High riskEmail

Google Security Alert Email Scam

This scam emails a fake Google 'security alert' or 'new sign-in detected' notice and links to a fake page that captures your Google account password and two-factor codes.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Account-security impersonation phishing
Main red flag
A 'security alert' email links you to review activity or secure your Google account.
What to do first
Do not use the link. Check security only at your account's official settings.

Understanding this scam

This scam emails a fake Google 'security alert' or 'new sign-in detected' notice and links to a fake page that captures your Google account password and two-factor codes.

Email scams, or phishing, remain one of the most common ways criminals steal logins, payment details, and money. A convincing message imitates a brand or contact and steers you toward a fake login page, a malicious attachment, or a fraudulent payment.

If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: A 'security alert' email links you to review activity or secure your Google account. Do not use the link. Check security only at your account's official settings.

If your message looks slightly different, check the Microsoft Account Email Scam or the Quarantined Email Scam, both are close cousins of this pattern. Every related guide lives in the Email Scams guides, and the scam checker can scan the text you received.

A typical example

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'Critical security alert: a new sign-in to your account was detected on a new device. If this wasn't you, secure your account now: [suspicious link]'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

The tell here: A 'security alert' email links you to review activity or secure your Google account.

What the data shows

Most reported
phishing was the most common type of cybercrime complaint reported to the FBI in 2023
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
$12.5B
total reported internet-crime losses in the US in 2023
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center

Warning signs

  • A sign-in or security alert urging you to act via a link
  • A login page whose address is not the official account site
  • Pressure that your account is at immediate risk
  • A request for your password or verification codes
  • Slightly off sender details or branding

Your safest response

  • Review account security only in your account's official settings
  • Type the provider's address yourself rather than using the link
  • Turn on two-factor authentication and review devices
  • Report the email as phishing and delete it

If you have already engaged

  • If you entered your password, change it immediately from a trusted device
  • Sign out of unfamiliar sessions and remove unknown devices
  • Check recovery email and phone for changes
  • Update the password anywhere you reused it

What to avoid

  • Do not log in through links in security-alert emails
  • Do not share verification codes
  • Do not reuse your account password elsewhere

You might also see

High risk Email

Microsoft Account Email Scam

This scam sends a fake Microsoft or Outlook email about an unusual sign-in or an account about to be closed, linking to a fake Microsoft login page that captures your email and password.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Email

Quarantined Email Scam

This scam emails a warning that several messages are 'held in quarantine' or 'pending delivery' and asks you to log in to 'release' them, leading to a fake page that steals your email password.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Medium risk Email

Email Storage Full Scam

This scam warns that your mailbox or storage is full and that you will stop receiving messages unless you 'verify' or 'upgrade' through a link. The link leads to a fake webmail login page that captures your email password.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Questions people ask

Does Google send security alerts by email?
It may, but you should review any alert by opening your account's official security settings directly, not by clicking a link in the email.
Why is my email account such a big target?
Email can reset many other accounts, so attackers prize it. A stolen login can unlock far more than your inbox.
I entered my password and code. What now?
Change your password from a trusted device, remove unknown sessions and devices, verify your recovery details, and enable two-factor authentication.
How do I check sign-in activity safely?
Open your account's official security page directly and review recent devices and sessions there.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.