Lately, many of our customers have been receiving emails that follow the same pattern. At first glance, they sound important or urgent. Here\u2019s a short excerpt:<\/p>\n\n\n
Hello,\nMy name is XXX. At XXXX, I work with companies in Germany.\nIn this role, we assess how accurately ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can determine\u2014based on publicly\navailable content\u2014what a company stands for and when its offerings are relevant\n.\nIf you manage [NAME OF YOUR WEBSITE], you can the<\/span> Open the exam here and the<\/span>\nView individual analysis sections:\n\n[LINK TO ANALYSIS]\n\nThank you for taking a moment to review this.\nBest regards,\nNAME of the \"Clerk\"<\/span><\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\nWhat do these emails say?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These emails almost always follow the same pattern:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, there is a more or less personal greeting and the question of whether you are responsible for your domain or website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then comes the note saying that the website has already been \u201cchecked\u201d and, of course, there are vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next up are lots of great new technical terms related to \u201cAI,\u201d and of course, we can\u2019t leave out the big names like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is followed by a link to an analysis or review. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why These Emails Are Sent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There is no government agency or auditing body behind these emails. It\u2019s just good old-fashioned cold calling\u2014usually unauthorized and without prior consent. A vendor wants to sell a service and uses a current topic to strike up a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s a reasonable business model. New technology can be unsettling, and that uncertainty opens doors. However, an unsolicited email with a verification link is not proof that something is wrong with your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does the law say about this?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In Germany, the following applies: Sending advertising via email without your prior express consent constitutes an unreasonable nuisance. This is stated in Section 7 of the Unfair Competition Act (UWG)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo anyone who sends you unsolicited advertising is treading on thin legal ice. This is not legal advice. If in doubt, please consult a lawyer. For everyday situations, however, the key point is this: You are under no obligation to reply to such emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here's How to Respond Properly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Do not click on the link.<\/strong> You don't know what's behind it. There's no reason to find out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ignore or delete the email.<\/strong> This will not put you at a disadvantage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Block Sender<\/strong>, if more emails come in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If in doubt, ask.<\/strong> If you're unsure whether an email is genuine or important, forward it to us. We'll take a quick look at it. It won't cost you anything\u2014just a minute of your time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Visibility in AI systems is real work, not a quick check<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line: Whether ChatGPT and similar tools can find your business and categorize it correctly depends on the same factors as traditional Google search visibility. Clear content, a clean structure, and unambiguous answers to the questions: Who is the website intended for? And what is its purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n