Police issue potential phishing scam warning involving inactive Google accounts

Release Date: August 14, 2023

Recently, Google announced a change to its inactive account policies. Starting in December 2023, accounts that have been inactive for two or more years will start to get deleted. While this policy is meant to enhance security, cybercriminals could use this news for their phishing scams.

In the coming months, we expect to see an influx of phishing scams based on Google's new policies. Cybercriminals may send you phishing emails claiming that your Google account will be deleted unless you take immediate action. They may also ask you for your Google login credentials. If your login credentials fall into the wrong hands, cybercriminals could steal your sensitive information or impersonate you to scam others.

Follow the tips below to spot similar scams:

• If you receive an email claiming that your account will be deleted, consider whether or not you use the account in question and verify the legitimacy of the email.
• Think before you click. Cyberattacks are designed to catch you off guard and trigger you to click impulsively.
• Be cautious before logging in to accounts through an email link. Instead, navigate to the organization’s official website to log in.

Stop, look, and think. Don’t be fooled by the scammers.