00:00Imagine waking up early on a Monday morning and seeing this email in Outlook, a password reset request from Microsoft.
00:08Looks pretty legit, right? Microsoft logo and all.
00:12And maybe without your coffee or your glasses, you'd click it without thinking twice.
00:18But take a closer look. It doesn't actually say Microsoft.
00:22The domain uses a lowercase r and n made to look like the letter M.
00:30It's a domain that's been around for years and people on social media are warning it's making a comeback thanks to a technique known as typo squatting.
00:40Typosquatting happens when scammers register domains that look almost identical to real ones, hoping you won't notice the difference.
00:48A search of public domain records show the fake Microsoft domain is registered under this name in South Korea.
00:55It was first created back in 2012 and is set to expire in March 2026.
01:02Reddit users say the domain reappears in new scams every few years using emails that look just like real Microsoft messages.
01:10And Microsoft isn't the only company targeted.
01:14The owner of the fake domain also shows up in other disputes, including a case filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization.
01:21A Swiss cybersecurity company called WiseKey accused him of taking over its domain.
01:27The case ended with WiseKey getting the site back.
01:31So a few quick reminders to not fall victim of phishing.
01:34A woman who flagged the fake email on LinkedIn says,
01:38always expand the full sender address before clicking anything.
01:42Others say hover over links before you click and never enter personal information from an email you weren't expecting.
01:49Also watch out for urgent requests for passwords or payment details.
01:54But the big takeaway, if you didn't request a password reset or account change,
02:00ignore the email and report it to your company if it's sent to your work account.
02:05For more on this story and others, head over to san.com or download our mobile app.
02:10I'm Kennedy Felton with Stray Arrow News.
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