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From Daily Mail: It looks like a real sale from a big brand, until your credit card details are stolen.
An alarming wave of online scams is sweeping the US, targeting shoppers with fake websites designed to mimic major retailers.
These sites are crafted to steal your payment information without delivering a product, often luring shoppers in through social media links, fake ads, or even top Google search results.
Cybercriminals replicated images, layouts, and text from legitimate retailers to fabricate convincing websites, occasionally altering a single letter in the web address. They used counterfeit Google Pay or Apple Pay buttons and logos for Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal to make fraudulent checkouts appear to be legitimate.
Users are pressured with “limited-time” promotions and countdown timers to hinder thoughtful purchases.
Cybersecurity experts from Silent Push identified thousands of active fake storefronts, with many operated by organized criminal groups in China. They discovered domains spoofing various payment and retail brands, including PayPal, Apple, Wayfair, Lane Bryant, Brooks Brothers, Hermes, Omaha Steaks, Michael Kors, and more.
The FBI warns that these sophisticated scams are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially during peak shopping seasons.
Users should ensure their websites have HTTPS, which encrypts data and keeps payment details private.
One investigation found that when shoppers searched for a deal, they could land on a scam site first. Domains like harborfrieght.shop (a misspelled version of Harbor Freight) and portal.oemsaas.shop were among many found to be operating under this network.
🚨 NEW THREAT REPORT: Silent Push Uncovers Massive Chinese e-Commerce Phishing Scam
Read: https://t.co/IOmTQ8tuqx
What started as a regional phishing campaign quickly revealed itself as a sprawling, multilingual e-commerce scam targeting shoppers worldwide.#cybersecurity…
— Silent Push (@silentpush) July 2, 2025
READ MORE AT Daily Mail.
