Some YouTube partners are being hit with e-mails seemingly coming from Google / YouTube teams attempting to trick them into replying with their login credentials and other personal information. One partner contacted us with screenshots of the phishing messages, the first received at the end of May and the second on June 3rd, coming from and delivered to different accounts.
While the first e-mail was quite amateuristic of nature and came filled with stuff that should raise quite some warning flags (typos, clumsy phrasing, Youtube instead of YouTube, etc.), the second appeared more genuine and had a body text edited rather professionally (see screenshot below).
In both cases, the YouTube partner was told that there was some kind of problem with his or her account, either with videos that purportedly contained copyrighted material, hate speech/bullying, or other issues that violate the service’s ToS. The first e-mail urged partners to respond with their username, password, e-mail address and D.O.B, while the second asked only for the password.
It’s unclear whether this phishing scam was aimed at our tipster specifically or if this is a more widespread problem (any YouTube partners wanna chip in?), but in any case YouTube has been alerted by the user and myself, although we have yet to receive a response.
YouTube partners, be aware and spread the word!
Update: official statement from YouTube:
“We are aware of recent phishing emails where users posing as Google or YouTube support have tried to obtain the login credentials of our partners. Security is a top concern at YouTube and action has been taken against these users and we are taking steps to prevent potential future occurrences. YouTube will never send an unsolicited message asking for your password or other sensitive information by email or through a link.”
I honestly don’t understand how these emails work, however uneducated of an email user you are; It’s like someone calling on the phone and asking for your credit card details because they’re from your bank, it doesn’t happen.
See the original of that e-mail you might get some clue..
Well I never heard about Youtube phishing earlier..Google will have to study on this asap.
http://www.smartbloggerz.com
It’s a numbers game, all you need it that 1% who fall for it and it somehow generates enough profits to cover the costs of the scam.
Jon
http://WoodMarvels.com – Create Unique Memories
OMG , i didnt expect that anyone will try to phish youtube users .
and yea i received couple of emails from youtube , but thx god i even didnt open them hhahah
As long as people are not technically sound this happens. Read/Write the Technews round up from around world @ http://tweetkno.../TechnologyNews
People always feel guilty if they informed by clever scammers regarding a problem that involves them.
Either by email or over the phone it is in our nature to always be helpful to concerned informers.
In regards to Phishing Scammers, a lot more needs to done by both ISP’ S and Web Companies to target these Scumbags.
The Law Enforcers also need to target these maggots a lot more by launching a Big Media Campaign against all Cyber Pests.
A minimum jail term of 20 years should be given to any Scumbag that uses the Global Web for any criminal purposes.
Youtube brough bad luck to Google. Check http://tweetkno.../TechnologyNews
good website!!!
Really interesting things. I never thought that google can require personal information for me, in some of their projects. Quite strange in my eyes.
It is good to know, that such thing can happen
I’m not suprised, the partnership program is what tore the community in two, the partners spam themselves and that’s how they got noticed, and everyone else gets buried, there are allot I mean allot og honest users who are very good with it,
but will never be seen, and the channels, it’s the video that makes youtube money, the channels should be the same, that’s why I say, youtube is a crime wave waiting to happen, if it already isn’t
Well that explains why a Nigerian appeared in one of my recent videos explaining that he had money he needed to transfer to the US.
oh yeah, so ya know I’m an American
All for 1, if 1 can did it we all can do it lol
nalts lol
it isn’t just spam if someone responds to it, it’s a crime, sorry I didn’t catch your vid, I don’t do youtube much anymore if at all
I like youtube for the way it was, not what it became, are your videos available in all countries?
just curious lol
I’m not a big fan of Microsoft but I feel that Google had become to big for its own good (and ours) competition is good for all. Let the Search Engine Game begin!
Anyone who falls for phishing scams – which usually are pretty obvious should you take 5 seconds and read the e-mail – almost, sorta deserves what they get.
Thanks for giving an alert .
thanks for sharing