Scam – Domain Phishing
A link that is directed to a fake website where you enter your password and login, or a request for your login information.
The email looks like the original email but will have one or more wrong characters, and when you try to login using the link that was given to you, you will be taken to a website that looks like your domain provider, which provides the information to allow the unwanted guess to login using your login information.
Another way of committing phishing is when you open an email or an attachment, allowing the installation of malware that collects information from the user or recipient and sends it to the hacker.
Sleight of hand
When you receive many emails at once and need to go through most or all of them, your mind stops analyzing the red signals, giving you a higher chance of making a mistake.
You can also notice that most scam emails do not have a footer with the hosting information or a logo. Anti-Phishing software does not guarantee to catch all scam emails; if you have one installed, you still need to be careful.
How did they find me?
WHOIS data is data that is sold for a price; the registration sells your data with basic info like your general name and domain; the info also becomes public after purchase and can be searched on certain websites. simplejimbo.com does not sell personal data. That is why, when you purchase a domain, a few days later you have a massive amount of spam in your inbox. You also have people who spend all day searching for domains that are active, looking up their information on public WHOIS, and adding them to a list they create to sell. When this list becomes large enough, they sell it to another agency or person, allowing your information to travel all over the world. Though you cannot stop your information from traveling everywhere, you can slow it down by using software and filters, depending on what you’re using for email handling.
Fishing Net
Avoid being a victim.
- Check emails for unrecognized Senders.
- Should not be asking questions about personal information.
- Email that is not personalized
- Any sign of threats
- Try not to use the link in the email.
- If you receive a call, say you will call them back.
- Look for green.
Explanation:
Check emails for unrecognized senders.
Check to see if each character is correct, not to be confused with similar characters such as “L” and “I.”.
Should not be asking questions about personal information.
If requested for personal information, call the hosting service instead; if your registration does not have a phone service, type in the website directly on a browser and open a chat, or send them an email asking them if this email is real.
Email that is not personalized
Your email should start with your name, have a logo on top, and have a footer with a full description of the business. If any of these are missing, make a call, email, or chat to make sure.
Any sign of threats
If you feel threatened, it is most likely a scam. An example of a threat is, “Pay your bill or we’ll close your account”.
Try not to use the link in the email.
Make a habit of using direct links by typing the domain directly into your browser instead of clicking on links.
If you receive a call, say you will call them back.
If you receive a phone call about your account or domain from your hosting service, tell them you will call them back using the phone number on the website.
Look for green.
Look for a lock or a green signal on the browser, depending on the browser you are using. If you see an X or any kind of negative signal, it is most likely a scam or fake website.
Two-factor authentication is a must.
The scammer will not be able to log into your account, even if they have your information. The phishing email rate reached 83% of all emails in 2022. If there is an option to have Two-factor authentication or something similar, take it.
Browser
Usually, browsers auto-update on their own to keep you protected, but if for any reason you are not using a browser that does not, auto-update, you will need to make sure you always update your browser. Google Chrome, Firefox, and Opera are good for protecting you from phishing malware, but you still need to keep focused.
Domain Registration
No need to pay any company for domain registration; Google will take care of that. Many companies will try to charge you for a better registration; keep in mind, there is no such thing. Keep your site up to date, and the rest is automatically done.
Let’s keep things simple.
There are too many ways to be scammed, so the best way is to keep away from links and incoming calls from your hosting service, type in the link yourself, and call back every time. It is much faster than guessing every time you receive an email or a call, and you will feel much safer.