Fake or Real?? "Password Reset Code" email

Question

Received an email this morning from "Microsoft Account Team" giving me a code to reset my password; email address listed as ******@accountprotection.microsoft.com. I didn't request a code to reset my password, but this was sent to the correct recovery email address. The originating email address looks legit. When hovering over the "click here" the link address shows as an https://account.live.com..... website. I didn't click on any of the links and went straight to my normal email website, typed in my credentials and logged in without any issue. 

Any idea if this is fake or real? Was my account attempted to be hacked? How can I tell? Thanks for your time. 

Answer 1

Hi EmilyP3485,

Thank you for reaching out.

I’m Mel, an Outlook.com user, and Independent Advisor. Just to set your expectation, I don't work for Microsoft, but I'd be glad to help.

By looking at the sender's email domain, it appears that you're receiving a legit email from the Microsoft account team. Click this link for information: https://support.microsoft.com/help/10636/micros....

Someone who knows your exact email address is trying to request a password reset. No worries, as long as the person who's trying to reset your password doesn't have access to the security code, they can't change your password or access your account.

Your email address can be fetched by malware, phishing emails, or attacking Internet sites. Run anti-virus/anti-malware scans on your computer. Make sure not to post your email address publicly or subscribe to suspicious web pages.

It is recommended to turn on the two-step authentication in your account and then change to a strong password again.

Also, refer to the links below and perform the tips on how to help keep your Microsoft account safe and secure:

https://support.microsoft.com/help/12410/micros...

I hope that I was able to help you using the information I have provided to you.

Feel free to post back. I'd be glad to assist you further.

Stay safe and healthy. Have a great day!

Kind regards,

Mel

Answer 2

Received an email this morning from "Microsoft Account Team" giving me a code to reset my password; email address listed as *** Email address is removed for privacy ***. I didn't request a code to reset my password, but this was sent to the correct recovery email address. The originating email address looks legit. When hovering over the "click here" the link address shows as an https://account.live.com..... website. I didn't click on any of the links and went straight to my normal email website, typed in my credentials and logged in without any issue. 

Any idea if this is fake or real? Was my account attempted to be hacked? How can I tell? Thanks for your time. 

Answer 3

Hi Mel,

Ive had the same issue. But the the email address it refers to doesnt have enough blocked out characters. Do the asterisks reflect the exact numbt of characters?

Thanks,

Merle