Are you receiving password reset emails? Let the email support team know

When we wrote about Omar Shahine's hijacked email account last night, we showed it around a little and heard of some problems regarding password reset emails. Apparently some users are receiving emails informing them that there has been a request to reset their passwords. The password reset process is two steps; first request the password reset, then an email is sent out with a link to confirm that the requester is actually the one with the email account.

Well today, and we have no idea whether or not this has anything to do with Omar's post last night, the Email Support team posted this:

We're starting to see an interesting pattern of customers who are receiving password re-set messages from us, but claim to not have requested the password to be re-set. I'd like to find out more information, so if you've experienced this issue recently (since late December), please let us know. You can click hereto send a message to our team alias and we'll keep track of your feedback.

If you use the link above to send any other requests, it will be disregarded.

So if you've been receiving password reset notices that you didn't initiate, let the Email Support Team know (and please don't use the alias for any other reason). Actually, if you've had the issue, let us know in the comments, too.

Published Feb 12 2008, 05:24 AM by Kip Kniskern

Filed under: Windows Live Hotmail, Featured, Windows Live ID

Comments

	Jesper said: That explains a lot. I have been receiving these e-mails for a while now. I got in touch with the support team, and they actually replied - good service. Hopefully the catch the people who do this. February 12, 2008 7:36 AM
	Mephiles said: I had a similar issue. I got an email saying my account will be closed because it's been sending out worm viruses. It told me to install an exe file to stop the problem. When I downloaded it, I luckally somehow downloaded it with the wrong file extension, so it didn't open. I could tell the email was a hoax, because it has terrible grammar and has spanish words in it. It was obviously written by a spanish man. February 12, 2008 12:08 PM
	cybersam said: I received several of these password reset requests but ignored/deleted them all thinking they were likely an exploit attempt. Good thing I did! Didn't realize how widespread the problem was. For anyone else reading this who has received similar email requests they don't recognize, I highly recommend you change your password at a minimum (and follow good password strength rules!) February 12, 2008 12:32 PM
	whitetern said: I've had an issue where i wasn't able login to my live email account it kept saying the password i entered was wrong. finally i had to reset my password. February 13, 2008 7:07 AM
	quikboy said: This hasn't happen to me with any of my accounts. People should be careful who they give their e-mail addresses out to. And also be more careful when your sending the same message across multiple contacts - anybody can see the address of the other people you sent the message to as well. February 13, 2008 10:15 AM
	Arnout said: What can also be the case is the following: it might be that people who have captured a really great @live.com address are receiving a lot of password reset mails. That can be because of other people wanting this address (e.g. john@live.com) and hope they can get access to the address if they tell Microsoft they have lost their password (which generates the automated reset mails). We had the same in The Netherlands when we launched @live.nl address back in nov 2006 as the first country in the world. I also asked support what was happening as I received those mails back then almost twice a week. Arnout Hemel, Product Manager Windows Live The Netherlands February 14, 2008 12:58 AM
	xgrinch said: I receive them every week, somethimes 3-4 in one day... February 14, 2008 5:38 PM
	calum-r- said: Luckily I haven't received any yet on any of my two accounts :P February 15, 2008 1:10 AM