We have recently become aware of a new phishing email campaign that is currently targeting SOZO clients. Fraudulent emails are being sent by an unknown third party, impersonating a member of our team named Shaun, asking recipients to agree to a website review.
Please be aware, these emails are not sent by SOZO. We have not authorised them, and the email address used contact.sozodesign@gmail.com is not owned or operated by us.
No member of the SOZO team will ever contact you from a Gmail or other free-provider address.
The email being sent
The sender name may appear as “Shaun” or similar, but the ‘from’ email address is contact.sozodesign@gmail.com.
The fraudulent email arrives with the following subject line:
From: contact.sozodesign@gmail.com
Subject: Action Recommended: Website Compliance Check
The email may read something like this in the image:
How to identify this email as fraudulent
The email address is fake.
contact.sozodesign@gmail.com is not an address we own. All genuine SOZO communications come from addresses ending in @sozodesign.co.uk.
We do not use free email providers.
We will never send unsolicited emails from a free Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo address.
It contains no specific details about your site.
The email is intentionally vague. It does not mention your website by name, the specific issue found, or any factual details.
The language is deliberately vague and alarming.
Phrases such as “fall out of alignment”, “things behind the scenes”, and “compliance elements” are designed to sound technical and create concern without saying anything specific.
SOZO does not make unsolicited review offers.
SOZO will not send you unsolicited offers to review your website. If we identify a genuine issue with your site, we will contact you directly from a known address and give you clear details.
URLs and Social Media links are fake:
The www.sozodesign.co.uk address and social media links at the bottom of the email all point to suspicious URLs. While the links look normal, if you hover over them the destination URL reveals it as suspicious.
Why this type of scam is so effective
Phishing is the most popular cyber attack method. It relies on trust and human error rather than technical hacking. Email is a popular format as it is designed to look routine, familiar and helpful, which makes recipients engage without realising anything is wrong.
By impersonating a named individual, at a company you already have a relationship with, and using language that sounds professional and concerned, the sender is trying to get you to reply, click a link, or hand over access to your website or accounts.
Once a reply is received, the attacker may follow up requesting login credentials, payment for a fake service, or access to your hosting or admin panel. The goal is to exploit your trust in SOZO to gain something of value.
What to do if you receive this email
Do not engage
- Do not reply to the email
- Do not click any links it contains
- Do not provide any information about your website, hosting, or accounts
- Do not forward the email to others in your organisation without warning them it is fraudulent
Report it
- Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk (the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre reporting service).
- Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
- Mark it as spam or phishing in your email client to help protect others.
- You may also want to report it to your IT team or service provider
Contact SOZO directly
- If you are unsure whether an email you have received from us is genuine, please contact us directly using the contact details you already have on file, or visit our official website. Do not use any contact details provided within the suspicious email itself.
How to contact SOZO
If you have received this email, or something similar and are concerned, or if you have already responded and want advice on next steps, please get in touch with us directly. We are happy to help.
Email: security@sozodesign.co.uk
Website: www.sozodesign.co.uk
Please remember, we won’t suggest a website review in an unsolicited email and ALL email correspondence will come from an address ending in @sozodesign.co.uk.
