Even the biggest brands in the world miss opportunities when it comes to domains, even companies like Google and McDonald’s. As the internet expands, we’ve all got to be ready for the next digital land grab. ICANN’s next round of New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) is set to go live in April 2026, so a surge of applications will flood the system. For established brands, this presents a critical vulnerability: The risk is that a third party applies for and secures a gTLD that is identical or confusingly similar to your valuable trademark. In this high-stakes environment, brands must develop an objection handling strategy, to meet infringements as soon as they arise. Your ability to effectively contest an infringing application can determine whether you control your brand’s destiny online or lose it to a rival actor. 

Here, we’ll navigate the upcoming gTLD cycle, so you’re prepared for any eventuality. This guide delves into the specifics of the Legal Rights Objection (LRO), your primary mechanism for objection handling. We will also clarify the critical distinction between Community and Brand applications, to lay the foundations for your objection strategy. The WIPO are now a major player in ICANN’s processes so we’ll clarify their role, and explain what their involvement means for your brand. Finally, we will explore the proactive side of the equation, securing your own .BRAND domain. You can also learn more about the strategic benefits of a .BRAND and how to leverage it, right here.

Understanding Objections: The Core of Objection Handling

If a third party applies for a gTLD string that conflicts with your registered trademark, you do not have to stand by and let it happen. All sensible brands implement a monitoring system around their trademarks for infringing registrations, so why not use a similar strategy for domains, another crucially important asset for your ecommerce? ICANN’s New gTLD Program includes a defense mechanism known as the Legal Rights Objection (LRO). This pre-delegation objection process forms the basis of ICANN’s formal objection handling. It allows you to challenge the application before the new domain extension is approved and goes live. This proactive measure forms the most cost-effective and strategic approach to protecting your IP from DotBrand infringements. Beyond that, you can also try to limit possible negative effects after the DotBrand in question has been launched. 

Filing a successful LRO requires you to demonstrate that the potential use of the applied-for gTLD by the applicant would be likely to infringe upon your established legal rights. An independent panel will evaluate the objection based on several factors. These factors include the strength and recognition of your trademark, whether the applicant has any legitimate rights or affiliation with the string, the applicant’s intent in applying for the gTLD, and whether the proposed gTLD would impair the distinctiveness or reputation of your brand. Nothing is set in stone, but there are serious talks about having the application round on a permanent basis, so it’s worth establishing your strategies before the landscape develops. A well-documented objection, backed by robust evidence of your trademark’s reach and goodwill, forms the bedrock of a successful objection handling strategy against an infringing application. 

Strategic Objection Handling: Community vs. Brand Applications

Effective objection handling means understanding the distinction between a Community-based application and a Standard application for gTLDs. This distinction fundamentally shapes the way that you’ll present your arguments. 

A Community Application is filed by an organization representing a clearly delineated group or sector, with social or commercial interests. The applicant must provide evidence for the gTLD’s community support, and prove that gTLD benefits that specific group. Examples from the previous round include .BANK, for the banking community, and .ECO for green and environmentalist movements. These applications receive priority from ICANN, and enjoyed a smooth registration process. If two entities apply for the same string, a community application will prevail over a standard application, provided it meets all the criteria. 

On the other hand, commercial entities file Standard or Brand Applications for a string that represents its brand, such as .APPLE or .GOOGLE. These cases require no evidence for representing or benefitting the broader community. With standard, .BRAND domains, organizations establish them to control a digital namespace and expand the company’s identity online. 

Your approach to objection handling must adapt to each type of application, now that you know the difference. If you are a brand and an organization applies for your brand name as a community gTLD, your objection would focus on the lack of a legitimate community nexus and the resulting consumer confusion. On the other hand, if another commercial entity applies for your brand name, your LRO argument centers squarely on trademark infringement and the absence of the applicant’s rights to the string. 

The Role of WIPO in Objection Handling: The Exclusive Arbiter

ICANN appointed the WIPO as the exclusive provider for resolving disputes their upcoming round of gTLD applications. As a UN agency, WIPO, or the World Intellectual Property Organization, work to establish an international IP system, making them the choice partner for ICANN’s requirements. 

ICANN selected WIPO due to its unparalleled expertise and two-decade-long track record in resolving domain name disputes through the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP). WIPO maintains the institutional knowledge, the global panel of neutral legal experts, and the established procedures to handle the complex, high-stakes nature of gTLD objections fairly and efficiently. For brands, this means that any LRO you file will be adjudicated by a WIPO-appointed panel with deep experience in international trademark law and domain name conflicts. This provides a significant level of trust and predictability in the objection handling process. As WIPO itself states, it will publish detailed guidelines and resources as the next application round finalizes, making it essential for brands to monitor their updates closely. 

The .BRAND Imperative

Beyond playing defense, the new gTLD round is a call to action for brand offense. Securing your own .BRAND domain is a powerful move that renders defensive objection handling for that string unnecessary. In the last round, forward-thinking companies, from international retail chains to world-renowned auto firms, successfully navigated the application process. The benefits they unlocked are substantial. 

A .BRAND domain creates a secure and controlled digital ecosystem. It enhances brand authenticity, as every website under your .BRAND, from news.brand to careers.brand, is instantly verified and trusted by customers. These digital assets deliver powerful new marketing opportunities, allowing for concise, memorable URLs for specific campaigns. They also provide a definitive answer to cybersquatting at the top-level, eliminating the risk of yourbrand.sucks or other defensive registrations at the second level. 

However, the pioneers also revealed a common pitfall: a lack of imagination and follow-through. Some brands invested heavily in acquiring their .BRAND but failed to integrate it into their core digital strategy. The result was an underutilized asset, with the domain acting as a mere redirect to the existing .com site or, worse, lying completely dormant. The drawback is not in the concept of a .BRAND, but in the failure to leverage it. A .BRAND is not just a new address. It establishes a platform for innovation, enabling new technological opportunities like blockchain-based verification, personalized web spaces for customers, and a streamlined, secure internal network. As we discuss here, organizations can also use these assets as new and evolving revenue streams, which is worth considering too. 

Conclusions: Building Your gTLD Strategy

The upcoming ICANN new gTLD round presents a pivotal moment for brand owners. The landscape requires a dual strategy: You should prepare a vigilant defense of your trademarks through the WIPO-administered Legal Rights Objection process. Beyond that, an educated decision on whether to claim your own DotBrand domain reduces the risks associated to missed opportunities and challenges. The time to prepare your objection handling protocols is now, long before the anticipated application window in the second quarter of 2026. 

Do not let your brand become a case study in missed opportunity or costly dispute resolution. A unique DotBrand domain can be more than a web extension. It’s a gateway to plenty of digital opportunities, from brand-defining marketing campaigns to innovative blockchain capabilities. Of course, it’s not for everyone, but it’s worth exploring, so you can make a decision based on diligence and facts. 

Our team at EBRAND is expert in navigating the complexities of the ICANN application process. We provide comprehensive support, from developing a robust benefit analysis to the strategy to securing and strategically implementing your .BRAND. We help you not only to acquire your digital asset but to build a visionary plan for its use. Contact us below to schedule a consultation and discover how you can actively define your brand’s future on the internet. 

The post Objection Handling: Fighting Unwanted .BRAND gTLDs appeared first on EBRAND.

Scammers Target Brands Like Your with Fake Websites and Scams

Want to do something about it? Get a free Fake Shop Audit right here.

Targetted ads offer incredible deals in the palm of your hand, mimicking your IP, along with recognisable brands from all over the world. Slick, professional websites completes the illusion, tricking customers and colleages alike. You have just encountered a new wave of AI-powered fake websites, fraudulent shops that steal money and data. As Lisa Deegan and Richard Stiennon discuss in the podcast above, these scams targets everyone, creating a brand impersonation crisis that damages trust and revenue.

For consumers, these fake websites pose a direct threat. Criminals use AI to generate flawless product images and compelling copy, making these fraudulent stores look authentic. They funnel stolen goods or nothing at all to shoppers, who then blame the legitimate brand for the bad experience.

For brands, these scams cause profound damage. Fake ads driving traffic to fake websites erode your hard-earned brand equity and alienate your loyal customers. This deception floods your customer service team with complaints and spikes chargeback rates, directly harming your revenue and tarnishing your reputation.

This new landscape of AI-driven fraud demands proactive defense. You must hunt these threats before they can harm your customers and your profits.

Our team scans the digital landscape for fraudulent sites and fake websites using your brand’s name, and delivers the threat reports and mitigation actions you need to fight back. Protect your revenue and your reputation today with EBRAND.

The post Unmasking Fake Websites and AI Ads: An EBRAND Podcast appeared first on EBRAND.

Building your brand helps you leverage your reputation to build customer trust and ecommerce revenue. However, the second that brands hit the market, they suffer constant threats from fakes and fraudsters. Infringements, counterfeit goods, and grey market sellers pop up everywhere, from marketplaces to emerging platforms like Temu and TikTok Shop. These scams put your revenue and customer trust on the line. That’s why you need to fight back, with a comprehensive plan to protect your brand. This brand protection guide will help you navigate these threats, and chart a course for ecommerce success. 

We have designed this resource to cover the entire landscape, providing a simple roadmap to secure your intellectual property. Here, we will explore everything from brand monitoring to tackling infringements, giving you the foundational knowledge to fight back effectively. To get a headstart, you can also pick up a free brand audit right here.

Understanding Brand Protection 

What is brand protection? Well, as a concept, it means defending your intellectual property (IP) online and offline. Brand protection covers all the tools and tactics you need to combat threats it your name, logos, and products. Unfortunately, these threats spread and evolve. Scammers use sophisticated tactics to trick your customers with counterfeit goods, fraudulent websites, and phishing schemes.

Brand threats create all kinds of headaches for modern businesses, stealing your revenue, damaging customer loyalty, and even posing issues around digital compliance. A proactive brand protection strategy means continuously detect these threats and take decisive action to neutralize them, safeguarding your customers and your organization’s future. 

A Brand Protection Guide to Fake Shops

Let’s take one specific example, to hone in on an something you need to protect your brand from: fake shops. But again, what are fake shops? Scammers increasingly set up fraudulent online outlets, either impersonating your brand across the whole site, or hosting counterfeit listings in a multi-brand fake shop.

To fight back against these kinds of threats, you need a brand protection guide from start to finish: detecting, tracking, verifying, and eliminating fake shops. The rise of artificial intelligence supercharges this threat, as it changes the game for many online interactions. In this case, generative AI unleashes fake shops with flawless copy, realistic fake images, and hundreds of malicious landing pages in minutes.  

Fakes shop scammers add extra barbs to their campaigns. They boost them on social media, turbochanrge their SEO, and even promote them with fake PPC ads. With brand risks appearing across all of these channels at high frequency, how can an organization fight back? Understanding this modern threat is the first critical step in this brand protection guide. 

Brand Protection from Start to Finish 

A comprehensive defence requires a methodical, end-to-end process. This section of our brand protection guide breaks down the key stages. 

Building Your Identity 

Your brand protection begins with a strong foundation. To get started, formally register your trademarks, copyrights, and domain names in all your key markets. This legal groundwork provides the undeniable proof of ownership you need to enforce your rights. It also helps you expand your online presence later on. 

Monitoring and Detection 

You cannot protect against threats you cannot see. Well-protected brands must monitor the entire digital ecosystem. Possible attack vectors include marketplaces, social media platforms, web domains, and app stores, to identify potential infringements. Monitoring all of these channels effectively means searching for your branded keywords, logos, and product imagery. 

Tracking and Analysis 

Once you detect a potential threat, you must track and analyze it. Successful brand protection includes the right checks and analytics to determine the scale and severity of each infringement. Is it a single counterfeit listing or part of a vast, coordinated network? Answering these kinds of questions delivers the keys to a well-protected brand. With sustained, rigorous tracking, you’ll prioritize the most damaging threats and understand the patterns of specific bad actors. 

Mitigation and Takedowns 

Next in this brand protection guide comes the enforcement phase. Armed with evidence of your registered IP, brands can formally request that the hosting platform, marketplace, or domain registrar removes the infringing content. Effective takedowns require precise communication and an understanding of each platform’s specific reporting procedures. Takedowns also mean persistence and patience, as each platform requires a different procedure, and you’ll find some far smoother than others. For more information, you can also find our guide to takedowns here.

A Brand Protection Guide to Resolution and Reporting 

A successful takedown is not the end of the brand protection story. To future-proof your strategy, you need to documented and analyze each case, to glean insights for the next infringement. Reporting on resolved threats helps you refine your monitoring strategies, identify recurring offenders, and demonstrate the return on investment of your brand protection program.

The Trouble with Manual Brand Protection

Many brands begin their defence with manual efforts, but this approach quickly reveals its limitations. Manually searching for fakes across dozens of platforms consumes countless hours. The process of filing takedown requests is equally tedious, often involving complex forms and unresponsive third-party administrators. As scammers use AI to scale their operations, manual methods simply cannot keep pace. The sheer volume of new infringements that appear daily makes it a losing battle, draining your team’s time and energy while allowing scams to proliferate. 

Brand Protection Platforms: Your Next Strategic Advantage

To overcome the inefficiencies of manual processes, leading brands leverage dedicated brand protection platforms. These solutions automate the entire lifecycle of protection, delivering speed and scale that manual efforts cannot match. Any decent brand protection guide must include the option of comprehensive solutions that support growing organizations to fight infringements and recover revenue online.

Integrated APIs and Global Monitoring 

Advanced platforms use smart APIs to integrate directly with major online platforms, enabling real-time monitoring of global marketplaces, social media channels, and digital ad networks. This provides a unified view of your brand’s digital presence, leaving no corner of the internet unchecked. 

AI-Powered Threat Clustering 

Modern platforms use artificial intelligence to detect threats and cluster them intelligently. This technology identifies connections between seemingly separate infringements, revealing large-scale networks run by a single bad actor. This allows you to dismantle entire operations with a single, coordinated action, rather than fighting one listing at a time.

Expert Legal Support for Takedowns 

The best platforms combine technology with human expertise. They provide access to legal professionals who specialize in intellectual property law and have established relationships with registrars and platform administrators globally. This expertise dramatically increases the speed and success rate of your takedown requests, ensuring swift resolution.

What’s Next for your Brand Protection Guide

This brand protection guide charts the path from understanding online threats to implementing a robust, technology-powered defence. Protecting your brand is an ongoing commitment that pays itself off by protecting your revenue, sustaining customer trust, and a strengthening market position. The journey to a secure brand begins with a clear assessment of your current exposure. 

We invite you to take the next step with a free, no-obligation brand audit. Our experts will scan the web for threats targeting your brand and deliver a personalized report detailing your risks and a clear action plan. Let us help you transform your brand protection from a reactive challenge into a strategic advantage. 

The post Brand Protection 101: Your Basic Brand Protection Guide appeared first on EBRAND.

Customer service helps us in our time of need, whether we’ve missed our flights or our vacation is at risk. In the travel industry and many others, scammers increasingly hijack these services to trick the vulnerable, and providers must fight back. 

A friend in need is a friend indeed. When we’re far from home, facing a travel nightmare, we need a friendly voice and a reliable solution that we can trust. For example, imagine if a cancelled flight strands you in an unfamiliar airport. Your pre-booked accommodation falls through, leaving you scrambling with tired children in tow. In moments like these, you need a lifeline, and it’s time to call for customer support. The person who answers is not who they seem.

Scammers specifically target distressed travelers by hijacking the very customer service channels that people trust. They create fake support pages, establish fraudulent call centers, and even compromise legitimate contact points for real travel agencies and airlines. Here, we explore recent cases that highlight the scourge of these customer service scams. We unpack their impact on innocent holidaymakers, from financial loss to ruined trips, and the severe brand reputation damage left in their wake. Finally, we explain how travel companies can fight back with proactive tools like anti-scam audits and comprehensive digital risk protection strategies.

One Recent Customer Service Scam

Consider the recent case of a Denver man whose flight cancellation led to a financial nightmare. After his flight was canceled, he searched for customer service help. He found the airline’s real website, and clicked on their legtimate customer support number. The man spoke to a customer support agent for around three hours, and believed he had the problem solved. However, he never received his expected refund. Instead, a devastating $17,000 charge appeared on his credit card, labeled deceptively as “AIRLINEFARE,” on top of the cost of his rebooked flight.

This incident underscores critical lessons for consumers and providers alike. Even sites that appear legitimate leave vulnerabilities where cybercriminals intercede. In the age of AI, where attacks increase in complexity and frequency service providers must implement proactive tools and strategies, no matter what industry you’re in. Sophisticated scammers abuse trust and personal details to cancel legitimate bookings and redirect refunds to themselves, presenting a worrying template for a broader issue.

How Scammers Manipulate Customer Service Search Results

Another recent report told the story of a Canadian holidaymaker who lost $500 to a similar fake customer service scheme. They aren’t isolated incidents: they’re a concerning trend across services industries, that manipulate human vulnerability and digital infrastructure. We can also link the increase in customer service scams with exploits in search engine algoriths, SERP, and SEO. Bad actors learn how to manipulate systems like Google to elevate their fake airline customer service numbers to the top of search results.

For example, a recent search for a common query like “Airline flight change” revealed a troubling reality. Half of the results were from scammers impersonating a major North American airline, their fraudulent phone numbers prominently displayed and waiting for desperate calls. This manipulation of search engines directly targets consumers when they are most vulnerable and seeking immediate customer service help.

Other Tactics Used in Customer Service Scams

Beyond hijacking search results, scammers employ a range of other tactics to launch their customer service scams. Cybersquatting involves registering domain names that are misspellings of legitimate brand websites, tricking users who type a web address incorrectly. Fake ads are another major vector; these paid-for results, often labeled “sponsored,” direct users to malicious sites.

Frustrated passengers often turn to social media for quick customer service responses. On platforms like X, formerly Twitter, fake profiles monitor customer complaints and reply with fraudulent contact information. In a disturbing twist, some scams involve compromising legitimate channels. In one case, a passenger who definitely called the airline’s official customer service number still fell victim. He reported speaking all day with customer service agents, but the airline’s internal logs showed only a short call, suggesting a sophisticated hijacking of their own support system.

The Far-Reaching Impact of Fake Customer Service

Underneath each of these stories, behind all the tactics and headlines, lies a series of real people under threat. For holidaymakers, customer service scams wreak a huge psychological toll. Families suffer upset and distress, and fraud ruins precious vacation memories. For the brands impersonated, severe implications for revenues and careers also await. Organizations in the travel industry face stolen revenue, damaged reputations, and potential compliance sanctions for failing to protect consumer data. Every successful scam emboldens criminals and erodes consumer confidence in the entire travel industry.

Fight Back with Digital Risk Protection

The travel and services industries, like many customer-facing sectors online, must fight back. Digital Risk Protection services provide a powerful defense against these customer service scams, helping organizations take control of their online threats. They combat consumer phishing by identifying malicious domains designed to harvest personal information. At the source, they also tackle fraudulent websites that impersonate your brand, securing your digital assets before customers suffer.

Digital Risk Protection services also extend to removing fake mobile apps from app stores that seek to appropriate funds and distribute malware in the guise of customer support. They also monitor for fraudulent sponsored ads on social media and search engines, ensuring scammers cannot pay to impersonate your brand and lure victims. By proactively identifying and eliminating these threats, companies can safeguard their customers and their reputation.

Don’t let scammers damage your brand and exploit your customers. Get started now with a free brand audit to unmask and eliminate customer service scams operating in your brand’s name.

The post Customer Service and Support Scams Hit the Travel Industry appeared first on EBRAND.

Spear Phishing vs Phishing: What Is The Difference? 

Phishing and spear phishing are among the most common and dangerous cyber threats. Both attacks use social engineering tactics to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information, but they differ significantly in scope, technique, and execution.  

This blog post will delve into the key differences between phishing and spear phishing, their tactics, the risks they pose, and best practices for preventing these attacks. As we explore the topics, you can also get a free phishing audit to what’s currently hunting your brand online.

Understanding Phishing Attacks 

Phishing is a broad term that refers to any attempt by cybercriminals to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information, such as credentials, credit card numbers, or sensitive data. The attackers often impersonate a legitimate entity, such as a well-known company, government organization, or bank, through fraudulent phishing emails or websites. These emails typically contain a malicious link or attachment designed to steal the victim’s passwords, install malware, or gain access to their personal information. 

Phishing attacks can be carried out on a large scale, targeting a vast number of recipients simultaneously. This form of bulk phishing relies on the assumption that a small percentage of recipients will fall victim to the attack. Phishing scams often use generic language and spoofed emails to trick individuals into acting impulsively. 

Phishing can also take the form of smishing (SMS phishing) or vishing (voice phishing), where attackers use text messages or phone calls to trick victims into revealing personal information. The main goal of these phishing attempts is usually to collect sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and financial details. Attackers may impersonate a trusted sender, such as a bank or service provider, to create a sense of urgency and trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link or providing sensitive information. 

What Is Spear Phishing? 

Unlike standard forms of phishing, which casts a wide net, spear phishing attacks are carefully crafted to target a specific individual or organization. Spear-phishing emails are highly personalized, often using information about the recipient, such as their name, job title, or recent interactions, to increase the chances of success. This personalization makes spear phishing attacks far more convincing and harder to detect. 

A typical spear phishing attack may come from a seemingly legitimate sender, such as a colleague, boss, or trusted partner. The attacker uses information gleaned from social media, company websites, or previous communication to create a believable context for the attack. These emails often contain malicious links or attachments designed to install malware or direct the victim to a fake website that captures login credentials or other personal data.  

This targeted nature makes spear phishing a far more dangerous threat to individuals and organizations. 

Key Differences Between Spear Phishing and Phishing 

The most notable distinction between phishing and spear phishing is the level of personalization and targeting. In phishing, the attacker sends out bulk phishing emails to a large number of people, hoping that a small fraction will fall for the scam. These emails are often generic and designed to deceive anyone who might open them. 

In contrast, spear phishing focuses on targeted attacks, often aimed at specific individuals within an organization or company. The attacker may use personal information about the recipient, such as their role, recent activities, or relationships with colleagues, to craft a convincing attack. These spear phishing emails are much more difficult to spot, as they seem to come from trusted senders. 

Another key difference is the complexity of the attack. Phishing is typically less sophisticated, using broad tactics such as creating a fake website or sending a phishing message that mimics a legitimate brand. Spear phishing, on the other hand, may involve email spoofing and advanced social engineering techniques, such as impersonating a trusted sender and requesting actions like wire transfers or sensitive information exchanges. 

While phishing attacks often rely on low-cost, high-volume tactics, spear phishing is a sophisticated attack vector that demands more resources and careful planning by the attacker. 

Common Tactics Used in Phishing Attacks 

One of the most common methods is email spoofing, where the attacker makes the sender appear as if it’s a legitimate entity. This can involve sending a phishing email that looks like it’s from a bank or a well-known company. The email will often urge the recipient to click on a malicious link or download an attachment, both of which may lead to the installation of malware or direct the victim to a fake website. 

In spear phishing, attackers take this a step further by personalizing the email. They may reference the recipient’s job position, specific project, or recent communication to make the email appear more legitimate. The attacker may also employ psychological manipulation to create a sense of urgency, prompting the recipient to act quickly without thinking. 

On top of that, business email compromise (BEC) is a growing concern. In this form of spear phishing, attackers impersonate executives or high-ranking officials to trick employees into making wire transfers or providing sensitive company information. These types of spear phishing scams can be especially dangerous due to their high level of sophistication. 

Risks Associated with Phishing and Spear Phishing 

The primary risk is the theft of sensitive information, including login credentials, financial data, or personal identification details. This can lead to identity theft, financial loss, or unauthorized access to personal or corporate accounts. 

For businesses, the consequences of a successful spear phishing attack can be catastrophic. Attackers may gain access to critical systems, steal intellectual property, or engage in fraudulent financial activities, such as wire transfers or invoicing scams. The reputational damage from a phishing scam can also be severe, with customers losing trust in a brand’s security practices. 

Phishing attacks may also serve as a gateway to other forms of cybercrime, such as the installation of malware, ransomware, or other cyberattacks designed to further compromise the victim’s systems. Once an attacker gains access to a victim’s email account, they can often escalate the attack to target additional accounts or systems. 

Best Practices for Prevention 

Preventing phishing and spear phishing requires a multi-layered approach. Here are some of the best practices to help protect against these threats: 

1. Email security tools: Use anti-phishing software, spam filters, and email security tools to detect and block suspicious emails. 

2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Implement MFA to add an extra layer of security in case login credentials are compromised. 

3. Security awareness training: Conduct regular phishing simulations and cybersecurity training to help employees recognize phishing messages and avoid falling for social engineering tactics. 

4. Be cautious with clicking: Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails, even if they appear to come from trusted sources. 

5. Verify suspicious requests: Always verify requests for sensitive information or wire transfers directly with the person or organization through a different communication channel. 

For well-protected, future-proof organizations, the best protection comes from combining these tactics with a professional digital risk protection service. These services deliver continuous monitoring, early threat detection, and proactive defense to safeguard your organization from external cyber threats, including phishing and data leaks. 

Conclusion 

Both phishing and spear phishing are significant threats in the world of cybersecurity. While phishing attacks cast a wide net to capture unsuspecting victims, spear phishing is more targeted and sophisticated, focusing on specific individuals or organizations. By understanding the differences between the two and implementing robust security practices, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to these dangerous cybercrimes. Protecting sensitive data and using the right tools and training helps your organization safeguard against phishing and spear phishing attacks. 

The post Spear Phishing vs Phishing: What is the Difference?  appeared first on EBRAND.

AI revolutionizes fake websites, as cybercriminals churn out sophisticated scams at an unprecedented scale. Modern fake websites generate convincing copy, realistic product images, and targeted campaigns that fool even cautious consumers. 

The Evolution of Digital Deception 

Imagine you’re chatting about a cool new bag while at work with your colleagues one day. After the conversation, you scroll on your phone on your lunch break. As if by magic, an ad for the exact bag appears on your Instagram, with a one-time 50% discount. You click through, and it looks legitimate. That being said, everyone knows about the dangers of fake websites, so you check with the brand’s customer service team first.

When the team investigates the ad, they discover something puzzling. The website has vanished, replaced by a generic parking page. Worse still, the ad has thousands of impressions and hundreds of clicks, and it’s still up and running. This digital sleight of hand represents the latest evolution in fake websites and fraudulent online shops, where criminals use increasingly sophisticated techniques to avoid detection while maximizing their impact on both consumers and legitimate brands. 

The fake ads and rogue websites phenomenon demands deeper investigation. That’s why we’re launching a podcast with Lisa Deegan, where we’ll explore the role of AI in fake shops and brand protection. 

Traditional Fake Shop Tactics Still Threaten Brands 

Criminal networks have long employed established methods to create convincing fake websites that mimic legitimate businesses. Cybersquatters register domain names that closely resemble trusted brands, often using subtle misspellings or alternative top-level domains to fool unsuspecting consumers. These lookalike pages often host stolen product images, copied website layouts, and enough authentic-looking content to create the illusion of legitimacy. 

Traditional fake shops often operate for extended periods, collecting payment information and personal data from victims while delivering counterfeit products or nothing at all. These operations require significant manual effort to maintain, which historically limited their scale and sophistication. However, fundamentally, established fake shops wreak a huge impact on ecommerce. They exploit brand trust, they steal cash from innocent shoppers, and they slash online revenues.

For more information, check out our existing guides to fake websites and fake shops. We’ve covered how to find them, and how to take them down, in some detail already. Next, we’ll talk about the emerging tactics that take them to the next level.

AI Transforms the Fake Website Landscape 

Generative AI changes the game, altering every facet of the fake website ecosystem. Essentially, LLMs remove the traditional barriers to creating convincing fraudulent content on a landing page, an ad, or an email. These tools help scammers produce high-quality product descriptions, realistic images, and compelling marketing copy within seconds, rather than hours or days. In short, this development means that fake websites achieve levels of polish and authenticity that previously required professional design skills and significant time investment. 

Thanks to AI automation, the frequency and volume of fake websites exploded. Criminal organizations can now generate hundreds or thousands of unique fake website landing pages simultaneously, each tailored to specific products, demographics, or geographic regions. To promote these pages, AI-generated fake ads flood social media platforms, accumulating thousands of views and hundreds of clicks before platform moderators identify and remove them. Every click represents lost revenue for legitimate businesses, broken brand trust, and a customer who may never return to the authentic website again. 

Advanced Targeting Through Geo-Fenced Fake Websites 

It’s not just frequency and volume that make these threats so concerning. Modern fake websites employ sophisticated geo-fencing technology to display different content based on visitors’ geographic locations, making them harder to detect and enforce against. Location-aware fake shops specifically target industries where regional preferences and regulations open opportunities for deception. Financial services companies, particularly emerging fintech platforms, face constant threats from fake apps, investment scams, and websites that mimic their branding to steal login credentials and financial information. 

Retail sectors like luxury goods, fashion, automotive parts, and electronics firms also suffer particularly high volumes of geo-targeted fake website attacks. Criminals recognize that consumers in different regions enjoy varying levels of familiarity with specific brands, allowing them to customize their deception strategies accordingly. Enforcement challenges multiply when fake websites appear differently to investigators in one country compared to targeted consumers in another region. Variations and technical obstacles make it difficult for both authorities and internal brand protection teams to coordinate takedown efforts. In the wake of this trend, intelligence services become essential partners for brands seeking to identify and combat these advanced fake website operations. 

Device-Specific Fake Websites Exploit Mobile Vulnerabilities 

Besides geo-fencing their fake websites and phishing ads, scammers develop all kinds of tactics to evade authorities and brand protection teams. Scams increasingly target specific devices, most commonly appearing exclusively on mobile phones or tablets while remaining invisible to desktop users. This tactic exploits the fact that most consumers browse and shop on mobile devices, where smaller screens and touch interfaces make it harder to spot red flags.

Also, with payment systems built into our phones, shoppers can spot an ad, click on it, and pay for it with their face or fingertips in a couple of seconds flat. The scam strikes before we even have time for a second thought.

When internal teams attempt to investigate the reported website on their work computers, they often find nothing unusual. In some cases, they cannot access the fraudulent content at all. Brands need specialized, mobile-focused detection tools to fight these kinds of malicious campaigns. With a comprehensive multi-channel monitoring solution, brand protection specialists replicate genuine consumer browsing patterns across multiple device types and operating systems. 

Comprehensive Online Brand Protection Strategies 

Brand must defend themselves against these evolving tactics to protect their clients, and their revenue. For example, EBRAND Online Brand Protection solution combines artificial intelligence, machine learning, and human expertise to detect and combat fake websites across all relevant channels. The system continuously monitors the internet for unauthorized use of brand assets, suspicious domain registrations, and fraudulent websites that target specific customer segments or geographic regions. 

Our ARGOS platform employs advanced algorithms to identify fake websites that use sophisticated evasion techniques that traditional monitoring systems miss. The solution provides real-time alerts when new threats emerge and fast-tracks the takedown process. Minimizing the window of opportunity for criminals helps proactive organizations limit reputational damage and protect their consumers. If you want to get started right away, we also offer a free fake shops audit to uncover your current threat landscape, and see which fake website scams currently target your brand and your industry. 

Protecting Your Brand in the AI Era 

As we’ve discussed, AI helps criminals industrialize their fake websites, putting more pressure on brands to find a solution. Next-generation advertisement scams leverage geo-fencing, device targeting, and AI-generated content to evade detection while maximizing their impact. Unfortunately, legacy brand protection approaches struggle to grapple with these threats. Brand must instead explore comprehensive monitoring solutions that detect and mitigate across all digital channels. 

Modern fake website operations demand expert analysis and strategic response. Join us for our upcoming podcast discussion with Lisa Deegan and EM360, where we will explore cutting-edge brand protection strategies and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in both creating and combating fake shops going forward. 

The post How AI helps fake websites and fake shops trick their targets  appeared first on EBRAND.

Fake TikTok accounts cause impersonation, scams, and brand damage. Users should promptly report impersonation or fraudulent activity through TikTok’s reporting tools and monitor outcomes. Leveraging proactive digital risk protection helps detect and respond to fake accounts early, protecting brand reputation and user safety. 

TikTok dominates our screens as a popular social media platforms, attracting millions of users and brands worldwide. Along with its growth, fake accounts have become a serious issue, leading to impersonation, scams, and counterfeit promotions. These accounts can damage reputations, mislead users, and even put personal safety at risk. Knowing how to report a fake TikTok account is crucial for protecting yourself and maintaining a safe and genuine platform. You can also get a free TikTok impersonation audit to check for active brand impersonations right here.

Why Fake Accounts on TikTok Are a Serious Problem 

Fake accounts can impersonate individuals, influencers, or brands on TikTok. Some accounts operate as scams, designed to collect personal information, while others attempt to sell counterfeit products or promote fraudulent content. When someone pretends to be someone else, it can harm reputations and mislead followers. For businesses, fake accounts can damage trust, misrepresent products, and create confusion among customers. TikTok allows members to take action by reporting these accounts to prevent further harm and protect the community. 

Understanding the Community Guidelines for Fake TikTok Account 

TikTok’s community guidelines prohibit impersonation, fraud, and scams. Any account acting as another user, posting counterfeit content, or engaging in fraudulent behavior is in violation of these policies. When users report an account, the platform’s team reviews the case to determine whether the account should be removed. TikTok takes these reports seriously, but users must provide accurate details when submitting reports so that the platform can effectively evaluate and respond accordingly. 

How to Locate and Use the Report Option on TikTok 

The TikTok app makes it simple to report a fake account directly. To begin, visit the account you want to report and tap the share button in the upper-right corner of the profile page. From there, choose the “Report” option. It will guide you through a step-by-step process to select the reason you are reporting. If the account is impersonating someone else or engaging in fraudulent activity, please provide this information. Users can also report inappropriate content posted in a video, following the same process within the app. 

Selecting the Type of Report 

When reporting an account, TikTok offers several options. If the account is impersonating someone else, choose impersonation. If the issue involves a scam, fraud, or counterfeit posting, select the corresponding category. For accounts impersonating a brand, you may need to provide additional details about trademarks or copyrighted content. TikTok allows you to block the account simultaneously, which prevents further contact while the team evaluates the report. 

Submitting a Copyright or Trademark Infringement Form 

Brands and creators facing impersonation or counterfeit content may need to submit a copyright or trademark infringement form through TikTok’s website. This process requires you to provide specific details about your intellectual property and how it is being misused. TikTok’s policy ensures that only genuine claims are considered. Including accurate information is crucial when you’re reporting a fake TikTok account. For brands, this step is one of the most effective ways to report an account that violates trademark or copyright rights. 

Monitoring Your Report on TikTok 

Once you submit a report, TikTok’s team reviews the account and decides whether action should be taken. Users may be notified directly in the app about the outcome. If the report reveals a violation, it will take action by removing content or suspending the account. In some cases, if no violation is found, the account may remain active. Monitoring your report ensures you stay updated on the progress, and you can always reach out to TikTok support if further contact is necessary. 

Understanding TikTok’s Limitations on Counterfeit Protection 

While TikTok offers tools to report fake accounts and counterfeit content, it does have limitations. TikTok’s community guidelines allow for the removal of clear cases of impersonation or fraud, but not every case can be resolved immediately. Some accounts may continue to misbehave until more reports are submitted or additional review is conducted. This limitation means users and brands must remain proactive to ensure safety on the platform. 

Proactive Monitoring for a Fake TikTok Account 

Staying safe on TikTok requires regular monitoring and vigilance. Users should actively search for accounts pretending to be them and learn how to recognize counterfeit activity—brands on TikTok benefit from having a team or system in place to detect impersonation quickly. Proactive monitoring not only prevents fraud but also helps maintain trust with followers. Updating security settings and blocking suspicious accounts is another helpful way to reduce risks. To stay ahead of online threats, many organizations enhance their protection with Digital Risk Protection services that actively monitor social media platforms, detect fraudulent or deceptive accounts early, and deliver timely alerts to safeguard brand reputation. 

Next Steps for Protecting Your Brand 

Protecting your reputation online requires ongoing effort. Brands and users alike should utilize TikTok’s settings to limit unwanted contact, review accounts that appear suspicious, and promptly report fake accounts as soon as they are detected. If necessary, contact TikTok directly for additional support, especially when dealing with impersonation that could harm your reputation. TikTok allows reporting on behalf of someone else, ensuring that friends, followers, and business partners can also assist. Acting quickly and submitting detailed reports helps keep the platform safe and genuine. 

Conclusion: Tackling a Fake TikTok Account for Good

Learning how to report a fake account is one of the most effective ways to keep the platform safe and secure. Whether you are a user protecting your identity or a brand preventing fraud and counterfeit activity, taking immediate action helps TikTok’s staff remove harmful accounts. By reporting violations, monitoring reports, and proactively watching for suspicious activity, you help create a safer social media environment where genuine content thrives. 

The post How to Report a Fake TikTok Account  appeared first on EBRAND.

Are scammers impersonating you on .su websites? Find out now with a free domain scan. 

What does .su mean? 

International brands often use country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) like .co.uk or .ca, or newer generic TLDs like .fast and .shop, to protect their online presence and expand into new markets. As luck would have it, cybercriminals exploit both channels. Impersonators and phishing attackers leverage new and existing domain extensions to spoof organizations and trick their innocent visitors. Among these, the .su domain stands out as a relic of the Soviet Union that still lingers in cyberspace, posing unique risks to brand integrity.  

High-profile threats linked to .su websites range from breach data forums to sophisticated phishing campaigns, all the way down to websites impersonating the target’s commercial business.. In this guide, we dissect the nuances of these dangers and outline strategies to combat them effectively.  

What are .su domains?

Authorities originally assigned the .su domain to the Soviet Union in 1990, just before its dissolution. Despite the USSR’s collapse just a year later, the domain remained active, managed by the Russian Institute for Development of Public Networks. Today, geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict and resulting sanctions, have made .su domains harder to register and even harder to enforce against.  

Andre Stadelmaier, our Senior Director of Sales and resident domain expert, notes that: “.su websites certainly are a worry for modern organizations. At the moment, they are more difficult to register for clients due to the international sanctions. Enforcement and takedowns would usually be advisable from a defensive perspective. Unfortunately, enforcing against them is certainly less successful compared with our usual enforcement work.”  

As Andre outlines, the difficulty registering .su domains make it harder for new scammers to exploit. However, the legacy of existing impersonations and malicious domains across the online landscape makes .su a lingering concern. Their historical ties and limited regulatory oversight pose all kinds of threats to organizations around the world. 

Threats from .su Websites 

According to a report from The Guardian, scams linked to .su domains doubled in recent years, even surpassing .ru and other Cyrillic domains in malicious activity. One of the most infamous cases involved Exposed.su, a site that allegedly leaked sensitive credit records of high-profile figures, including Michelle Obama, Mitt Romney, Donald Trump, and celebrities like Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Tiger Woods.  

Konrad Dudzinski, our Chief Intellectual Property Officer, adds that “.su domains have been one of the most problematic extensions, with lots of scams. New registrations for .su websites should already be blocked, yet I see that the domain is still active, at least for the next five years.”   

Despite ICANN’s plans to retire the .su domain by 2030, its current availability means organizations must remain vigilant against potential misuse.  

What Can We Do About .su Websites? 

Manually searching for your brand name alongside the .su extension may uncover some impersonations worth looking into. That being said, this method won’t uncover every threat online. Breach data may lurk under URLs unrelated to your brand, and scammers use subdomains to evade your searches. Even if you do uncover some malicious .su websites yourself, taking any action about them poses its own challenges. Already slow reporting and mitigation mechanisms slow to a halt in the face of international sanctions. However, more comprehensive and automated domain tools often yield better results. 

This is where Corporate Domain Management comes in. Advanced monitoring solutions can detect domain impersonations, typosquatting, and even unrelated URLs hosting malicious content. Real-time tracking of changes, such as newly added mail servers or payment systems, helps identify threats before they escalate. Enforcement actions, including cease-and-desist notices and UDRP complaints, may not always yield immediate results with .su domains, but they provide valuable insights and strengthen defensive strategies across all suspicious extensions, ccTLDs, and beyond.  

Conclusions: What’s Next? 

Clearly, .su websites remain a niche but persistent threat, shaped by historical legacy and geopolitical complexities. With the .su extension’s retirement at least five years over the horizon, organizations must stay proactive in monitoring and mitigating risks across all domain extensions.  

For further insights into dangerous ccTLDs, explore our blog on the Top Ten Most Risky Country-Code Domains. Understanding the nuances of domain monitoring and enforcement is critical in today’s digital landscape, where discovering and tracking malicious content can mean the difference between security and compromise.  

Want to make the most of your insights about .su domains? Get a free domain audit today and safeguard your brand against emerging threats. 

The post Are .su Websites Safe? appeared first on EBRAND.

In this guide, we’ll tackle the topic from top to bottom. We’ll examine the infrastructural foundations of domain registry and squatting, and learn from notable cases, resolved and otherwise. Exploring the history of domain squatting helps you prepare for your digital strategies in the future, as we conclude with solutions for squat-proofing your portfolio. You can also get started with a free domain squatting check right here, to see who’s lurking around your online assets. 

Defining domain squatting 

Domain squatting means registering infringing web addresses and related assets. In a more malicious sense than property squatting, cyber squatters anticipate things like product launches or brand expansions to scoop up tactically important domains, subdomains, and extensions, predicting their value for legitimate organizations and standing in the way. As you don’t always have to own a trademark or intellectual property before registering a domain, anyone can do it at any time, as long as it’s available. Some domain squatters even monitor trademark houses, and snap up domains as soon as a new registry appears. 

Obviously, domain squatting represents a murky grey area, where it’s perfectly legal in the tumultuous free market of our digital landscape. On one side of the spectrum, you have innocent entrepreneurs who buy a website in their home country, not knowing that an ambitious brand in another part of the world has their eye on it. On the other side of the spectrum, you have cybercriminal gangs, cybersquatting and typosquatting governments and banks to launch phishing attacks and finance scams against the most vulnerable in society. You also have opportunists who notice when existing domain registrations expire and jump in before anyone else notices. As we’ll see, domain squatting in all its forms affects businesses across industries, from SMEs to the largest corporations on the planet. 

How it affects businesses 

As mentioned above, domain squatting even struck Google, showing that no one is safe from losing their domains. A former employee owned the domain for around 60 seconds in 2016 when he noticed that the domain registration lapsed. Remarkably, a similar thing happened again five years later. An Argentinian man paid as little as $2.50 for the search engine’s .com.ar extension when it missed renewal in 2021. After he noticed that their website shut down following the domain’s registry expiration, he purchased it legally online. Google managed to resolve both cases quickly and cheaply, but you can imagine the existential struggles that a business with fewer resources might face. 

For example, while Liverpool Football Club succeeded in the Premier League in 2025, they still face setbacks when it comes to domains. The club’s representatives actually lost a domain dispute resolution case for the website liverpoolfctickets .com, an address that contains their organization name and a potential source of ecommerce revenue. Czech arbitration panellists ruled against them when they attempted to claim the domain, and it still remains a parking page at the time of writing. 
 
Plenty of businesses earn their reputation and their living on key domains. In many cases, detecting and eliminating cybersquatters makes the difference between growth and losses, between success and disaster. 

Organizations and authorities face domain squatting 

Beyond the private sector, non-profit groups and even governments face domain impersonations and lapses too. Hundreds of thousands of citizens in Northern Ireland received communications that included a weblink related to their property taxes, in April this year. Unfortunately, this link led to a website that was not owned by the Northern Irish government. According to cybersecurity academics, the link led to a cybersquatting page that attempted to download malware. 

Victims suffer when digital squatters exploit public trust in governments and authorities. In the private and public sectors alike, we have a duty to stay vigilant. Domain monitoring and digital squatting enforcement tactics help us keep organizations safe, along with the people who rely on them online. 

When celebrities and business leaders suffer domain squatting 

Crucially, it’s not just organizations that face domain infringements and digital crises. Cybersquatters and opportunists nab assets from CEOs, executives, athletes, actors, and anyone in the public eye. They often hold relevant and high-traffic domains to ransom, or use them for further schemes. Cybercriminal tactics involve fake promotion schemes, typically job scams or crypto, or generally using the domain’s mail servers for phishing attacks. 

While VIPs and executives face the majority of squatting attacks, opportunists even target babies. According to the BBC, domain names mentioning the name “George” rose by ten percent in the wake of the British Prince’s birth. One prince-related-domain holder put their asset on £10,000. This headline-grabbing story illustrates a broader problem that affects business leaders and VIPs around the world. As proactive prevention proves far more cost-effective than reclaiming a squatted domain, many fight back with tools like VIP and Executive Protection. 

Strategies for fighting back 

When it comes to eliminating domain squatting, there’s clearly no bullet-proof solution – even Google has its issues! That being said, implementing a few best practice principles help you minimize your risk and maximise your opportunities. 

Staying clear on your domain strategy limits the room for domain squatters to intercede. When you align product launches, trademark registrations, and domain portfolio expansion at the right times, you’ll streamline your budget and minimize worry, saving your team time and effort. 

However, the problem is, domain squatting might already be an issue plaguing your brand as you read this. Manual detection and enforcement actions work fairly well for individuals and small businesses looking to secure their online landscape. Simply Googling for infringements and email domain hosts about the results can help. However, for SMEs and enterprises, Corporate Domain Management delivers effective solutions for detecting and eliminating domain squatting at scale.  

Conclusions: Your next steps 

To summarize, domain squatting can affect anyone and everyone. From Royal Princes in the UK, to global corporations like Google, everyone suffers from disputes on their online landscape.  

Knowing the scale of the problem delivers the best route towards solving your issues. Make the most of your insights, and get started with a free domain squatting audit right here.

The post Domain squatting: Expensive lapses vs proactive portfolios appeared first on EBRAND.

These rogue websites exist solely to steal credentials, drain bank accounts, and trick unsuspecting employees, consumers, and partners. They erode trust, devastate brands, and inflict massive financial losses.  

In this guide, we’ll dissect the top five tactics to target US businesses with fake webpages. You can also check which rogue websites are spoofing your organization for free right here.

What Exactly is a Rogue Website? 

The term “Rogue websites” covers malicious and fraudulent web pages that impersonate legitimate brands, services, or individuals. Websites go rogue when cybercriminals exploit lax domain registration processes to secure deceptive URLs (e.g., amaz0n-support.com or microsoft-security-alert.net). They use tactics like typosquatting (common misspellings), homograph attacks (using similar-looking characters), and hijacked subdomains to secure deceptive infrastructure. Once registered, they build their fake pages with nuanced and specific strategies to trick their targets. These strategies often look like fake shops that imitate retailers or fake login pages to impersonate banks. Increasingly, they’re so effective in their impersonations that even digital authorities like ICANN can no longer tell which is which. 

Cybercriminals dress their rogue websites in stolen logos, brand colors, and AI-generated copy that mirrors legitimate communications. Deceptive landing pages often leverage SSL certificates (showing the “padlock” icon) to appear secure, exploiting user trust. Once live, they slowly and steadily implement scams and cybercrimes like fraud, counterfeiting, and data theft.  

Below, we’ll outline the five most common and most dangerous rogue website use cases.  

Tactic 1: Fake Login Pages + Phishing Emails 

The most devastating rogue website attacks occur right at the start of your digital journey: your inbox and your login page. Attackers deploy deceptive pages that mimic login portals across the internet. They spoof customer login pages, and internal platforms like VPN access or payroll systems. Crucially, scammers stack their assets to maximize their impact. Hosting an email server and a rogue website on the same domain, and promoting the page with the relevant email, creates a brutally effective attack.  

Hosting customer accounts and colleague services unlocks all kinds of business benefits. Many companies run these kinds of login pages for security and control. However, they often neglect their potential as an attack surface. Scammers recently hosted fake login pages for platforms like Netflix that were so convincing that authorities had to step in.   

A single compromised credential can lead to data breaches, ransomware, and regulatory penalties. Armed with the latest high-powered and out-of-the-box phish kits like Darcula 3.0, amateur and organized cybercriminals alike have your infrastructure in their sights. Secure organizations must take steps to detect suspicious domains, especially those lookalike pages and active mail servers.  

Tactic 2: Promotions & Product Launches on Rogue Websites

Scammers exploit the hype around product drops, sales, or investments by creating rogue websites that impersonate well-known brands. Worse, they impersonate CEOs and celebrities on social media to leverage big names and lucrative reputations. Fake tweets or LinkedIn posts drive traffic to scam sites selling nonexistent products, “exclusive” NFTs, or fraudulent investments. These rogue websites use polished designs, fake countdown timers, and stolen media to appear authentic.  

One scam follows another in these cases, compounding their impact in a cybercrime cascade. For example, this year, scammers impersonated a famous economist’s Twitter account. Their malicious campaign then tweeted a link to an entirely spoofed newspaper website. On the website, they hosted a detailed and persuasive article promoting a new cryptocurrency in the media outlet’s name. While platforms eventually remove these kinds of scams and impersonations, organizations must take their own action when it comes to removing the rogue website at the root of the problem.  

Within the broader issue of phishing, VIP impersonation runs rampant. Exploring VIP and Executive Protection solutions also helps organizations secure their online footprint, and protect their clients as well as their business leaders.  

Tactic 3: Fake Online Stores Exploiting Events 

Fake shops and counterfeit websites represent one of the most common rogue website threats for any brand selling products online. Whether you’re in food and beverages, luxury fashion, or auto parts, fake shop scammers can undercut your margins and trick your clients at every turn. Fraudulent sites impersonate legitimate stores, offering “too-good-to-be-true” discounts, exclusive launches, or liquidation sales. While they operate year-round, these scams seem to grab headlines during ecommerce surges like shopping seasons and major brand announcements, preying on urgency and consumer trust.  

For example, when craft retailer Joann faced financial struggles, scammers launched rogue websites posing as official “going-out-of-business” sales, tricking customers into entering payment details for non-existent products.  

 Similarly, during a recent holiday season, cybercriminals flooded search engines with fake online stores advertising “last-minute deals” on hot-ticket items like gaming consoles and designer goods, only to steal credit card details or never ship orders.  

Beyond financial losses, fake shops inflict severe brand damage, eroding consumer trust and flooding the market with counterfeit goods. They also violate intellectual property laws by illegally using trademarks, copyrighted images, and brand names.  

Tactic 4: Fake Support Pages on Rogue Websites

Nearly every business needs support teams, and scammers know it. Cybercriminals build rogue websites mimicking essential teams like IT support, helplines, or account management. Using stolen contact lists from breaches or dark web sales, they blast emails and communication channels with messages like these: “Your account is locked! Click here to restore access.” Victims land on fake support pages, where “agents” demand remote access or payment for “services.”  

SecurityWeek recently reported that these kinds of scams targeted all kinds of large US companies, from Apple to Bank of America. Ultimately, rogue website scams impersonating support teams absolutely demolish customer trust. Detecting and tracking rogue websites that impersonate any kind of support channel thereby creates an important foundation for your business relations and recurring revenue.  

Tactic 5: Rogue Supply Chain & Partner Portals 

Partnerships and reseller ecosystems take growth strategies to the next level, but they also expose some concerning vulnerabilities to rogue website attacks. Attackers impersonate trusted partners like suppliers, resellers, marketing agencies, or recruiters with fake websites portals for invoices, contracts, and project updates.   

In one recent scheme, scammers sent convincing phishing emails posing as Meta recruiters, directing victims to fraudulent domains where they were pressured into paying for “background checks” or “training fees.” The scam was highly coordinated, leveraging Meta’s reputation to exploit job seekers’ trust.  

The consequences extend far beyond financial loss. Fake recruitment portals erode trust in corporate hiring processes. For businesses, the solution requires more than reactive takedowns. These threats demand continuous domain monitoring, strict third-party verification protocols, and employee training to recognize these sophisticated deceptions.  

Conclusion: Don’t Let Rogue Websites Win 

To summarize, we’ve seen that these scams all use multi-channel, multimedia attacks to launch their rogue website campaign. When scams blend fake sites with email, social media, and even deepfakes, we must take a comprehensive approach to fighting back. It takes just one person clicking a link for these scams to strike. One distracted employee, customer, or partner can trigger financial loss, data theft, or reputational ruin.  

With the right strategy, you can hunt down impersonating domains, social accounts, and apps. Discover if your brand is being exploited right now with a Free Rogue Websites Audit. Our team will scan for impersonating domains, along with fake social profiles, and app store clones targeting your business. Protect your revenue, reputation, and customers today. 

The post Rogue Websites: The Top Five Most Dangerous Website Scams appeared first on EBRAND.