Have just had message supposedly from hotmail telling me to supply them with my e/mail and password so they can verify my a/c.If i do not do this they will shut down my a/c PERMANENTLY!!! Has any other member had this problem? would appreciate any advice--not too good at this sort of thing--thanks Dougal

Its a scam.

Moved to internet forum

Yes, definite scam.

Ignore and relax.

I confirm also it is scam. Do not reply but you should alert your E-Mail provider.

Do not believe it!.

Call hotmail if you have skype. PM me if u want the number.

Agree also. They try to panic you into revealing your email address and password by telling you you'll lose the account if you don't reply straight away. I don't use Hotmail but you may find they have some method to tell them about this. NEVER give out your password. Hotmail know your password otherwise theey wouldn't know if you used the right one to access your account. Most companies like this and banks as well never send emails asking for passwords or pin numbers.

Hotmail know your password otherwise theey wouldn't know if you used the right one to access your account.

They don't know your password, they just have a hash of your password. When you send the password they calculate the hash and see if they get that same hash. You can never calculate the password from the hash.

That's how it usually works, one the other hand, since it is a MS shop you never know....

Martin

Yes I had a similar e mail and ignored it, a couple of friends also received it and because they were in a hurry just completed it and returned, guess what ? their account was hijacked and e mails sent to everyone in their contact list saying they were stranded and needed money sent immediately via western union. They never got theit accounts back. !

Wow, I'm dizzy now......I goggled "hash" to try to understand it in computer terms as I've heard the term several times in relation to software verification......read a few articles...got a dizzy from trying to understand the technical aspects...I should be OK tomorrow. Cheers.

Wow, I'm dizzy now......I goggled "hash" to try to understand it in computer terms as I've heard the term several times in relation to software verification......read a few articles...got a dizzy from trying to understand the technical aspects...I should be OK tomorrow. Cheers.

Sorry ... it's like an "encrypted" version of your password that you can never ever decrypt... And I mean never!

So what is the point?

The point is that if you make this calculation again you will get the same result if the password is the same. Then you accept the user.

Martin

• 
  Cryptographic Hashing
  Used for data/user verification and authentication. A strong cryptographic hash function has the property of being very difficult to reverse the result of the hash and hence reproduce the original piece of data. Cryptographic hash functions are used to hash user's passwords and have the hash of the passwords stored on a system rather than having the password itself stored. Cryptographic hash functions are also seen as irreversible compression functions, being able to represent large quantities of data with a signal ID, they are useful in seeing whether or not the data has been tampered with, and can also be used as data one signes in order to prove authenticity of a document via other cryptographic means.

Complicated stuff, but I expect not so complicated after a person receives training/studies up on it. Thanks.

No reputable service, even Hotmail and Google will EVER ask for you password in this way.

SSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Hotmail know your password otherwise theey wouldn't know if you used the right one to access your account.

They don't know your password, they just have a hash of your password. When you send the password they calculate the hash and see if they get that same hash. You can never calculate the password from the hash.

That's how it usually works, one the other hand, since it is a MS shop you never know....

Martin

I'm no expert on this but you're probably right. What I meant was that they already have your password in some form or other so they can check it when you log on so they wouldn't need to ask you for it.

I would imagine they have some way of accessing your account if required to do so by government agencies like the police if you're suspected of serious criminal activity.

Just look at the senders mail address, its not that hard.

Just look at the senders mail address, its not that hard.

Good advice although I've had some that are very similar to the genuine companies email address.

A mate of a mate fell for a similar thing but after they got his email details he even uploaded his passport as ID proof!!!

There is one born everyday, possibly more.............

There is one born everyday, possibly more.............

Why the mirth at someone elses misfortune who may not be as "clever" as yourself ??

If you are not able to detect such an obvious scam you probably should reconsider your use of the internet.sorry but that's how it is.

Mouse over the link and look at the bottom of ur browser and u will see where they are directing you. 99.9% its a scam to get u to eneter your password so they can hack ur account.

No legit program will ever ask u for your password UNTILL after your own their site, tnat u enetered with your password