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Email scam is a double-whammy

Dear undisclosed recipients: This is your final warning!

So begins a scam email that is supposed to be from AT&T. The email goes on to inform the reader that the message is for the reader’s own safety. Failure to answer it will result in the closure of your AT&T mail.

“You will have to verify your account by filling out your Log-in information below by clicking the reply button,” the message continued. “We apologize for any inconvenience that this request may cause.”

The required information includes your user ID, current password, occupation, date of birth and country of residence.

“After receiving the information requested you will be able to continue using your AT&T mail without hitches. Please do bear in mind that we reserve the right to close this AT&T account if this request isn’t granted on time.”

The message supposedly is from AT&T Customer Care, and included a case number — 8941624 — and a copyright notice from 2011.

Of course, if an AT&T email customer were to provide this information, the scammer could take over the email account and send all your contacts urgent messages requesting money because the customer was in some sort of trouble. Date of birth and other information also could be used in identity theft.

If you are an AT&T customer, contact the company on your own if you receive unsolicited emails. That holds true for other companies and similar “warning” messages.

Readers, have you had the same thing happen to you? Please share your story in the comments section of this story.

The Daily Journal has made a commitment to keep readers abreast of scams that hit our area. If someone tries to make you the victim of a scam, submit details at https://www.dailyjournalonline.com/connect (click on the Scam logo) or call us at 431-2010 and tell us what happened.

We will try to include your story in our scam alert series to prepare others who may find themselves in the same situation. The Daily Journal will run Scam Alert stories in the Weekend paper.

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