I turned an email spoofing scam into $28 monthly savings with ChatGPT
ChatGPT turned a scam attempt into a win: I learned about email spoofing, secured my domains, and saved $28 monthly on Google Workspace.
Scammers are everywhere these days, from fake “bug bounty” requests to phishing emails. A few days ago, I ran into one of these scams on Reddit. Strangely enough, it ended up saving me money and teaching me something about Google Workspace, thanks to ChatGPT.
The Scam Attempt: A Fake Bug Bounty
I received a message on Reddit from someone saying they had “claimed an email address on my behalf” and wanted a “cash reward” for reporting the vulnerability. At first glance, it sounded urgent. The goal was clear: pressure me into paying quickly.
But something felt off, so I asked ChatGPT to help me understand what was happening. Within seconds, I learned this was a classic bug bounty scam, really just an extortion attempt. The scammer hadn’t actually “claimed” anything. Instead, they were using a tactic called email spoofing.
What is Email Spoofing?
Email spoofing happens when someone forges the “From” address in an email to make it look like it’s coming from you (or your domain). It doesn’t mean they’ve hacked your account, but it can still cause confusion or trick others into clicking malicious links.
In my case, the spoofing worked because my domain was missing some key email authentication records. Without these, scammers can make emails appear legitimate.
How ChatGPT Helped Me Solve It
Instead of panicking, I asked ChatGPT what my options were. I didn’t want to spend more money on a new email service just to fix this, although I needed an email provider anyway. To my surprise, ChatGPT pointed out something I’d completely overlooked:
I could associate multiple domains with a single Google Workspace account.
That meant I could run both my personal, business, and Peek domains under the same account. The result?
One inbox instead of three
A more secure setup
$28 saved every month
I quickly linked my new domain and my personal one to my business Google Workspace setup. Problem solved.
The Bigger Lesson: Scams Thrive on Pressure
Looking back, I realised that scammers count on two things:
Confusion - they want you to feel like you don’t understand what’s happening.
Time pressure - the more rushed you feel, the more likely you are to pay them.
Without ChatGPT, I probably would’ve spent hours digging through articles, second-guessing myself, and stressing over whether I needed a new subscription. Instead, I had a clear path forward in minutes.
AI as Both a Threat and a Tool
I’m still worried about how scammers might use AI to make their attacks more convincing. But this experience showed me the flip side: AI can also be a powerful tool for defence. With the right guidance, it helps level the playing field for everyday users.
Over to You
Have you ever received a suspicious “bug bounty” or spoofing scam? How did you handle it? Would you trust AI to guide you through a security fix?
Share your thoughts in the comments. Your story might help someone else avoid falling for a scam.
I ask GPT about many things like this. Actually, just the other day I got a message saying they really loved my profile picture on the app and wanted to use it for an art model... I was very flattered, however, my photo on that app is the default graphic so something was a little sus 😂
I threw it into Chat GPT and, yep, it was a scam to get you to click on their malware link.