Phish Bowl Alerts
According to Bolster, their security threat research team has uncovered a year-long "widespread brand impersonation scam campaign targeting 100+ popular clothing, footwear, and apparel brands" and resulting in the registration of thousands of phony domain names and the creation of fake sites to dupe unsuspecting victims.
Dozens of well-known brands were targeted, such as Asica, Puma, Clarks, New Balance, and Skechers. At the peak of its activity, during November 2022 and February 2023, there may have been over 5,000 fake domains associated with the scam campaign, with over 2,000 still active.
How can you protect yourself?
-
Use caution while browsing and making online purchases. Verify the authenticity of websites, especially when dealing with popular brands, to minimize the risk of being misled by these impersonation scam websites.
-
Watch out for suspicious domain names. Ensure that you are on an official brand website by confirming the original brand’s domain.
-
If the deal is too good to be true, then it probably isn't. If you come across a really incredible deal, take extra steps to verify the legitimacy of the domain.
-
Check the URL before you click on it. Use VirusTotal (https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/url) to check the link to see if it directs you to a malicious and/or phishing site.
You can read Bolster's full report at https://bolster.ai/blog/brand-impersonation-scam.