The email message below, which claims that the recovery phone number for the recipients' Microsoft account was recently changed, is a phishing scam. The email message was not sent by Microsoft, but by scammers, whose intentions are to steal users of Microsoft Hotmail, Outlook and Live usernames and passwords, so that they(scammers) can hijack their accounts. Recipients of the fake message are asked not to follow the instructions in it and should delete the email message.
The Fake Microsoft Hotmail Email Message
"From: OUTLOOK SUPPORT DESK (djw66@hotmail.co.uk)
Dear Customer,
The recovery phone number of your Microsoft account was recently changed. If you made this change, you don't need to do anything more; If you didn't change your recovery phone number, someone may have broken into your account. Visit this link https://outlook.com/mailverify/cancel/terminate? to prevent your account from deactivation.
Sincerely,
Microsoft respects your privacy. Please read our online Privacy Statement.
Microsoft Corporation. One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052."
The fake email message will attempt to trick the recipients into clicking on the link within it, which will take them to a fake Hotmail website that will ask them to sign into their accounts. Once the potential victims attempt to sign in with their usernames and passwords, the information with be sent to the scammers or cyber-criminals who created the fake website.
Once the scammers have their victims' account credentials, they will use it to hijack their accounts and use the accounts to do other fraudulent activities, which will cause Microsoft to deactivate or suspend the account.
Recipients of the email message, who have already followed the instructions, are asked to change their passwords immediately. Victims whose accounts were hijacked and are unable to sign into their accounts, please click here to recover your accounts.