the vigilance of the many MSN members who reported
receiving these fraudulent e-mail messages. Phishing scams target all
kinds of businesses-banks, credit card companies, etc.-so be on
alert for such scams, and continue to report them to the company that
is being misrepresented following these instructions.
Where can I get more information about phishing?
Learn more: Find out how phishing works and read five simple ways you
can help protect yourself from other phishing scams.
Recommended Reading
* Online safety and security home
* Protect yourself from junk e-mail
* Protect your privacy online
* Protect your children online
* Protect your PC
More on MSN
* A parents guide to online safety
* Spam-proof your inbox
* MSN Premuim offers safer protection
* See more Microsoft security resources
* MSN Tech & Gadgets virus and security site
Get the latest critical security updates
Stay protected with Automatic Updates
More security resources
* Get the latest antivirus information
* Protect yourself from spyware
* Receive security bulletins and virus alerts
Get secure
Shop MSN for anti-virus and security products
Try MSN Internet Software for FREE!
MSN Home | My
MSN | Hotmail | Shopping | Money | People &
Chat | Search