Fake emails from msn

Ed Miller 40 Reputation points
2026-08-08T16:05:11.54+00:00

I receive a lot of e mails pretending to be from MSN and most of them are easy to spot a fakes but the fakers are getting better at it. I received one today saying have not updated my settings and need to do so or I will not be able to receive or send any more e mails. On a closer look I saw that the message was sent by "******@gmail.com" ******@gmail.com

Does Microsoft ever pursue these Liars and take any action against them? And how can we identify genuine emails about the service?- Ed Miller

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
Answer accepted by question author
Bulldog 4,640 Reputation points
2026-08-09T14:23:22.96+00:00

"Does Microsoft ever pursue these Liars ... "

No, because the perpetrators are highly professional and make themselves virtually unfindable. There are also thousands of them. It takes the co-ordinated efforts of cooperating governments to track down the worst of the worst, and even then they have to rely on the perpetrators making a mistake that gives themselves away.

" ... and take any action against them? ... "

No, since these are crimes. They are referred to the appropriate authorities.

"And how can we identify genuine emails about the service?"

It's getting harder and harder to do this, as the perpetrators are becoming increasingly skillful. A spam filter helps, but ultimately it's up to us to smell something wrong. One good tactic is to rest the pointer of your mouse on the sender's address. That will pop up a small window with the sender's real address. Aside from that, the more aware you are, the better are your chances of evading them.

This is another argument in favor of a passkey over a password. A passkey is un-phishable.

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Answer accepted by question author
TaoLi 111.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-08T16:40:51.0566667+00:00

Hi

Yes, Microsoft does take action against larger phishing and cybercrime operations through its Digital Crimes Unit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/customer-security-trust/digital-crimes-unit

The email you received is almost certainly phishing. If it claims to be from Microsoft/MSN but the actual sender is a Gmail address, that is a strong warning sign. Microsoft specifically mentions this here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/security/protect-yourself-from-phishing

Do not click the link. In Outlook.com, select the email and choose Report > Report phishing. Microsoft explains the reporting process here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/mail/phishing-and-suspicious-behavior-in-outlook

For Microsoft account security emails, @accountprotection.microsoft.com is an official Microsoft domain: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/can-i-trust-email-from-the-microsoft-account-team-685fd302-f52f-1a9f-cc13-065dec46fe25

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-08T16:05:31.5333333+00:00

    The message sent from a Gmail address is not a genuine Microsoft/MSN service email. Messages that claim to be from Microsoft support are expected to come from Microsoft-owned domains such as microsoft.com, microsoftsupport.com, mail.support.microsoft.com, office365support.com, or techsupport.microsoft.com. A sender using Gmail is a strong phishing indicator.

    Ways to identify genuine service emails:

    1. Check the sender domain carefully. If it is not an official Microsoft domain, treat it as suspicious.
    2. Do not click links or open attachments in unexpected messages, especially ones that create urgency such as account closure or loss of email access.
    3. Open a new browser tab and go to the service directly using a saved favorite, web search, or by typing the address yourself.
    4. If signing in to Outlook.com, verify the address bar includes login.live.com before entering a password.
    5. If the message claims there is unusual account activity, check the recent activity page directly rather than using links in the email.
    6. Report the message as junk/phishing in Outlook or delete it.

    Common phishing signs called out in Microsoft guidance include:

    • urgent requests to act immediately
    • threats that service will be suspended or deleted
    • links or attachments you were not expecting
    • requests for personal information by email
    • sender addresses that do not match the organization being impersonated

    The question about whether Microsoft pursues the scammers is not answered in the available material.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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