Phishing hosting scams & website owners

I was reminded (again) today that online scams come in all forms. A customer sent us an email that looked like a legitimate notice from their hosting provider. The email stated that there had been a fatal database error and might have caused data loss on our customer’s website. The email included information that would lead you to believe that it was a warning that was real and must be dealt with promptly. A link was provided for the customer to login and check the status.

Unfortunately, this was a phishing email that was attempting to gain access to usernames and passwords. Fortunately, our customer sent the email to us to investigate so no information was shared via this phishing scam.

These types of scams are becoming more and more frequent and can create real headaches for the small business owner. If you receive a warning email about your hosting, domain names, or products or services expiring it is usually best to avoid clicking links in the email. Instead, give your provider a call and ask if there is a problem with your account or service.