The expansive nature of counterfeit campaigns and the often-blurred lines of digital abuse make it difficult to effectively mitigate online threats targeting retail brands. Distinguishing between infringement and fair use of publicly available content is challenging, especially given the vast and dynamic online environments where counterfeit operations can thrive. Compounding the issue, threat actors constantly evolve their tactics and employ sophisticated evasion techniques to avoid detection and takedown.
Among the most common counterfeit threats facing retail brands are fraudulent social media ads, platform-based pages used to sponsor those ads, and counterfeit websites on the open web. In this blog, we outline best practices for identifying and mitigating each of these threat types.
Fraudulent Advertisements and Pages
Fraudulent advertisements on social media lure victims to counterfeit websites on the open web. These ads are created through criminally owned and compromised account pages on social platforms that often contain trademarked materials and links to malicious websites. Removal of an offending ad or page can be problematic, as brand abuse is not always obvious. Most platform authorities will require unmistakable evidence of fraud, and security teams should submit clear incidents of abuse.
Most major social media platforms offer dedicated reporting features for flagging malicious activity on ads or pages. To initiate a takedown, security teams should submit all relevant information — both direct and indirect — related to the suspicious activity. This includes links to fraudulent sponsored ads and any unauthorized content. Providing comprehensive evidence is essential to clearly demonstrate that a violation has occurred. Key mitigation criteria include:
- Logos
- Copyrighted material
- Trademarks
- Active links to sites hosting malicious content
- Look-alike domains
- Any available context around the offending ad or page
Fraudulent advertisements on social media are easy for threat actors to create and quickly modify, often being altered to appear harmless once abuse is reported. To uncover and document previous misconduct, security teams should leverage platform security feeds as evidence of past violations.
Building relationships with platform providers can be especially valuable, as it helps expedite the review and removal of malicious content.
Counterfeit Websites & Malicious Domains
Counterfeit websites often use malicious domains to appear legitimate. These domains can be hosted by a variety of providers, each with its own unique policies for takedown. Some providers may be non-compliant, in which case security teams should escalate takedown requests to an alternate host or authority.
Security teams should establish strategic relationships with a variety of providers, including:
- Registrars
- Hosting Providers
- Network System Providers (NSPs)
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
- Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs)
Malicious activity on a website or domain is not always immediately apparent. To pursue a takedown, registrars typically require clear evidence of intellectual property or trademark abuse, such as look-alike domains, source code, or unauthorized use of logos. To strengthen the case, it's important to also include proof of related abuse, such as URLs or infrastructure hosting malicious content.
To uncover additional threats linked to the original source, security teams should pivot from the primary IP address to identify connected name servers and associated domains.
Mitigating counterfeit activity targeting retail brands is often complex. Definitions of infringement can vary, and it’s not always immediately clear when a threat qualifies as counterfeit. To accelerate the removal of unauthorized content, organizations should proactively build strong relationships with platforms and service providers, and submit high-quality evidence that clearly demonstrates abuse. While the process can be time-consuming, effectively addressing online counterfeit threats is essential to safeguarding your brand and protecting your reputation.
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