According to this email, which was supposedly sent by the “Email Security Team” at Yahoo.com, your account has been infected with a virus.
It claims that you must click a link to run a quick scan and keep your account safe. It warns that if you ignore the message, “your account will be suspended without further notice to protect our server from further damage”.
If you click the link. you will be taken to a fraudulent website that features a bogus login form. The form asks for your email address and email account password. If you enter the requested login details, you’ll then receive a message claiming that the alleged viruses have been removed and your account made safe.
You may then go about your business blissfully unaware that online crooks now have your email login details and can use them to hijack your account.
Once they have gained access, the criminals can use your account to distribute scam, spam, and malware emails that look like they came from you.
These days, email account login details often provide access to linked services such as online file storage and app stores. If so, the criminals will also be able to take control of these linked services.
Email account phishing scam messages like this are common and take many forms.
A screenshot of the scam email:
