A scammer is impersonating us. Please read this.
Someone is sending emails pretending to be me (Andrew Cox) and The Hope Factory. The emails come from andrew.thehopefactory@gmail.com.
We do no own or control this email address, and the emails are not from us.
We never send email from a @gmail.com address. Every email from The Hope Factory comes from an address ending in @thehopefactory.com. If the sender's address ends in anything else, it isn't us, no matter how convincing the signature looks.
What the scam email says
The email claims Shopify Support has completed an "internal review" and found your website "not fully aligned with the latest Shopify platform requirements." It says your domain and "connected extensions/plugins" need "immediate renewal," warns of suspension and security vulnerabilities, and asks you to reply so they can "proceed with the necessary renewals."
Every part of that is invented. Shopify does not conduct reviews like this and does not send findings to agencies to pass on. Domains and apps do not "renew" through us. The urgency is the point: the goal is to get you to reply, and then to get you to pay for something that doesn't exist or hand over access to your store.
The signature block copies our real details, including our phone number, website and Elsternwick address. Only the email address has been changed. That's what makes it look legitimate. Check the sender address, not the signature.
How to tell a real email from us
A real email from The Hope Factory:
- Comes from an @thehopefactory.com address. Always.
- Never asks you to "renew" your domain, apps or Shopify plan through us.
- Never threatens suspension of your store.
- Never asks you to pay an invoice you weren't expecting or to send login details by email.
If we need to discuss something with you about your store, you'll hear from someone you already know, about work you already know about.
If you've received one of these emails
Don't reply and don't click any links. Mark it as spam or phishing in your email client. If you're a Gmail user, use "Report phishing" from the message menu; it helps get the address shut down faster.
If you're unsure whether an email is really from us, contact us through our website here or call 1300 061 513. Use the details from our website, not the ones in the email you're checking.
If you've already replied or paid
Contact us straight away on 1300 061 513. If you've sent money, contact your bank immediately and report the scam to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. If you shared Shopify login details, change your password and review your staff accounts and collaborator access in your Shopify admin now.