GoDaddy has to apologize for phishing test

A FAKE BONUS EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE EMPLOYEES BY GoDaddy!

Though training employees regarding Cybersecurity is crucial GoDaddy just went too far! And in the amid lockdown when thousands have lost their livelihood and struggling to keep their body and soul together phishing is particularly cruel.

Around two weeks ago GoDaddy Emailed its employees offering a holiday bonus. Specifically, around 500 employees of GoDaddy received that email on December 14, 2020. The sender’s email address appeared as “[email protected]” as if the firm particularly created this email address for the offer.

They were promised $650 as a holiday bonus by the sender. This was not the act of kindness on the occasion of X-mas but a teasing phishing test on the innocent employees. Those who replied to the email were to be considered fail and those who failed the test were given extra work.

That’s what happened to around 500 employees at GoDaddy, Arizona’s Copper Courier reported. They were asked to reply by stating the details about their location, time of holiday, and other info that was asked by them if they wanted to redeem their bonus.

Those employees who replied to the email were informed two days later that “you failed our recent phishing test,” and that they would be required to complete security training.

Strange? but true.

Surely this test didn’t go well with the employees and was not welcomed by them either. Unintentionally only but the company has vexed the sentiments of their employees.

In a statement, a GoDaddy spokesperson said the company apologized to employees. “GoDaddy takes the security of our platform extremely seriously. We understand some employees were upset by the phishing attempt and felt it was insensitive, for which we have apologized,” the spokesperson said. “While the test mimicked real attempts to play today, we need to do better and be more sensitive to our employees.”