Protecting Yourself Against Email Impersonation Scams

Unfortunately, there have been repeated attempts by scammers to impersonate me using email addresses that closely resemble my official business email address.

In most cases, these fraudulent emails have been sent directly to current or former clients, requesting website access, account permissions, or even payments. However, I also want to alert anyone who may receive an unexpected message from someone claiming to represent my business, even if we have never worked together. These emails are not legitimate, but they can appear convincing at first glance.

I want to make sure you know how to recognize these scams and protect yourself—not only when communicating with me, but with any service provider you work with.

Official Communication

I will only ever contact you from my official email address: hello@audreythizystudio.com
I will never ask you to send payments through unfamiliar links, provide passwords, or share sensitive information via an unexpected email.

If you ever receive a message that feels unusual, unexpected, or simply "doesn't seem quite right," please don't respond. Instead, contact me directly at hello@audreythizystudio.com so I can confirm whether the message is genuine.

How to Protect Yourself

• Verify the Sender
  Before replying to any email, take a moment to carefully check the sender's email address.

  This is good practice not only for messages from me, but for any professional or service provider you work with.

  Fraudulent emails are often designed to look almost identical to legitimate ones, but they typically come from generic email providers such as Gmail or Outlook rather than the business's official domain.

For example, addresses such as:

• hello.audreythizystudio@gmail.com

• info.audreythizystudio@gmail.com

• contact.audreythizystudio@gmail.com

or any similar variation—are not legitimate and should be treated as fraudulent.

Always verify that emails from me come from: hello@audreythizystudio.com

Be Careful Before Granting Access

Please do not grant access to your Squarespace website, online store, or any other account without first verifying the sender's email address. If you receive a request that appears to come from me—or from any other professional—but it is sent from a generic Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or similar email address, pause before taking any action. A legitimate business should communicate from its official domain. When in doubt, contact the person directly using the contact information you already have.

Report Suspicious Emails

If you receive one of these fraudulent emails, please report it as Spam or Phishing through your email provider. Reporting these messages helps providers identify malicious accounts and can prevent future attacks against others.

A Growing Issue Across Many Industries

Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated situation. Many web designers, developers, creatives, consultants, and other service providers are experiencing similar impersonation attempts. With the rapid advancement of AI tools, it has become much easier for scammers to imitate businesses, writing styles, branding, and communication patterns.

While this notice is prompted by what has been happening with my business, it's also a reminder to remain vigilant whenever you receive unexpected emails requesting payments, account access, or sensitive information.

Taking a few extra seconds to verify the sender can prevent significant security issues.

Questions?

If you're ever unsure whether an email genuinely came from me, please don't hesitate to reach out directly at: hello@audreythizystudio.com