How to verify a received email is not fraudulent - Its requesting I change MS server type

Question

I received email requesting I change from MS Exchange Server to their updated server as entire system is being upgraded ? Is this valid ?

Answer 1

Greetings!

This is Tin, the email that you received is known as the Mandatory System Upgrade phishing scam. It will ask you to sign in so they could hack your account. And it's good that you're being cautious about this. Please make sure to not click anything on that email. Please take note that Microsoft will not send email to manually change Exchange server Settings.

Protect yourself from phishing

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/protect-yourself-from-phishing-0c7ea947-ba98-3bd9-7184-430e1f860a44

To report phishing or junk email, select the email that you would like to report, when you opened the email please click Report Junk and choose Phishing, you can also block it to avoid to receive from them again in the future.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-report-phishing-or-junk-email-e8d1134d-bb16-4361-8264-7f44c853dc6b

Thank you,

Tin

Answer 2

To verify if the email you received is legitimate and not fraudulent, you should take the following steps:

1. Check the Sender's Email Address: Ensure that the email is coming from a legitimate Microsoft domain. Microsoft support emails 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 phishing attempt.
2. Look for Phishing Signs: Be cautious of emails that request sensitive information or prompt you to click on links or change settings. Legitimate emails from Microsoft will not ask you to change server types or provide personal information in this manner.
3. Hover Over Links: If there are links in the email, hover over them to see the actual URL. If the link does not lead to a Microsoft domain, do not click on it.
4. Contact Microsoft Support: If you are unsure about the email's legitimacy, contact Microsoft support directly through their official website or customer service channels to verify whether they sent the email.
5. Report Suspicious Emails: If you determine the email is fraudulent, do not reply or click any links. Instead, report it to Microsoft using their reporting tools.

By following these steps, you can better protect yourself from potential phishing scams related to your Microsoft services.