Website owners worldwide are reporting a sharp rise in unsolicited emails promoting questionable SEO services, with Indian firm Brainfoster.com now also tied to the list of widespread email spam campaigns.

Business operators say they are bombarded daily with cold pitches from Gmail.com accounts, claiming to represent “professional SEO experts” who guarantee instant top Google rankings — for a fee.

Investigations suggest Brainfoster relies heavily on these mass email blasts to attract clients. In a response from Brainfoster it said that the spam emails were just a cost effective way to market thmeselves.

“The initial contact came from a general account used for cold outreach. I understand how this might appear unprofessional, and I agree it’s not ideal” said a spokeperson for the company

“However, it’s a process to reach potential clients while we send thousand our emails on those website owners who has issues with website and not rank on top pages. It’s cost effective and ignore paid ids spamming concern,” said the spokeperson

Despite branding itself as a search optimisation specialist, the company also struggles to rank its own site or generate legitimate customers through organic search.

Instead, it leans on intrusive marketing tactics using free email providers and purchased email lists — practices that breach GDPR compliance and violate international anti-spam laws, including the CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S., Australia’s Spam Act 2003, and the UK’s PECR.

The SEO services offered by Brainfoster are widely criticised as outdated and ineffective.

Packages typically promise rankings for a fixed number of “keywords” at varying price points — an approach experts say reflects a poor grasp of modern SEO.

Keyword ranking alone is a vanity metric,” one digital strategist noted. “Real SEO requires a long-term approach: technical optimisation, quality content, user experience, and building authority.

Quick fixes and guaranteed rankings are empty promises that leave businesses exposed to constant algorithm changes.

The pattern is familiar: vague assurances of traffic growth, promises of overnight results, and unrealistic “No. 1 on Google” guarantees.

Industry professionals dismiss such claims as misleading at best and fraudulent at worst.

Cybersecurity analysts warn that if a company cannot build its own credibility online without resorting to spam, it should be treated as a red flag.

Observers say that within parts of India’s SEO industry, ethical standards have fallen sharply, with firms like Brainfoster prioritising mass-volume spam campaigns over sustainable strategies, transparency, and measurable results.

If you own a website, chances are you’ve already been targeted by one of these unsolicited pitches.