Website & Domain Scams: A Guide for UK Businesses

Have you ever received an unexpected email or invoice and wondered:

“Is this genuine?”

If so, you’re not alone.

Over the years I’ve received many of these emails myself, and I’ve had numerous clients forward suspicious messages asking exactly the same question.

Fortunately, they asked before clicking a link or making a payment.

In almost every case, it only took a couple of minutes to confirm whether the email was genuine or not.

In this guide, I’ll share the most common website, domain and SEO scams I’ve come across, explain the warning signs I look for, and show you the simple checks I recommend before clicking a link or paying an invoice.

The Four Scams I See Most Often

While online scams come in many forms, the four below are the ones I encounter most often when helping businesses with their websites and online presence.

Although every scam is different, they all have one thing in common: they’re designed to make you act quickly, before you’ve had time to stop and think.

Before You Do Anything…

Whenever you receive an unexpected email, invoice or phone call asking you to make a payment, click a link or take urgent action…

Pause first.

Take five minutes to check it’s genuine by visiting the company’s website directly, logging into your account yourself, or asking someone you trust before taking any action.

In my experience, that simple habit has helped clients avoid some very expensive mistakes.

Let’s look at the four scams I come across most often, and the warning signs to look out for.

1. Domain Renewal & Expiry Scams

This is probably the most common scam I come across when helping small businesses.

Over the years I’ve received many fake domain renewal emails myself, and clients regularly forward similar messages asking a simple question:

“Phil, does this look genuine?”

The emails are often very convincing. They may use the official logo and branding of a well-known hosting company or domain registrar, include your domain name and look just like a genuine reminder.

Some create a sense of urgency by claiming your domain is about to expire. Others are much more subtle, simply inviting you to renew with a prominent Renew Now or Process Payment button.

At first glance they can look completely legitimate.

Why they’re convincing

Many of these emails are designed to look like genuine communications from well-known companies.

They often use official logos, colours and branding, include your domain name, and are professionally written. Some even look almost identical to genuine renewal reminders.

That’s why it’s important not to judge an email by its appearance alone. Just because it looks professional doesn’t mean it’s genuine.

Genuine vs Fake

Below are two emails claiming to be from SiteGround.

One is genuine.

The other is a scam.

At first glance they look remarkably similar, but the highlighted notes show some of the key differences I look for when deciding whether an email is genuine.

The things I check first

Whenever a client forwards me one of these emails, these are the first things I look at:

Who is the email really from? Don’t just look at the display name. Check the actual From email address. In my experience, this is often the quickest giveaway. In the fake email example above, the email claims to be from SiteGround, but the From address is info@lesdzhongs.de. The genuine email is sent from noreply@siteground.com.
Does it address you by name? Genuine providers often personalise their emails. Scam emails frequently use generic greetings such as “Dear Customer” or “Dear User”.
Were you expecting this email? If you weren’t expecting a renewal reminder, it’s worth taking a closer look before doing anything else.
Does anything feel unusual? Look for small inconsistencies, unfamiliar contact details or wording that doesn’t quite seem right.
Does it seem expensive? Domain renewals are often more expensive when they’re part of a scam, but remember that some domains are more expensive to purchase and renew that others.

None of these signs on their own necessarily mean an email is fake, but if several of them appear together, I recommend stopping and checking before taking any action.

Why it matters

If you accidentally renew your domain through the wrong company, you could unknowingly begin transferring your domain registration to another registrar.

That doesn’t always mean you’ve been scammed, but it can leave you paying higher renewal fees, make your domain more difficult to manage, and create unnecessary complications if you later want to move it back.

It’s far easier to check first than try to put things right afterwards.

My recommendation

If you think your domain really does need renewing, don’t use the link or button in the email. Instead, open a new browser window and log in to your registrar’s website directly, or contact the person who manages your website.

If you’re still unsure, ask someone you trust to check it before making a payment.

I’ve helped many clients avoid unnecessary expense simply by spending two minutes looking at an email before they clicked the button..

2. SEO Spam Emails & Cold Calls

I’ve lost count of how many SEO emails like these I’ve received over the years. If you own a business website, there’s a good chance you’ve received similar messages claiming they’ve found problems with your website or offering a free SEO report. Although I have no intention of responding to them, I still find them useful because they reveal a lot about the company or person behind them.

Some SEO companies genuinely take the time to research a business before getting in touch.

Unfortunately, many don’t.

Instead, they send the same email to hundreds or even thousands of businesses, hoping a small percentage will respond.