They register domains that have similar names as some businesses but with a small difference – there is a typo in the domain names. With typosquatting, scammers try to lure in customers that end up mistyping the web address of a business. In some cases, scammers hold onto the squatted domain name without impersonating the original website, just to sell it back to the business and make quick profits. This method involves registering a domain name that is similar to an existing business name or just registering the same domain name but with a different website extension.įor instance, if your website is registered under, the scammers may register .au or .uk, to fool customers into believing they are on the official website. The main methods that scammers use for website spoofing include: Domain name squatting It is also one of the oldest tricks in the books and the reason scammers continue to use this trick is simply because it works. Spoofing a website is one of the easiest things to do and it doesn’t even require coding or advanced technical knowledge. However, if you want to be sure that you’re not on a copycat website you should always consider the padlock alongside the other indicators we’ve mentioned. The padlock symbol is a good sign that any information you give to that site will not be received by external hackers. Web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, all use security certificates (SSL’s) as a measure of verification. For example, if there are deals that look too good to be true or a group of overly positive reviews that all sound quite similar, that should set off alarm bells.Īnother quick way to spot a possible copycat website is by looking in the URL bar to see whether there is a padlock symbol on the far left. Copycats may also exaggerate elements in a way that an official brand wouldn’t. Sometimes you can spot a copycat website by typos, strange grammar, or awkward design and layout issues. Often scammers will build these copycat websites quickly and may not pay attention to the details. Copycats often try to use domain names that are similar to the real version to make it difficult for you to spot something is wrong at first glance. If the domain name is different from the official website that’s a sure indicator that something is wrong. Usually there are indicators at various points of your journey through a fake website.įirstly, check the domain name closely. To avoid falling into the trap, you have to know how to spot a copycat website. As a result these kinds of websites can be very damaging to a brands’ reputation and profits. The intention of these copycats is always to mislead and steal. How you can report copycat websites with automationĬopycat websites are websites that copy the look of an official website in order to catch out unwary visitors, siphon profits away from real brands and get people to give over sensitive personal information.What to do if you find a copycat website of your business.How to protect your website from copycats.The impact of copycat websites on businesses.But all of them lead to the same conclusion – scammers stealing your identity and assets, leading to your business losing revenue. From damaging your business reputation to tricking your customers, bad actors can have several motives to copy your website. Protecting your website from copycats and preventing it from getting spoofed is one of the biggest challenges faced by businesses – both big and small.
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