Have you received an email with the subject “Avoid getting locked out – New Request” claiming to come from your Webmail, urging you to re-authenticate your account to prevent getting locked out?
Question: Is this email a legitimate communication that you should respond to by re-authenticating as instructed?
Investigation Findings: This type of email is a common phishing attempt. Scammers are trying to trick you into clicking the “Re-authenticate Now” button, which leads to a phishing website designed to steal your personal information.
Answer: The “Avoid getting locked out” email is a fraudulent attempt. 💡 To protect yourself from scams like this, always verify the sender’s email address and check for any unusual details. Legitimate companies will never ask you to re-authenticate through unsolicited emails. Additionally, avoid clicking on links in unfamiliar emails, instead, navigate directly to the official website to check any alerts.
A typical “Avoid getting locked out” scam email reads as follows:
Subject: Ref: Avoid getting locked out – New Request for xxxxxxx – Friday, March 7, 2025
xxxxxxx Webmail
This is a mandatory service communication
Avoid Getting Locked Out
Due to recent mail server update, we recommend you to re-authenticate xxxxxxx to avoid getting locked out of your account.
Re-authenticate Now
Message ID: GIKIW-JS92JSN-E82-2MSMSMS
Email: xxxxxxx
Date: Friday, March 7, 2025This message from xxxxxxx is an important communication
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 USA
“Avoid getting locked out” is a phishing email scam targeting users. This scam is cleverly disguised as an official message from a familiar service, urging you to “re-authenticate” your account to avoid being locked out. However, clicking the “Re-authenticate Now” button actually leads you to a fake website designed to steal your login details.
These phishing emails try to alarm you with urgent messages about your account’s security. Often, they replicate the look and feel of genuine emails from legitimate services, making it difficult to spot the fraud. The ultimate goal is to trick you into giving away your personal information, like passwords or credit card details.
💡 If you receive such an email, don’t click any links or buttons. Instead, contact the service directly using their official website or app. Remember, it’s always safer to navigate manually to the website yourself. If you’ve already clicked the link, change your passwords immediately and monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity. Stay alert and protect your information.
Summary Table
| Name | Avoid getting locked out |
| Type | Email Phishing |
| Target | Email Users |
| Purpose | Stealing Personal Information |
📧 What to Do When You Receive the “Avoid getting locked out” Scam Email
We advise everyone who receives this email to follow the simple steps below to protect yourself from potential scams:
- ❌ Do not believe this email.
- 🔒 NEVER share your personal information and login credentials.
- 📎 Do not open unverified email attachments.
- 🚫 If there’s a link in the scam email, do not click it.
- 🔍 Do not enter your login credentials before examining the URL.
- 📣 Report the scam email to the FTC at www.ftc.gov.
If you accidentally click a phishing link or button in the “Avoid getting locked out” Email, suspect that your computer is infected with malware, or simply want to scan your computer for threats, use one of the free malware removal tools. Additionally, consider taking the following steps:
- 🔑 Change your passwords: Update passwords for your email, banking, and other important accounts.
- 🛡️ Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
- 📞 Contact your financial institutions: Inform them of any suspicious activity.
- 🔄 Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your bank statements and credit reports for any unusual activity.
🔍 How to Spot a Phishing Email
Phishing emails often share common characteristics; they are designed to trick victims into clicking on a phishing link or opening a malicious attachment. By recognizing these signs, you can detect phishing emails and prevent identity theft:
💡 Here Are Some Ways to Recognize a Phishing Email
- ✉️ Inconsistencies in Email Addresses: The most obvious way to spot a scam email is by finding inconsistencies in email addresses and domain names. If the email claims to be from a reputable company, like Amazon or PayPal, but is sent from a public email domain such as “gmail.com”, it’s probably a scam.
- 🔠 Misspelled Domain Names: Look carefully for any subtle misspellings in the domain name, such as “arnazon.com” where the “m” is replaced by “rn,” or “paypa1.com,” where the “l” is replaced by “1.” These are common tricks used by scammers.
- 👋 Generic Greetings: If the email starts with a generic “Dear Customer”, “Dear Sir”, or “Dear Madam”, it may not be from your actual shopping site or bank.
- 🔗 Suspicious Links: If you suspect an email may be a scam, do not click on any links. Instead, hover over the link without clicking to see the actual URL in a small popup. This works for both image links and text links.
- 📎 Unexpected Attachments: Email attachments should always be verified before opening. Scan any attachments for viruses, especially if they have unfamiliar extensions or are commonly associated with malware (e.g., .zip, .exe, .scr).
- ⏰ Sense of Urgency: Creating a false sense of urgency is a common tactic in phishing emails. Be wary of emails that claim you must act immediately by calling, opening an attachment, or clicking a link.
- 📝 Spelling and Grammar Errors: Many phishing emails contain spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Professional companies usually proofread their communications carefully.
- 🔒 Requests for Sensitive Information: Legitimate organizations typically do not ask for sensitive information (like passwords or Social Security numbers) via email.
✅ Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand more about the “Avoid getting locked out” Scam Email and how to avoid falling victim to scammers. If you have received a phishing email that is similar but not identical to the example above, please post it in the comments section of this article. This helps us warn other users about potential scams and improve our resources to protect you better. Stay safe and vigilant! 🛡️
