According to this email, if you do not verify your email account within 24 hours, it will be assumed that you are a fraudulent user and your email account will be shut down. But, supposedly, all you need to do is click the “verify” button to deal with the issue.
However, the email is not from any legitimate email service provider. Instead, it is an attempt to trick you into giving your email account password to cybercriminals. If you click the “verify” link, you will be taken to a website that asks you to provide your email account password. If you provide the password as requested, a fake verification scan will appear to run in your browser.
After the “scan” finishes, a notice will inform you that the verification process has been successful and your email address will no longer be considered fraudulent.
Finally, you will be redirected to a Google search page.
Meanwhile, the scammers can collect your email address and password and use these credentials to hijack your real email account. Once they have gained access, they can use the compromised account to send out more scam and spam emails that appear to have been sent by you.
Crude email phishing attempts like this one are very common. Sadly however, less computer savvy users still fall for them. If you receive such an email, don’t click any links or open any attachments that come with the message. And, remember, you can help thwart scammers like this by making sure your friends and family know how scams like this one operate.
EXAMPLE:
