Is this a scam or virus? [YouTube E-mail]

[Josh]

Just received an e-mail from 'YouTube' asking me to complete a sign-up registration to get my account upgraded. It doesn't say what my account will be upgraded to and as far as I know I haven't signed up for anything.

The name at the start is also something I have never heard of.

Is it a scam/virus of some sort or perhaps someone who has managed to register an account with my e-mail?

   

[[TC]»Pete«]

I haven't received any e-mails from the tube so it's probably a scam. Might be worth checking out options on your profile on youtube. Should be an "upgrade" button somewhere if it's genuine.

[Josh]

It was as I thought, a registration e-mail. Someone had somehow used my 'googlemail.com' address to register an account. My Gmail account was changed to a 'gmail.com' domain a few months ago.

I activated the account and found a few of my videos in the favourites as well as a playlist. I have now closed the account and changed passwords.

[Stunna]

Yeah.. Don't do it, deff a scam/virus

[Zipppy]

I received similar emails, I ignored them all though, and I've been receiving generic scam emails from friends recently.

[Street]

Actually, that one may be genuine.

Youtube changed a few months back to be more linked with Google, and so my IAmDaveTheSheep youtube user which was registed to my street@city-driving e-mail, actually got switched to another account they basically forced me to make (street.gb.93 or something like that).

Ofc this may be complete different, but if it's from [email protected], then it's either some really pro hackers/virus or something genuinely from youtube but not necessarily for you. The username is a smidge confusing mind.

[Clockwork]

(2011-10-16 01:37)Street Wrote:  Actually, that one may be genuine.

Youtube changed a few months back to be more linked with Google, and so my IAmDaveTheSheep youtube user which was registed to my street@city-driving e-mail, actually got switched to another account they basically forced me to make (street.gb.93 or something like that).

Ofc this may be complete different, but if it's from [email protected], then it's either some really pro hackers/virus or something genuinely from youtube but not necessarily for you. The username is a smidge confusing mind.

It's very easy to spoof the e-mail 'from' field. However, YouTube has an SPF record and Google is unlikely to accept mail from youtube.com if the sending server isn't listed in the SPF record.

There's an easy way to find out though, hover over the link and see where it actually links to - or better click the 'Show Details' link above the e-mail message, and take another screenshot and I can tell you.

[Malibu]

That's cause google bought Youtube. It looks legit indeed btw.

[McGherkin]

I'm not sure about the name at the beginning, if you've never heard of it.

I know a while ago Youtube made me link my account up with gmail (although I retain my hotmail address), which was quite frankly a pain in the arse. There were no emails sent during it though, it told me after I logged in.

If it's not your account, I'd just ignore it. But that's just me. Try asking youtube, show them screenies, and see what they say.

[Clockwork]

(2011-10-16 01:57)McGherkin Wrote:  I'm not sure about the name at the beginning, if you've never heard of it.

I know a while ago Youtube made me link my account up with gmail (although I retain my hotmail address), which was quite frankly a pain in the arse. There were no emails sent during it though, it told me after I logged in.

If it's not your account, I'd just ignore it. But that's just me. Try asking youtube, show them screenies, and see what they say.

No need, you can just look at the e-mail headers and see where it was sent from

[Nitros]

(2011-10-16 01:37)Street Wrote:  Ofc this may be complete different, but if it's from [email protected], then it's either some really pro hackers/virus or something genuinely from youtube but not necessarily for you. The username is a smidge confusing mind.

Lol, then I'm like a total pro haxor then.. Along with anyone at my school who took higher computing.... Lol

[McGherkin]

I was talking about the 999favouriteaccount bit thomas

[Trance]

i never recived a e-mail.. but on the page it wanted me to sighn up to G-mail so i could get more features..

like adding a comment/giving it the thumbs up or thumbs down

[◄Chuck►]

One new practice Ive seen recently:
You know most services require a valid email address to prevent spam and abuse. So, if you want to get many accounts, you need many email address (ie which are not blacklisted). So, these people use collected email addresses to open accounts and hope that the actual owner is "foolish" enough to click "confirm" in their email

In this case, the "bad" spammer gets a free youtube account to send spam from.