Yahoo users, be aware of fake "upgrade notifications" emails like the one below, which claim that you need to update or upgrade your Yahoo account or else your account will be terminated. The fake emails are phishing scams being sent by cybercriminals to steal Yahoo usernames and passwords, by tricking Yahoo users into visiting a phishing website that steals email account credentials.
The "Yahoo Email Upgrade Notification" Phishing Scam
From: Yahoo Mail Administrator markalote@yahoo.com
To: yahoo@mail.comms.yahoo.net
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2019, 8:51:23 AM EST
Subject: Email Notification: This is your Final Notice to Upgrade
Yahoo!
Email Upgrade Notification.
Attn:
With courtesy to you. We noticed that you have been ignoring our message to upgrade your email. We are about to stop incoming mails to your email if you don't upgrade to our latest version within 48 hours from receiving this message.
You need to upgrade your email immediately. Please re-login from Upgrade here and your email will be upgraded automatically.
Do not discard, this notice is not an invoice, it's courtesy reminder to upgrade.
We are sorry for the inconvenient.
Yahoo Team 2019.
The link in the phishing email message goes to a fake or phishing Yahoo website, which will attempt to trick the potential victims into entering their usernames and passwords on it. If Yahoo users attempt to sign into the phishing website with their Yahoo usernames and passwords, it will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack their accounts. The hijacked Yahoo accounts will then be used by cybercriminals fraudulently.
Remember, if you receive email messages like these, please go directly to your email account instead of clicking on the links in the email messages. If there is something wrong with your account, it will be shown to you after signing in. And, if you were tricked by one of these phishing scams, please change your password immediately before your Yahoo account is hijacked.
For victims whose accounts have already been hijacked, click here for help.