Hotmail users, did you get a shady email as well?

Did any of you get the following email from billrealtor1@hotmail.com?





Dear Account User





This Email is from Hotmail Customer Care and we are sending it to every Hotmail Email User Accounts Owner for safety. we are having congestions due to the anonymous registration of Hotmail accounts so we are shutting down some Hotmail accounts and your account was among those to be deleted. We are sending this email to you so that you can verify and let us know if you still want to use this account. If you are still interested please confirm your account by filling the space below.Your User name, password, date of birth and your country information would be needed to verify your account.





Due to the congestion in all Hotmail users and removal of all unused Hotmail Accounts, Hotmail would be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.





* Username: .............................


* Password: ................................


* Date of Birth: ............................


* Country Or Territory: ................





After following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconveniences.





Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his/her account after two weeks of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.


Sincerely,


The Windows Live Hotmail Team





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I use my account every day, my account isn't even at hotmail, it's at MSN and I don't see a reason why it would be suspended. Any opinions would be great, thanks.

Hotmail users, did you get a shady email as well?
This is a scam know as PHISHING. I'm sure you've heard of it. It's the duplication and impersonation of a valid website with the intent to obtain private information to be used in criminal activities. This was most often used at the onset as letters from banks requiring information about savings and checking accounts. The information obtained was then used to wipe out the accounts of all money. Now it is used as you see in the hotmail windows live impostor. With the information you fill in that form, they can access all sorts of stuff that's under your name. This information can also be used to perpetrate identity theft.





If you're not sure about this, contact your MSN customer service and ask them about this. That's the best way to find out if this is real or not.





In the future:





By email: Never respond to information requests by email, even if you do use the provider. Go to your accounts website and contact Customer Support YOURSELF and ask if this is valid. I'm betting a 99.9% chance they will say no. Follow up by emailing the bogus letter to your Customer Service so they can attempt to stop it.





By phone: Demand the person's name and phone number. Most of the time, they'll hang up right then and there. Then contact your institution yourself with the phone # on YOUR account papers (do not use the one the guy on the phone gave you if he didn't hang up on you.) Again, I bet a 99.9% chance they will tell you it's bogus.





By regular mail: Contact your institution according to instructions on your account papers. Do Not use the contact info on the questionable mail. Your institution will let you know if it's valid or not and you can then proceed to take action to keep your account open.





NEVER, NEVER respond or give out personal information to solicitation emails or phone calls. Always write or call YOURSELF at the web address or phone # listed on your usual account papers. DO NOT use the contact info given in the suspected mail or phone call.





I receive this kind of stuff all the time, and being suspicious by nature, found out how to deal with this stuff as I've imparted to you. Always call your institution yourself to confirm whether something is valid or not.
Reply:obviously a scam.
Reply:Don't ever give your information out to anyone - this is 100% a scam
Reply:it is a scam %26gt;delete it

survey