Emails from "Microsoft Account Team"

[Countdown]

I've received (twice) a Single Use Code from the Microsoft Account Team and I'm confused for a few reasons

1. I haven't requested it/

2. it relates to a non-Microsoft email (it's actually an old Ntlworld email that I only use for things like comparison websites)

3. I can't see how it might be a scam because there's literally nothing to click on. It's just a 6-digit number that might be used as part of a 2FA check.

Why would i be getting emails from Microsoft relating to a non-microsoft email?

TIA

[bigpriest]

Someone may have requested a password reminder and entered your email in error. Microsoft accounts can be set up with any email address.

[Mr Pointy]

It' possible that either you or someone else has set up 2FA with your MS email as the security address. I have this with some of mine - a Gmail account has a Hotmail address as the security factor.

[Nicetobenice]

It is a "phishing" attempt.

Mark it as spam and delete

[Countdown]

Nicetobenice said:

It is a "phishing" attempt.

Mark it as spam and delete

I can't see how it can be phishing. There's nothing for me to click. It's not asking me to reply or log on to anything - it's just a number, similar to what I would get if I was trying to log on to somewhere using two factor authentication.

[Countdown]

bigpriest said:

Someone may have requested a password reminder and entered your email in error. Microsoft accounts can be set up with any email address.

So I could set up a hotmail account that said [e-mail] or [e-mail]?

I thought they all had either @hotmail.com [e-mail]

[Countdown]

Mr Pointy said:

It' possible that either you or someone else has set up 2FA with your MS email as the security address. I have this with some of mine - a Gmail account has a Hotmail address as the security factor.

It's not an MS email account. However the email is coming (seemingly) from Microsoft - see text below

Hi [e-mail],

We received your request for a single-use code to use with your Microsoft account.

Your single-use code is: 659571

Only enter this code on an official website or app. Don't share it with anyone. We'll never ask for it outside an official platform.

Thanks,
The Microsoft account team
Privacy Statement: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=521839
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052

Edited by Countdown on Wednesday 13th May 09:53

[Nicetobenice]

Countdown said:

I can't see how it can be phishing. There's nothing for me to click. It's not asking me to reply or log on to anything - it's just a number, similar to what I would get if I was trying to log on to somewhere using two factor authentication.

A genuine microsoft email has a "click here to cancel"

So it's obviously a bad phishing attempt. Spammers can be crap as well.

[Sheepshanks]

Countdown said:

2. it relates to a non-Microsoft email (it's actually an old Ntlworld email that I only use for things like comparison websites)

Can you access that Ntlworld email account without any issues?

You might have a Microsoft account using it - maybe an old Skype account etc? You can use non-Microsoft addresses - I do, for my main one.

[Countdown]

Sheepshanks said:

Can you access that Ntlworld email account without any issues?

You might have a Microsoft account using it - maybe an old Skype account etc? You can use non-Microsoft addresses - I do, for my main one.

1. Yes, just logged in to check

2. I'm not sure what you mean (apologies, not the most IT savvy). I have a redirect set up on the ntlworld account so that it goes to my main Hotmail account

[croyde]

I'm getting these lately but sent to my main email account that isn't Microsoft.

[Countdown]

croyde said:

I'm getting these lately but sent to my main email account that isn't Microsoft.

Sounds similar to me.

The $64m question - Why would Microsoft send 2FA codes for an account which isn't Microsoft?

[Sheepshanks]

Countdown said:

Sheepshanks said:

Can you access that Ntlworld email account without any issues?

You might have a Microsoft account using it - maybe an old Skype account etc? You can use non-Microsoft addresses - I do, for my main one.

1. Yes, just logged in to check

2. I'm not sure what you mean (apologies, not the most IT savvy). I have a redirect set up on the ntlworld account so that it goes to my main Hotmail account

I’ve got a bunch of Hotmail address, but the Microsoft account that I use for my computer and Office365 has a Gmail address - so it doesn’t have to be a Microsoft email address.

You might have used the ntl address as a recovery email address.

Another situation is, IIRC correctly, Skype could have a log in that was different to your email address but behind that log in name, it created a Microsoft account. I think X-box did the same.

Or it could just be plain spam designed to get users into a bit of a flap - there’s loads of hits for it if you Google it.

[nvubu]

Countdown said:

It's not an MS email account. However the email is coming (seemingly) from Microsoft - see text below

Hi [e-mail],

We received your request for a single-use code to use with your Microsoft account.

Your single-use code is: 659571

Only enter this code on an official website or app. Don't share it with anyone. We'll never ask for it outside an official platform.

Thanks,
The Microsoft account team
Privacy Statement: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=521839
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052

Edited by Countdown on Wednesday 13th May 09:53

You can set up a Microsoft account with any email address. So [e-mail] can be attached to a valid Microsoft Account.

My wife and I both have Hotmail accounts as our main MS account as that was all you could use 20 years ago. Our kids have [e-mail] as their MS accounts.

Try logging on to it with the address they sent the email to.

[FlyVintage]

I had the same thing a while ago for my steam account.

Every day I’d wake up to a new email with a code. I just ignored them as assumed it was spam. On further inspection, it turned out that the password had been hacked and someone was trying to get lucky with the 2 factor authentication. Once I realised, I changed the password and deleted the account.

[Countdown]

FlyVintage said:

I had the same thing a while ago for my steam account.

Every day I d wake up to a new email with a code. I just ignored them as assumed it was spam. On further inspection, it turned out that the password had been hacked and someone was trying to get lucky with the 2 factor authentication. Once I realised, I changed the password and deleted the account.

That's what I was worried about

If they know the password surely they would be able to access the email and then see the 2FA authentication code?

[king arthur]

Countdown said:

That's what I was worried about

If they know the password surely they would be able to access the email and then see the 2FA authentication code?

No, that's exactly what the 2FA is for.

[Sheepshanks]

Countdown said:

That's what I was worried about

If they know the password surely they would be able to access the email and then see the 2FA authentication code?

Only if they've already got access to your ntl email account (whoch you hopefully have 2FA protected).

Sending you a Microsoft code, they're trying to get into a Microsoft account, which isn't necessarily a Microsoft email account.

[FlyVintage]

Countdown said:

FlyVintage said:

I had the same thing a while ago for my steam account.

Every day I d wake up to a new email with a code. I just ignored them as assumed it was spam. On further inspection, it turned out that the password had been hacked and someone was trying to get lucky with the 2 factor authentication. Once I realised, I changed the password and deleted the account.

That's what I was worried about

If they know the password surely they would be able to access the email and then see the 2FA authentication code?

The point is, the 2FA code is being sent to an account that is different to the one hacked (the one I/you nominated when the account was created). It would be worth just changing the password on the referenced account without going in on any links etc.

[RotorRambler]

Check whether that email is attached to a Microsoft account by going to Microsoft account sign-in and trying Forgot password with the Ntlworld address
If it is your old Microsoft account, change the password and make sure 2FA is enabled