Fake "Microsoft Outlook" robo e-mail

Anonymous
2022-05-15T18:01:24+00:00

An e-mail from "Microsoft Outlook" automatically shows up within seconds of opening my Hotmail account. The "MO e-mail will not let me send it to junk, delete it, etc. nor, when hovering over the address, does it ID anything about the sender. It does have three options: open it, trash can, or a square with the word Ad in it. The Subject line says: Upgrade Your Account Get the latest premium etc. I close out of Hotmail, even shut down my computer, but the "MO email" shows up within seconds of login. Is there any way to block this (what-I-believe-is-robo) spam? Need help!  Thx.

Outlook | MacOS | Legacy Outlook for Mac | For business

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-06-18T01:01:05+00:00

    It also happens on Firefox which I've used for many years, believing that it offers increased security. However, it doesn't appear on Safari so **** is going on and why has Microsoft not commented?

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  2. Don Varnau 19,930 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-06-18T01:09:57+00:00
    1. MicroSoft issues many warnings about malware, viruses, malacious material that can be downloaded to your server or to your computer/etc, by clicking a link. They tells you if you aren't sure about the source of an email, check the sender. You'll know it's legitimate if it's from the Microsoft account team at *** Email address is removed for privacy ***. Microsoft wants you to know who is sending the e-mail.
    2. Why would Msft create an annoying ad that disappears after a few seconds? That would be antithetical to any usual marketing strategy. The marketing dept. wants to engage the end user, to sell, i.e., to offer the option of an upgrade to a seamless, communication channel. They would not hide their sender ID nor would Microsoft present such a sparse e-mail. They would have graphics. The e-mail that shows for most of us disappears in few seconds. No sender can be identified. (Or a bogus sender is Id'd.) Perhaps the disappearing e-mail is tracking information. Clearly, my e-mail is on the dark web. My junk mail has increased substantially since this started.

    Finally, I am in the US. Is this issue in the UK, too?

    1. These aren't emails. They're ads.
    2. Outlook.com is a free email service. Microsoft is trying to recover some of the cost through ads. This type of Inbox ad is something they're trying on some accounts. I don't know if they're trying these ads in both the US and the UK.

    Don

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-06-18T01:55:21+00:00

    I cannot believe Microsoft would call that an "ad." Look up Microsoft Advertising. They do robust, multi-billion dollar, customer-safe campaigns. That e-mail does not inspire customer-safety nor is typical of Microsoft advertising campaigns.

    What proof do you have that it is an ad from Microsoft?

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-06-24T10:42:06+00:00

    Who or whatever it is is definitely using these "ads" in the UK too. I'm in the UK and im the latest victim of the robo ad. If this is really Microsoft, then id say its a new low for them.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-06-24T11:22:25+00:00

    Here is what the Ad from Microsoft looks like:

    Inbox view:

    Email view:

    It shoes "Get the latest premium Outlook features" with a "Learn More" link, but the link is not clickable.

    Here is the HTML view:

    There is an empty iframe and an img that doesn't appear but it's there in the backend:

    https://res.cdn.office.net/owamail/20220603005.10/resources/images/ads-olk-inhouse-readingpane.png

    Also, when in the email view, you can't reply/reply-all/forward or see more actions like a regular email.

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