GoDaddy is accused of cruelty after
it teased 500 employees into replying to
email promising Christmas $650 bonus
—only to then reveal it was phishing
test they FAILED
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Matthew Wright
Original Article
Posted By: Ribicon,
12/25/2020 2:38:07 PM
Internet domain giant GoDaddy is in hot water after sending several employees an email claiming that they would get a holiday bonus, only for it to be a hoax that the company set up to test staff. A December 14 email was sent to employees of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company after staff had already been notified that they would not be receiving bonuses for the holidays this year. 'Happy Holiday GoDaddy! 2020 has been a record year for GoDaddy, thanks to you,' the email, obtained by 12 News, read. It was sent to roughly 500 employees.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Highlander 12/25/2020 2:50:23 PM (No. 641453)
GoDaddy should be GoneDaddy for that stunt.
21 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
clayusmcret 12/25/2020 2:50:36 PM (No. 641455)
We used to get phishing tests all the time. That's the thing with phishers, they lure you in with something that sounds cool and take over your network in return. Shame on them for failing the test.
15 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
qr4j 12/25/2020 3:21:54 PM (No. 641480)
Definitely cruel. Gone Daddy indeed! Gone Gone Gone! Some IT guru needs to be in sensitivity training for about a decade.
9 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
broken01 12/25/2020 3:22:09 PM (No. 641481)
If it were me GoDaddy would be GotoHellDaddy for this stupidity.
8 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
MDConservative 12/25/2020 3:33:36 PM (No. 641485)
There has apparently been a problem with phishing. The company provided training. Employees supposedly learned the lessons. They got a message that likely had clues to show its true nature. Employees provided info. They screwed up. Lucky they weren’t fired. They proved themselves security risks.
18 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Videodrone 12/25/2020 3:44:10 PM (No. 641490)
Last few years on different corporate emails I've gotten several personalized phishing attempts coming from "the boss" a few days after starting - I figure they are scanning new email lists for unsuspecting marks.
4 people like this.
It is interesting that I get more penetration test phishing emails than genuine phishing emails, by a wide margin.
5 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Luke21 12/25/2020 4:32:42 PM (No. 641505)
I worked at a place that was always mixing in phishes with stuff from personnel and mucky mucks. They had a department to create nothing but that crap. If they caught you off guard, you had to take online trainings to avoid being trapped by phishes. I finally quit answering all their mail.
10 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
cThree 12/25/2020 5:25:35 PM (No. 641530)
Once upon a time a Toyota dealership ran a big sweepstakes (or something) inside the company for a new Toyota. As I recall a secretary won and was led, very excited, to the company parking lot, and presented with a small, stuffed Yoda doll.
She sued and won more than a new Toyota, as I recall.
Those employees should do likewise.
9 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
TexaTucky 12/25/2020 5:32:03 PM (No. 641533)
Toothpicks through an eyeball is cruel. Clothespins on the ole tallywacker is cruel. Being embarrassed because you work for an internet domain giant who trained you NOT to open phishing emails and yet you did anyway is not cruel . . . it just makes a pink hat for thinking it is.
8 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
JL80863 12/25/2020 5:36:14 PM (No. 641535)
In my working world, whoever put that stunt together and the execs that approved it would have been gone before sundown. My guess is that this is a business held together by the grace of God and an outstanding staff. Certainly the executives are brainless.
5 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Urgent Fury 12/25/2020 6:30:28 PM (No. 641558)
This is why I delete most emails, even from the boss. My answer is always, "can't be too careful!"
3 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Highlander 12/25/2020 7:57:17 PM (No. 641581)
# 9; about that Toyota dealership; I find many people involved in auto dealerships to not be terribly mature types. I heard god-awful jokes and inappropriate comments plenty from car salesmen. One cashier at a Sears auto shop, when looking at my driver’s license, said out loud I had a s__t-eatin’ grin.
4 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
thewarden 12/25/2020 8:07:21 PM (No. 641585)
Good grief. My husband’s company had 2 ransom wear incidents last year that caused havoc and lots of cash. You have no idea the problems it caused. They, too, have training but the stupidity happens repeatedly. No sympathy here at all. Follow the rules. It’s not hard.
3 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Strike3 12/25/2020 9:22:37 PM (No. 641607)
Tech people claim to be smart. Management failed that test.
1 person likes this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 12/25/2020 9:50:09 PM (No. 641622)
Was considering buying their stock. Not now.
1 person likes this.
Surprised somebody didn't come back with "At least you have a job" What is the age group here ?
1 person likes this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
franq 12/26/2020 5:58:17 AM (No. 641761)
Now if it was "Jelly of the Month Club", no harm no foul....
0 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
franq 12/26/2020 5:59:40 AM (No. 641762)
And we get these phishing tests at work frequently. Almost all I look at and say, "Really?" Deleted as fast as I can click.
1 person likes this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
BeatleJeff 12/26/2020 9:41:52 AM (No. 641902)
Can it really be considered phishing when it's being sent by the employer through official channels? Sounds more like bait and switch to me. Pay up, Go Daddy.
1 person likes this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
jacksin5 12/26/2020 10:38:00 AM (No. 641937)
So, did the employees who did not click on the E-mail get a bonus? Asking for a friend.
2 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
cold porridge 12/26/2020 1:53:18 PM (No. 642055)
In 2005 I was enticed by Godaddy to move from Washington State to work for them as a technical rep. I flew down for an interview and I said I didn't want any sales involved, just would give technical support. I got the job and moved. It started out fine for 2 weeks, and then they started pushing hard for everyone to hard sell to the customers. You were pressured to sell something the customer didn't necessarily need on every call. They were not getting the upsales they wanted so they called a meeting and berated everyone for not pushing upsales hard enough. I walked out of that meeting and never went back. I had another job the next day and a more moral company. Go-daddy should be renamed GoToHelldaddy as a commenter above stated.
3 people like this.
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Comments:
Would anyone dare accuse the Sikh CEO from India of religious insensitivity? Also, this stunt brings to mind the old joke about how 97% of lawyers give the rest a bad name; you can bet the brass got their fat bonuses.