Fake web-hosting 'Update Required' emails send victims to phishing page on madethis.website

What happened

PCrisk, a security-news and malware-removal site, reported in October 2026 on an "Account Information Update Requires" phishing email. It claims to be an automated notice from a web-hosting provider and tells the recipient to update their account information to avoid interruption to their hosting plan. The email, which has the subject "Update Required", carries a green "Update" button and is signed by a hosting company. The real hosting providers are not shown to be involved; PCrisk says criminals borrow legitimate company identities to make fake notifications look credible.

How the scam works

The email imitates the routine reminders that web-hosting providers send. It is short and uses a calm but urgent tone. If the plan is not updated, the service will be interrupted. For the owner of a website or an email domain, that is a real worry, so the recipient clicks the button without checking where it leads.

According to PCrisk, the button opens a fraudulent website at madethis.website that mimics the login page of the recipient's email provider. The aim is to steal login details. Entered credentials go straight to the attackers, who can use them to read mail, intercept password-reset messages for other services, send more phishing from a trusted address, and attempt to take over a website or a domain that the account manages.

Typical red flags are present: a greeting that uses the recipient's address instead of a name, a vague mention of the "hosting plan" with no account number, and a login page that has nothing to do with the hosting company. PCrisk adds that some campaigns of this type also distribute malware, so the safest response is to ignore the message and not click any of the links. If in doubt, sign in to the hosting company's website by typing its address, or use its app, and check for notifications there.

Source

PCrisk, "Account Information Update Requires email scam", October 2026.