My website has been cloned & being used for scam

[SDarks]

Looking for some advice after not getting very far searching online.

An entity has cloned my website, only change is the Logo and they have changed my business name to the scam name in the text on the first page. However they have been lazy and kept our company name in other parts which has lead to many people sending emails to me and staff with similar stories.

" Hi, I have been offered a job with xxxx company and they are asking for my bank details and social security number and a deposit for me to start the employment, the company has the same website as you etc etc is this a scam or is the job real/ is the company linked to you"

I have gone back to every single person and said very sorry this is a scam, please report to your local authority. These people are all US based my business is UK based but we have operations in the US.

I have reported the website to google and the host provider, that was last week and the scam seems still operational.

Any ideas for the next steps we should take?

[Tommo87]

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-...

If it was the UK, it would be these guys.

WHOIS the site host? UK or US?

https://who.is/

Edited by Tommo87 on Thursday 9th February 09:46

[SDarks]

Hi Tommo,

Thanks for that - results below

Registrar Info
NameNAMECHEAP INC
Whois Serverwhois.namecheap.com
Referral URLhttp://www.namecheap.com

Registrant Contact Information:
NameRedacted for Privacy
OrganizationPrivacy service provided by Withheld for Privacy ehf
AddressKalkofnsvegur 2
CityReykjavik
State / ProvinceCapital Region
Postal Code101
CountryIS
Phone[phone]

The Iceland office looks like a virtual office location

[NDA]

My company's website hasn't been cloned - but a fake website purporting to be from my company has been created. With our company name, address etc. People are being scammed out of money and we are receiving calls.

Action Fraud is not interested because we haven't lost any money.

We are attempting to have the site removed by the host.

[rpguk]

In the first instance contact NameCheap - https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/ar... and advise them of the issue. They may be able to help.

Even better is if you can find the host and complain to them, they'll probably be more able/keen to remove the site. Try putting the URL of the fake site into https://hostingchecker.com - if the host is in any way reasonable they'll be keen to shut it down as scam sites being reported on their IP will damage them too.

Do also mention the copywrite issue as well.

Edited by rpguk on Thursday 9th February 10:40

[SDarks]

Thanks RPG,

have reported lets see if any action is taken.

[andyconceptge]

SDarks said:

Looking for some advice after not getting very far searching online.

An entity has cloned my website, only change is the Logo and they have changed my business name to the scam name in the text on the first page. However they have been lazy and kept our company name in other parts which has lead to many people sending emails to me and staff with similar stories.

" Hi, I have been offered a job with xxxx company and they are asking for my bank details and social security number and a deposit for me to start the employment, the company has the same website as you etc etc is this a scam or is the job real/ is the company linked to you"

I have gone back to every single person and said very sorry this is a scam, please report to your local authority. These people are all US based my business is UK based but we have operations in the US.

I have reported the website to google and the host provider, that was last week and the scam seems still operational.

Any ideas for the next steps we should take?

The host provider is definitely the best first bet to get the site taken down.

Also, threaten legal action on the company, and also report them to Google and Bing.

Then I'd simply throw everything into promoting your website, SEO, Google and Bing Ads, Social media and Ads, so they simply disappear in the rubble you leave in your wake!

Also worth putting something on your website for genuine customers informing them that you are the "real" site, and encouraging them to call you to verify this before making a purchase if they are in any way uncertain - you can upsell on the back of those calls too, so you win both ways!