YouTube has issued a warning to its users about a new phishing scam that uses its email address to trick people into giving up their personal information. The scam involves sending an email that looks like it comes from YouTube, but actually contains a malicious link or attachment that can compromise the user’s device or account.
According to YouTube’s TeamYouTube Twitter account, the scam email may claim that the user has violated YouTube’s terms of service, that their account has been suspended, or that they need to verify their identity. Furthermore, the email asks the user to click on a link or open an attachment to resolve the issue.
However, doing so may expose the user to malware or phishing websites that can steal their login credentials, account numbers, or other sensitive data.
⚠️ heads up: we’re seeing reports of a phishing attempt showing [email protected] as the sender
be cautious & don’t download/access any file if you get this email (see below)
while our teams investigate, try these tips to stay safe from phishing: https://t.co/x9Ysnm9SSm https://t.co/MNQtrB7zbx
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) April 4, 2023
YouTube advises its users to be careful when opening emails from unknown senders, and to always check the sender’s address and the URL of any links before clicking on them. YouTube also reminds its users that it will never ask them for their password, verification code, or any other personal information via email.
How to Properly Avoid Phishing Attacks
If users receive a suspicious email that appears to be from YouTube, they should report it as spam or phishing and delete it immediately. They can also report phishing websites to Google Safe Browsing or contact YouTube support for help.
Standard anti-phishing practices can help to avoid this YouTube scam, or indeed just about any other type of attack of this kind. Leverage spam filters on your email client, never click links or open attachments from unknown sources, user two-factor authentication and strong passwords.
Common signs for phishing include requests that have urgency, spelling and grammar mistakes, domains that do not match the company, generic greetings, and poor formatting.
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