Scammers Take Advantage of Microsoft's Account Notification Email
A group of scammers has been exploiting an internal Microsoft email address to send spam links to users, potentially tricking them into thinking they are genuine Microsoft notifications.
For months, scammers have been using a loophole in Microsoft's system to send emails from an internal email address typically used for sending legitimate account alerts.
It's unclear how the scammers are abusing the system, but they have been able to set up new Microsoft accounts as if they are new customers, and use that access to send out emails purportedly from the tech giant itself.
Microsoft doesn't yet appear to have gotten a handle on the issue.
Example Emails and Web Links
The emails sent by scammers have been crudely made, with subject lines that resemble official emails alerting users to fraudulent transactions, and web links to scammy sites.
One email claimed to have a private messaging waiting for the recipient at a web address mentioned in the email body.
Spamhaus Notifies Microsoft
Anti-spam non-profit, The Spamhaus Project, said it had also seen Microsoft's account notification email address being abused to send spam, and that the activity dated back "several months."
"Automated notification systems should not allow this level of customization," wrote Spamhaus.
The non-profit added that it has notified Microsoft of the issue.
Microsoft's Response
When contacted by TechCrunch earlier this week, a Microsoft spokesperson acknowledged our inquiry, but has not yet commented or said if the company has stopped the abuse of its account notification email.
Other Companies' Email Addresses Being Used
Other users commenting on social media say that other companies' email addresses are also being used to send out spam, suggesting the issue is not limited to Microsoft.
This is the latest in a rash of incidents in which hackers or scammers have abused company systems to trick unsuspecting customers in recent months.
Similar Incidents
Earlier this year, hackers broke into a platform used by fintech firm Betterment to send out fraudulent notifications that purported to triple the value of any crypto users send in — a widely known scam used to steal people's cryptocurrency.
Back in 2023, hackers similarly abused access to an email account run by Namecheap to send out phishing emails aimed at stealing people's credentials.
Conclusion
It's clear that scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tactics, and it's up to companies like Microsoft to take action to prevent these types of incidents from happening in the future.
Users should remain vigilant and be cautious when receiving emails from unknown senders, especially if they contain links or attachments.