Scammers are taking advantage of recent news that Microsoft is asking users to verify that they have a legitimate copy of Windows, a security firm said Friday.
According to Websense Security Labs, e-mails bearing the spoofed address of security@microsoft.com and with the heading "Microsoft Windows Update" ask recipients to update and/or validate both the Windows' serial number and the customer's credit card information on a Web site.
"If you do not comply with our policy, windows will ask you to reactivate your serial number, and it will become invalid," the e-mail reads, then goes on to state, "So you will lose any information on your computer. If you do not validate your serial number, your copy of windows will be labeled as piracy."
The message claims that the credit card will not be charged, but is required to validate that Windows is legit. It's signed "Windows XP Activation Team."
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