In the last few days, a couple of our users have reported receiving a suspicious email purporting to come from Smtp.com, and warning of impending account shutdown, blacklisting, and poor reputation. The details vary, but in general, the email looks something like this:
SMTP is a third party that we use to handle our broadcast email services like email blasts. Our account with them has not been compromised and, in spite of the threat to the contrary contained in this email, you don't have an account with them to be compromised, limited, or shut down.
Emails like this are generated with the hope of tricking people into using the links contained to "log in" to a fake web page that looks like the real thing and thus give up their credentials. You've probably seen them before.
Common signs of a phishing email:
- Unsolicited communication from a service you don't subscribe to (email is about Netflix but you don't use Netflix)
- The link provided has a slight miss-spelling or contains additional subdomains.
- The email header comes with the right name but when you look closely, the email is "from" a completely different email address. For example the header says it's from service@paypal.com but a closer look reveals the actual address to be something like chui247g@<something weird>.biz.
- The email contains urgent threats to your account or personal information if you do not "log in" via their convenient link immediately.
- Too good to be true offers, like winning a large prize.
You will never get a legitimate communication from SMTP. YOU are not their customer, Mago is. Any communication they need to send regarding our account will go to Michael. If you get an email purporting to be from SMTP, mark it as spam and delete it. You may also report it to SMTP if you like.