Last Updated: November 11, 2025
We're writing to inform our community about a phishing attempt that occurred on November 10, 2025. A fraudulent email was sent from [email protected], impersonating Bright Vessel and offering unsolicited WooCommerce security audits.
This email did not come from us. We've already contacted affected clients directly and reported the abuse to Google.
An impersonator created a Gmail account designed to appear as if it came from Bright Vessel. The fraudulent email used our company name and claimed to offer WooCommerce security and compatibility audits, asking recipients to reply "YES" to initiate the service.
The email was sent from [email protected] with the subject line: "From Bright Vessel: Important WooCommerce Security & Compatibility Check"
Here are the red flags that identify this as a fraudulent message:
Wrong Email Domain: The email came from a Gmail account ([email protected]), not from our official brightvessel.com domain. We never conduct business correspondence from personal Gmail accounts, unless we are specifically sharing a file.
Unsolicited Outreach: We don't send cold security audit offers to clients. Our project work is based on established relationships and direct communication through official channels.
Vague Language: The email employs generic phrases like "since our last project" without providing specific details about the actual work performed or legitimate service agreements.
Pressure Tactics: Asking for an immediate "YES" reply is a common phishing technique designed to get quick responses before recipients can think critically about the request.
Take these steps immediately:
To prevent confusion in the future, here's how we conduct legitimate business communication:
Official Email Addresses: We communicate from @brightvessel.com email addresses. Our primary contact addresses are [email protected] and the specific team member addresses that end in @brightvessel.com.
Existing Client Relationships: We work with clients based on established service agreements. Any outreach about new projects comes from your designated account manager or through support channels you've previously used.
No Gmail for Business: We never send business correspondence, service offers, or security requests from Gmail accounts.
Transparent Communication: When we reach out about legitimate security concerns or updates, we reference specific projects, provide detailed context, and never pressure you to respond immediately.
We take security seriously and responded immediately:
This incident highlights essential security practices for anyone running an e-commerce business:
Verify Email Domains: Always check that emails come from legitimate company domains, not free email services like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook, when they claim to be from established businesses.
Question Unsolicited Offers: Be skeptical of unexpected security audit offers or urgent update requests, especially those that require a quick response.
Use Official Support Channels: When in doubt, contact companies directly through their official website contact forms or published support addresses.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Protect your email accounts and administrative access with two-factor authentication (2FA) to prevent unauthorized access.
Educate Your Team: Ensure that anyone with access to your business email is aware of these red flags and knows how to report suspicious messages.
As e-commerce businesses grow, they become increasingly targeted by sophisticated phishing attempts. Attackers know that WooCommerce store owners handle sensitive customer data, payment processing, and valuable business assets.
Common phishing tactics targeting online stores include:
The best defense is awareness. Train yourself and your team to recognize these patterns and always verify suspicious communications through independent channels.
We're grateful to the clients who immediately recognized this email as suspicious and reported it to us. Your vigilance helps protect the entire community.
While we've taken steps to address this specific incident, please remain cautious with any email that seems unusual, regardless of who it appears to be from. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.
If you received this phishing email or have any questions about this incident, please get in touch with us directly:
We're here to help and are happy to verify any communication you're uncertain about.
Stay secure, and thank you for your continued trust in Bright Vessel.
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