Scammers sometimes send emails pretending to be from web hosting companies, including PAC. They usually try to get you to click a link and enter your password or card details. Here’s how to tell the difference.
How to recognise a genuine PAC email
- Our emails come from addresses ending in @pacwebhosting.uk. Check the full address, not just the name shown – scammers can make the name say anything.
- We’ll never ask for your password, or your full card details, by email.
- Invoices and notices are always in your client area. If an email says you owe something, log in to your client area yourself to check.
The safest habit: don’t click links in emails you’re unsure about. Instead, go to billing.pacwebhosting.uk by typing it in your browser or using a saved bookmark, and log in there.
Warning signs of a fake email
- A lookalike address, such as one with extra words, hyphens or letters, or a different ending, for example pacwebhosting-support.com or pacwebhosting.uk.accounts-verify.com.
- Urgent threats, such as “your website will be deleted in 24 hours” or “your domain has expired, pay now”.
- A link that goes somewhere else. On a computer, hover over a link (without clicking) to see where it really goes.
- A request to pay in an unusual way, or to a different bank account than usual.
- Attachments you weren’t expecting, especially ones asking you to “enable content”.
Domain renewal scams
Another common trick is an official-looking letter or email offering to “renew” or “register” your domain, or to list it in a search engine, for a large fee. These often come from companies you’ve never dealt with. If your domain is registered with us, renewals only ever come from PAC and appear in your client area – see how to renew your domain name.
Not sure?
Don’t click anything. Please open a support ticket, or call us on 0333 123 8000 during office hours, and we’ll tell you whether it’s genuine.
If you’ve already clicked a link or entered your details
- Change your password straight away for the account you entered it into, and anywhere else you use the same password.
- Turn on two-factor authentication – see how to secure your PAC accounts in 5 minutes.
- If you entered card details, contact your bank or card provider straight away.
- Let us know, so we can check your account and warn other customers if needed.
Received a phishing email that’s using a website we host? You can report it to our abuse team at pacwebhosting.uk/abuse.
