This post may contain affiliate links. If a product or service is purchased using a link(s) in the post below a small commission may be earned.
I’ve had a number of spam scam emails lately. This isn’t new but I did have two that I hadn’t seen before. So I figured I’d share them with all of you. Remember always contact brands be it stores, online retailers, or other companies directly.
I’ve shared about a few scam emails in the past. As well as earlier this year I shared a vlog post about them.
Here’s the video I shared on the topic.
Email scams aren’t new
Some of the common email scams are Paypal claiming your account has been restricted or suspended. Along with various online retailers. Amazon is a big one. As well as shipping companies such as FedEx or UPS. The shipping emails usually state your package can’t be shipped due to insufficient postage or some other request.
Amazon Veriy ID email
I’d always heard about these emails but I had never been sent one until now. Again these were all in my spam folder but still worth sharing.
The email was very straightforward. It stated the following:
Identity Verfication Required
Hello
We recently detected an unusual activity on your account. Unfortunately,
we hade to suspend your account in order to ensure the saftey of your account. This suspension is temporary. We Will need some additional information to verify your identity
- When : Thu, July 15, 2021
- Device: Samsung Galaxy M30s
- Near : Aliağa, Turkey
Please complete your identity verification and regain online accessVerify Identity
Sincerely,
Customer Service A͏m͏a͏z͏o͏n͏
Please note: this e-mail was sent from a notification-only address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please do not reply to this message.
C͏o͏p͏y͏r͏i͏g͏h͏t͏ © 2͏0͏2͏1͏ A͏m͏a͏z͏o͏n͏. A͏l͏l͏ r͏i͏g͏h͏t͏s͏ r͏e͏s͏e͏r͏v͏e͏d͏.
As you can see the text from the email is riddled with spelling errors. Also, it didn’t state a first name it started with Hello.
Here’s the email screenshot. just an FYI it was sent from a generic email address and sent to an AOL address.
<spx43ypmnznwcdhu0d14t9egw3yvvzrvswe@j1e7pxfzvn185u.com>
To:customer-service@aol.com
This is another phishing scam email. I’ve noticed a few of these emails have odd email addresses attached to them. Such as this fake Amazon one that is sent to an AOL address.
Renewal emails
I’ve had a few of these as well. If you have any type of subscription you know your notified when a renewal is up. Or even when it’s going to be renewed. . Yet the renewal emails I’m getting are from products I don’t use.
I had an email from McAfee and Microsoft recently. I don’t use McAfee so I knew it was another scam/fraud email. As for Microsoft, I knew it was fake because the product they claim I renewed is free as far as I know.
Some renewal invoices, recipes, or general emails may include phone numbers that are local or not a standard 1-800 customer service line.
McAfee email
The McAfee email claimed I was going to be charged $230 USD for a month for Antivirus protection. it also stated it would be billed to my bank account.
It was sent from a Gmail account which is another red flag.
<mcafeesfw@gmail.com>
Mcafee scam email opening. the 1-805-472-4787 number is listed on many scam or robo call websites. 
McAfee scam email part two. The email states I would be charged $230.
Basically, I have a feeling the sender was hoping someone would call the number listed in the email to call the number for more information.
Microsoft invoice
The Microsoft email was very similar. It stated I would have to pay $399 USD for a year of Windows Defender. As far as I know, Windows Defender is standard on many Windows OS PCs. It’s also free.
This invoice again stated the renewal would be taken from my bank account.
This email was also sent from a Gmail account.
<microsoftsubscription57943@gmail.com>
Other things to look out for
Granted these emails may look generic or very professional They run the gambit. Yet some dead giveaways are the following:
- Free email accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc.
- A jumbled mix of letters or numbers followed by a @ dot com.
- Other none brand related email addresses. Lately I’ve seen Google groups, Intel, Oracle, Gmail and a few others.
- Look out for none 1-800 customer service numbers.
- Along with the usual spelling and grammar errors.
Always remember that if you don’t use the product or service it’s a scam. If you do use the product or service always contact the brand/service directly Never click on any links in the email or call any numbers listed.
