Have you been getting suspicious emails lately?
We have been noticing an increase in email scams going around, particularly ones related to image copyright infringement and domain expirations. If you have received these emails, or any suspicious emails, here are some actions you can take to determine what to do next.
BEFORE YOU CLICK ANY LINKS...
Take a look at these sample emails and see if they look similar to the email(s) you have received. If so, there is no need to worry. Simply follow the instructions below.
Image Copyright Infringement
Most likely, this will come from a form submission on your website. A bot named 'Mel' has been hitting website contact forms all over the nation, accusing owners of using her photography on their website, with a threat to sue if the images are not removed. She also includes a link in the email that is supposed to lead to her portfolio where you will find the images she is referring to. Do not click the link. Although it sounds convincing, you can rest assured, it is a scam and you do not need to click the link.
What to do if you receive this email: Simply ignore or delete it.
Example Email:
Domain Expiration
These emails are meant to scare owners into 'renewing' their website domain by using one of the many links included to submit your 'secure online payment'. Starting off with an EXPIRATION NOTIFICATION in all caps, they will continue to use your website name several times as an attempt to seem legit. Do not click any links.
What to do if you receive this email: Simply ignore or delete it.
Example Email:
Pro-Tip
Most email scams have been reported and discussed at length online by other users that have received the same emails. To quickly put your mind at ease before the panic sets in, you can Google the content found in the email to see if others have been getting that same email, indicating that it is spam. If that is the case, you can simply delete the email. If you do not see any mention of the email you received, you can forward it to us and we can look into it for you. Never click any links or enter your login information if you are unsure!