With the increasing popularity of WordPress sites, many hackers are trying to gain access to valuable data by targeting WordPress users. They send fake emails warning about serious vulnerabilities to the host’s website. As a result, many WordPress users panic after receiving a phishing email from a false WordPress site.
Being a WordPress CMS user, you might panic for fearing losing your clients, revenue, and lots of hard work in just seconds. The good thing is, these emails are not real!
In this article, we will tell you whether these WordPress security emails are real or fake. We will tell you the reasons behind these phishing emails, how to detect real or fake emails, what to do when you fall into this trap and a lot more about this in detail. Let’s begin!
How Do WordPress Site Fake Emails Work?
WordPress is a successful website builder, and it is very secure. It is a hard nut to crack for malicious hackers to gain access to WordPress code. For this, they send false security emails to WordPress owners, and unfortunately, many of you fall into this trap.
These fake emails may have come from the WordPress Security Team, your hosting provider, or a well-known security company. These are the suspicious things it contains:
- A cautious warning message about detecting a high-risk vulnerability on your website.
- A new patch code like ‘CVE-2025-4568’
- An urgent appeal to click on a link or download the security patch.
What happens here is that when you click on the link, it doesn’t go to the official WordPress site. It opens to another site where your login credentials are stolen. Once the hackers get access, they can add backdoors and redirect visitors to malicious sites. Therefore, it is crucial to understand these fake emails before it’s too late.
Reasons Why You’re Getting Fake WordPress Security Emails
There may be a few reasons why WordPress is sending you fake emails. Let’s have a look at them:
- Unauthorized Email Account
The importance of strong passwords in securing your email accounts can not be denied here. A strong password is the first key to protect your credentials, personal data, and hard work. Any weak password can lend you a huge risk.
If you fear your password could be compromised, go to the settings and change it to a strong one immediately.
- Malware Detection on Your Site
Another reason for fake emails may be that your site has been hacked. The hackers send a malicious script to numerous accounts to gain access to their websites. WordPress has a core function, wp-mail(), which manages its emails. It has limitations; therefore WordPress users install a plugin for better control over emails. The malware replicates the script or plugin functionality and sends out spam emails just as the original.
How to Detect Real or Fake WordPress Security Emails
Detecting fake WordPress security emails is not an easy task. Sometimes the scammers copy official fonts, logos, formatting, and technical terms to make it look like a real security email.
You can check for these red flags to detect these scams:
- Doubtful email address
Look at the domain of the email, if its like @wordpress.org or @wordpress.net, then it is a legitimate email from an official site. Anything else is fake.
- Words showing Urgency
Hackers use words like “Take immediate action” or “High-Alert” to create panic among the users. Don’t fall into their trap.
- Spelling Errors or Poor Formatting
You may find typing errors or poor script formatting. A real email is not like that; it is highly professional.
- Links opening to Other Sites
If you find any link other than the official domain, don’t click it.
- Attachments
WordPress never attaches files in emails. If you find any attachments in the email, it means they are fake.
- Asking Passwords
The official WordPress site will never ask for passwords or login details. If you receive an email asking for personal details, that is fake.
Often, users fail to see these points before clicking on the malicious links. It led them to a serious risk of losing their websites. Not only this, but it also spreads malicious activity to a large number of users with a single click.
Once you recognise these red flags, take out a few seconds before clicking any risky links.
What If You Receive a Fake Email Apparently from WordPress?
If you have received a fake WordPress security email, before panicking, do these steps to protect your website:
- Do not click on the links.
- Log in to your WordPress website to check for any suspicious activity.
- Report the email and contact your host provider.
- Mark the email as spam to avoid receiving such emails in the future.
- Run a security scan immediately to catch the malware.
Steps to Take When You Fall for a Fake WordPress Security Email
If you have already fallen into this trap, don’t worry! Here is what you have to do next. Follow these steps to minimise the damage:
- Delete the Unknown Admin
Log in to your WordPress site, and if you see any unknown admin, remove it immediately.
- Change the Password
After entering your WordPress login, change the password to secure it. Update your hosting, FTP, and database passwords too to avoid any unauthorized login.
- Run a Scan
Scan the website using a security tool scanner plug-in. Check if there are malicious files, backdoors, or any unauthorized activities.
- Backup
Regular backups are essential to save your data from any loss. You must have a backup on your device before you click on the malicious link.
We recommend Duplicator for backup because it is ideally a WordPress Backin Plugin because it is secure, and trustable. It easily restore your website when something bad occurs.
- Update WordPress and Other Plugins
Updating your plugins is necessary to avoid scammers using the same method again to hack your data. Outdated themes and core files can give more chances for unauthorized activities.
Go to the WordPress Dashboard<Updates, and install the newest versions.
- Check the File Manager
If you find any file containing php scripts like admin-logs.php etc., it means it is a part of the backdoor. Hackers make use of these deceptive names to blend with core website files.
Protect Your Website From Future Scams
Preventing these fake emails is so crucial after spotting any single email in the future. Follow these steps to protect your website:
- Two-Factor Authorization
Two-factor authorization is important to keep your account even if the password is stolen. 2FA adds double security to any plugin and secures your credentials.
- Verify Email Before Taking Action
Always check the extension of the emails, whether it is from the official website having wordpress@org.com or not. Do not open the link if it is anything other than this address.
- Regular Updates
Keep doing regular updates to prevent hackers from exploiting your activities.
- Use WordPress Firewalls
Use an authentic WordPress security plugin like Wordfence and Sucuri to keep your data secure.
- Give Awareness
Aware of your team members of the suspicious scams to detect any unauthorized activities in their emails. Tell them to report immediately if they find any fake emails like this.
Final Thoughts: Beware of Phishing WordPress Security Emails
Facing scams and catching the malware is a part of digital success. If you find any suspicious and malware activity in your WordPress site, don’t panic and take a deep breath. Check down all the steps we discussed above and you can get control.
Verifying your email, updating WordPress and other plugins, and following our step-by-step guide will protect your website and business from tremendous loss.
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