The fake "Your payment has been declined" or "Update your payment information now" Hostgator email message below, which claims the recipients need to update their payment information, is a phishing scam created to steal Hostgator usernames and passwords. The fake email message is being sent by cyber-criminals, whose intentions are to gain access to the potential victims' email accounts and use them for malicious or fraudulent purposes.
The Hostgator Your Payment has been Declined Scam
Your payment has been declined.
Dear Custmer
Action required: Update your payment information now
Thu 6/4/2020 11:52 AM
From: HostGator
Our information indicates that the payment method you used to purchase your HostGator hosting account was declined. Contact your bank for more details on the refusal of payment.
To avoid interruption of service, update your payment information now.
UPDATE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION
We appreciate your prompt response to this problem and look forward to continuing to meet the needs of your business.
Invoice ID: 65752370
Product: SH-3459699
Primary Domain: onlinethreatalerts.com
Tax Included: $0.00
Total Amount: $10.95
Renewal Date: 2020-02-06
Thank you for choosing HostGator.com!
The link in the email message goes to a fake Hostgator website in an attempt to trick the potential victims into entering their usernames and passwords on it. If the potential victims enter their Hostgator usernames and passwords on the fake website, it will be sent to the cyber-criminals behind the email scam, who will use the information to hijack the victims' accounts.
Therefore, Hostgator users who have received email messages like the one above, should go directly to their email accounts instead of clicking on the links in the email messages. If there is anything wrong with their accounts, it will be shown to them after signing in.
Now, Hostgator users who were tricked by phishing scams should change their passwords immediately, and those who are unable to do so are asked to contact Hostgator for help.