Scams Targeting Website Owners with Liz Eisworth

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December 15, 2021 • 37 mins

When you own a business, your website represents you. Scammers can prey on your emotions for their gain by sending false claims of copyright infringement or even other lucrative opportunities that are fake. Knowing what to look out for prevents their negative impact on you and your business.

Today’s guest is Liz Eisworth. Liz is the founder of SangFroid Web Design specializing in web design, custom WordPress themes, SEO, and digital marketing. She works with businesses to understand all aspects of their website.

Show Notes:

[0:50] - Welcome to the show, Liz! Liz shares her background and business in web design, online presence, and SEO.
[2:21] - Liz describes the common scams that target website owners, starting with domain slamming scams.
[4:18] - The reason this happens is because once you register for a domain, your information becomes public.
[5:40] - Domain slamming is not an outright crime, but it is certainly unethical.
[8:12] - In combination with other things, the length of time a domain name has been owned can be a red flag.
[9:30] - Social engineering can also take place with the registrar that your domain name is registered with.
[11:20] - It is easy for scammers to set up a fake and flimsy online presence.
[12:09] - Phishing scams are often submitted through contact forms on a business’s website.
[13:36] - These phishing scams have gotten much more sophisticated in the last year and cause enough panic to have the owner click a dangerous link.
[16:07] - There are a lot of royalty free stock photo websites that you can find safe images to use on your website. This will help you avoid copyright infringement.
[18:26] - Chris shares an experience with registering a trademark that Liz confirms is very common.
[20:20] - Liz describes the third party payout scam.
[22:11] - In these scams, a detailed and simultaneously vague email will request a project be done.
[24:40] - If someone overpays you for a service, be skeptical.
[28:01] - The extra details in the initial email could be a red flag.
[29:40] - The use of details is intended to distract you.
[31:08] - Liz works primarily with small to medium sized businesses, but large companies are also very susceptible to scams.
[32:52] - Social engineering and preying on emotions are the common threads between all scams.
[35:41] - False authority in an email can also be a red flag.