Ongoing Phishing Scam

updated March, 2026

In September, 2025, several clients shared suspicious emails that appeared to come from my business. It turns out that, over the past year, a coordinated scam has targeted thousands of website owners across several platforms, including Squarespace, Shopify, Showit, Wix, and others. The scammers impersonate a website designer and claim there is a problem with the domain, SSL certificate, or website security that requires urgent payment. These messages are designed to appear legitimate and create a sense of urgency.

From my own client base alone, nearly 100 contacts have been documented. At least six individuals have confirmed financial losses, and 16 different Gmail addresses have been used so far. In several cases, clients were directed to make payments through Fiverr or Upwork accounts. Often, my name (Sara, no “h”) is misspelled, or there is a space added in my business name (EngageTaste).

I have reported the activity to the FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and I continue to monitor the situation closely.

I will never email you asking for payment to “fix” a problem with your domain or website security.

You are Safe

The Squarespace platform itself has not been compromised. My own account has not been compromised, nor has yours. Your website remains secure unless you intentionally provide login credentials or grant site access to the impersonator. Do not share login information or grant access to anyone claiming to represent me unless you have confirmed the request directly with me.

If You Are Contacted

If you receive one of these messages, three steps can make a meaningful difference in helping stop the scam:

Staying Informed

I occasionally share updates when new patterns or tactics appear. If you would like to receive those updates, you can subscribe to my occasional email here.