In 2025, cybercrime is projected to cost the world over $10.5 trillion annually (Cybersecurity Ventures, 2020). As web hosting becomes essential for individuals, businesses, and organizations, scammers are finding new ways to exploit unsuspecting users.

Whether you’re a small business owner in Berlin, a student in Tokyo, or a nonprofit director in Toronto, hosting scams are a global threat. In fact, over 2,000 fraudulent web hosting portals were identified in the UK alone in late 2024, according to The Times UK, December 2024.

To understand how to avoid web hosting scams and protect your business from online scams, let’s start with a cautionary tale that illustrates the dangers.

A Cautionary Tale from the UK

In early 2025, a London-based entrepreneur named Daniel launched his handmade leather goods store online. Excited by a Facebook ad promoting “Lifetime Unlimited Hosting for £1/month,” he signed up. But just weeks later, his site went down, his login credentials were stolen, and his domain was redirected to a scammy affiliate site.

Daniel had fallen for a classic hosting scam, a common pitfall for unsuspecting users. And he wasn’t alone. Thousands of victims across G7 countries like Canada, Germany, France, and the U.S. have been hit by fraudulent offers, phishing schemes, and fake tech support scams (The Times UK, 2024).

Let’s explore the Top 7 Hosting Scams in 2025, web hosting scam warning signs, and how to identify hosting scammers to help you stay safe.

1. Fake Unlimited Hosting Offers

The Scam: Unrealistic claims like “Unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email for $1.” The catch? Hidden fees, no customer service, and poor uptime.

How to Stay Safe:

• Research the hosting provider’s terms and uptime history.
• Check real customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot or Reddit.

Reference: ICDSoft Blog: “Understanding ‘Unlimited’ Hosting Claims“

2. Domain Renewal Phishing Emails

The Scam: You receive a fake domain renewal notice that looks official. Clicking the link leads to a spoofed site asking for your credit card info.This highlights the need for strong domain renewal phishing protection.

How to Stay Safe:

• Log into your registrar directly (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy).
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Track your domain renewal dates within your registrar account.

Reference: Web Hosting Today – “How to Spot Domain Renewal Scams”

3. Fake Tech Support Calls or Chats

The Scam: You receive an unsolicited email or call claiming your site is down or hacked. They ask for login credentials.

How to Stay Safe:

• Never provide credentials via unsolicited communications.
• Contact your official hosting provider support directly.

4. Free Hosting with Hidden Costs

The Scam: “100% free hosting” turns into forced upsells, bandwidth throttling, or intrusive ads.

How to Stay Safe:

• Compare free plans to your real hosting needs.
• Look for what’s omitted (e.g., backups, support, SSL certificates).

Reference: ICDSoft: “The Truth About Free Hosting“

5. Email Hosting Fraud

The Scam: Providers promise “unlimited business email,” but deliver spammy, insecure services with poor deliverability.

How to Stay Safe:

Choose email hosting that includes:

• TLS encryption
• MailChannels or SpamExperts filtering
• DMARC, SPF, and DKIM email security

6. Malware Infected Hosting Providers

The Scam: Some budget hosts allow malware-laden sites on shared servers, affecting all sites on the same machine.

Impact: Browser warnings, SEO blacklisting, trust issues.

How to Stay Safe:

Choose providers with:

• Firewall protection
• Malware scanning
• Server-level isolation

Reference: Sucuri Security Trends Report 2025

7. Stolen Data via Control Panel Clones

The Scam: Scammers replicate dashboards like cPanel or DirectAdmin. You enter credentials and they hijack your account.

How to Stay Safe:

• Access panels through verified host URLs.
• Look for HTTPS, SSL certificates, and domain spelling.

Bonus Scam Insight: AI-Powered Attacks in 2025

In 2025, AI-generated phishing emails and deepfake voice calls are booming. Attackers are using AI to replicate the voices of support staff, or even your colleagues.This highlights the importance of cybersecurity for small businesses and the need for a robust website security checklist 2025.

According to the Email Security Report by SlashNext, there’s been a 4,151% increase in AI-generated phishing attacks from 2022 to 2025.

Stay Safe:

• Educate your team on voice phishing (vishing).
• Use email authentication protocols.
• Always verify any urgent or suspicious requests through a secondary channel.  

FAQs

Final Thoughts: How to Stay Safe in 2025

The web remains a place of opportunity but also risk. Cybercriminals are evolving, and so should your security practices. Stay skeptical of “too-good-to-be-true” offers, verify everything, and always use security features like 2FA, SSL, and backups.

Want to Compare Shared & Other Hosting Plans Safely?

Example Template

Use this neutral comparison template to assess any host you’re considering:

Feature	Host A	Host B	Host C
NVMe Storage	✔	✔	✖
Free SSL	✔	✔	✔
Malware Scanning	✔	✖	✔
Email Security	MailChannels	Basic Filter	Unknown
2FA Support	✔	✔	✖
Cost (per month)	$6.00	$4.50	$7.20

✅ Tip: Ask your provider for specifics on email security, server firewalls, uptime guarantees, and customer support availability.

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