Did Twitter just ask you to confirm your account? Here’s why you should ignore it

There are so many online scams and hacks that it can be difficult to distinguish between an official communication and a spoofed message. We have covered scams in the past where criminals will attempt to hack your account by sending phony emails. Tap or click here to see a spoofed Netflix email.

But sometimes, real emails sent out to consumers can come across as suspicious. While you should treat all unsolicited emails with caution, important information could get lost if ignored.

This happened to Twitter recently, as the company sent out an important email to its users. But there was a problem. It was a mistake, and the company had to backtrack with an apology quickly.

Here’s the backstory

A system gremlin or an over-eager Twitter employee triggered a mass email that asked users to verify their accounts. While the email was real and indeed sent from Twitter’s servers, it was done in error and there was no need for it.

Twitter took to its own platform to apologize for the mistake. The emails are similar in tone and language to the ones you would receive when you signed up to Twitter for the first time. Starting with “Final Step…”, it’s probably the reason the company apologized.

What you should do next

According to Twitter, there is nothing that you need to do. Simply delete the mail.

But as we eluded to earlier, not all company emails should be ignored. Often businesses or platforms will notify users of serious issues that require immediate action. If those seem suspicious to you, make sure that the email address is legitimate and that the problem is addressed on social media.

In some instances, it is beneficial to be a bit skeptical when receiving a random email. A recent report detailed which companies have been imitated the most by hackers. This means that cybercriminals send false emails pretending to be a representative.

Banks like Wells Fargo and Chase have made it into the top 10 list of spoofed company emails. If you are a customer of either bank, make sure that their emails are genuine and take the following precautions.

  • Never click on a link inside an email that you don’t trust.
  • Don’t download or open attachments from a suspicious email.
  • If you aren’t sure about authenticity, contact your bank directly for more information.

Keep reading

How to delete your Facebook and Twitter accounts for good

Use this site to see what Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and other sites know about you

Tags: Amazon, cybercriminals