It looks like a phishing email targeting people who own domain names at GoDaddy is making the rounds. This email was first reported on NamePros a week ago, and I also received the email over the weekend.
If people fall for a phishing email, they could have their domain names stolen and/or their GoDaddy-hosted websites compromised. Most domain registrars recommend using 2 factor authentication on all domain registrar accounts to enhance security. Some registrars also offer additional security features that can be implemented (such as DTVS at GoDaddy) to protect accounts even further.
One thing readers need to keep in mind is that phishing attempts tend to evolve and change over time. The senders could easily change their targets and attempt to impersonate eNom, Tucows, Network Solutions, or any other domain registry or even a domain registry.
If in doubt about the validity of an email, it is always best to call a domain registrar to confirm the email is legitimate.
Here’s the content of the email with the embedded links removed for safety:
Dear [redacted],
Your invoice ([link redacted]) with GoDaddy.com is now 2 days past due. Any associated packages are now eligible for suspension.
You need to make a payment as soon as possible to avoid service interruption.
Please log in with your domain and password at :
https://sso.godaddy.com/billing.php?rad=a57ecd54d4df7d999bd9c5e3b973ec75 [Embedded link removed]
Once logged in please click under Current Invoices. Or click on the left navigation bar. You may complete payment by Credit Card or Paypal on this page.
Once payment has been made your account will be reactivated automatically by our system, you will receive an email with confirmation of payment. No further action will be required.
We thank you for your continued business and assistance in helping us to get this resolved. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
Best regards,
GoDaddy.com
Thanks for warning.
Sorry to hijack this blog post but I am sure some peeps here go fishing in the “Daily Deals” section of snapnames. For some reason, it has stopped working for me. Anyone else experience the same?
Thank you for the warning. I’d probably have fallen for this.
Great info Elliot especially when you are busy and behind schedule and trying to get things caught up to quick… Also They do like making changes in the method of illegal operation often…
Elliot, you redacted the salutation but did this email address you by your full name or something generic like “GoDaddy Customer”? I had always understood that any official, genuine, email from GoDaddy would use my full name as per my GD account. If the spammers are now sending out emails that contain one’s proper account name, then that’s scary…
I’d rather not say for security reasons, but if the Whois information is public, they could easily use that information.
What would be scary is if your Whois information says “XYZ” but they refer to you by your real name. That would likely be a highly targeted spear phishing attempt.