Scams
Types of scams, and how to spot them.
Scams using a brand's name promise something, a reward, a refund, a bargain or a return, and take money or card details in exchange. Here's what they look like, where they run and how organizations get them taken down.
What is a scam?
A promise made in your name.
A scam persuades people to hand over money or personal details for something that doesn't exist, like a reward, a refund, a bargain, a job or a return on an investment. Many borrow a trusted brand's name, because people act faster when an offer seems to come from a company they already use.
In the data
What scams using a brand look like right now.
Patterns from the scam websites we handled for our clients in the first half of 2026.
Warning signs
How to spot a scam using a brand's name.
FAQ
Scam questions, answered.
What is a scam?
A scam is a trick that gets people to hand over money or personal details for something that doesn't exist, such as a reward, refund, bargain, job or investment return. Many scams use a well-known brand's name, logo and offers to look genuine.
What's the difference between a scam and phishing?
Phishing copies a sign-in page or message to steal logins and codes. Scams sell a story, like a prize, a sale or a refund, so people pay or hand over card details willingly. Many campaigns mix the two.
What are the most common scams using a brand's name?
In the scam cases we handled in the first half of 2026, about two thirds offered points, rewards or gift cards, and about a fifth were fake shops. Investment, betting bonus and job scams made up most of the rest.
How can I tell if an offer is a scam?
Check that the web address is the brand's own domain. Be wary of countdowns, prizes that seem too generous, small fees to release a reward and requests for full card details. If in doubt, open the brand's app or type its address yourself and look for the offer there.
Can scam websites be taken down?
Yes. Hosting providers, registrars and platforms act on scams when they're given clear evidence. How long it takes depends on the provider and the case. In the first half of 2026, 98% of the scam sites we pursued were confirmed taken down.
What should we do if we find a scam using our brand?
Don't interact with it. Save screenshots, the full links and whatever led people there, then report it to the host and registrar, or request a takedown and our team will check it and handle the reports. Tell customers which offers are really yours, and look for others, because scams usually launch in batches.
How can organizations protect customers from scams?
You can't stop people copying a public brand, but you can make scams short-lived. Watch new domains, ads, social platforms and app stores for your name, remove what's malicious quickly, and tell customers clearly where your real offers live.
Found a scam using your brand?
Send us the link and our team will check it and talk you through taking it down. Or book a demo to see how we find them first.