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Is this a scam

Trish King 0 Reputation points
2026-01-26T20:22:29.3+00:00

I have received an email from Email Administrator

it says Microsoft -

dear valued customer. We emailed you last month to inform you of changes to our Terms of Sevices and Privacy a policy. These changes are critical steps in shaping what’s ahead for our customers, like you, by providing transparency and choice over how and when their data is used. To continue accessing your Mailbox after January 30th 2026 you must confirm your acceptance of the Terms of Service. Then there is a link to click on.

is this a genuine email or scam?

I have not clicked on the link

thank you

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Identity Manager
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3 answers

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  1. EmilyS_726 17,735 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-01-28T01:40:58.3233333+00:00

    This email is 100% scam. Microsoft doesn't request such confirmation in order to continue using your account. This version of scam has been going around and it is typically sent out with an aol.com email address. Just delete the email

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  2. Daniel-Vo 6,085 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-01-27T15:10:58.0133333+00:00

    Dear Trish King,

    Thank you for posting your question on the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    To help us verify whether this email is genuinely from Microsoft or a potential phishing attempt, could you please share a sample of the email content and the full message headers with us via private message. Please follow these steps:

    • Open the email you received.
    • Copy the email body content or take a screenshot (you may remove or mask any personal information)
    • Obtain the full message headers:
      • In Outlook: Open the email > File > Properties > copy the content under Internet headers.
      • In Outlook on the web: Open the email > select the three dots (…) > View > View message details.
        • User's image
    • Go back to this support thread and send the required details via private message.
      • User's image

    I hope the information above is helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.

    If you have additional questions regarding this response, kindly click “Comment.”

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-01-26T20:22:40.96+00:00

    The email you received raises several red flags that suggest it may be a phishing scam. Here are some points to consider:

    1. Sender's Email Address: Check the sender's email address. Legitimate emails from Microsoft typically come from domains like microsoft.com, microsoftsupport.com, or mail.support.microsoft.com. If the email is from a different domain, it is likely a scam.
    2. Generic Greeting: The use of "dear valued customer" instead of your name is a common tactic used in phishing emails.
    3. Urgency and Threats: Scammers often create a sense of urgency or threaten account access to prompt immediate action. The mention of needing to confirm acceptance of terms to continue accessing your mailbox is a tactic to make you click the link.
    4. Links to Click: Be cautious of any email that asks you to click on a link, especially if it is unsolicited. It is safer to navigate to the official Microsoft website directly rather than clicking on links in emails.

    Since you have not clicked on the link, you have not exposed yourself to potential harm. It is advisable to delete the email and report it as phishing if you suspect it is a scam.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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