Companies and anti-fraud professionals are warning consumers to watch for fake listings on search engines that redirect people to fraudulent versions of familiar companies and brands.A fraudulent Stetson Hats Canada website like this one appeared legitimate to Canadians trying to get the product shipped here — but buyers would eventually find out they had been scammed.
Bacchus' initial surprise at a Canadian website should have been a red flag. The website was a fake duplicate. He never received his hat despite spending about $100 US. After a month of waiting, customer service from the real Stetson company confirmed he was scammed. Reported fraud of all types has increased by $187 million since 2021 — and that's with only a small minority of cases actually reported or tracked.A similar problem is hitting customers of the travel agent chain Flight Centre.
CBC News found multiple fake listings for 'Flight Centre Calgary' or 'Flight Centre Vancouver' that pointed to incorrect phone numbers. The number has been hidden as it leads to a fraudulent call centre. "It's a constant endeavour. Our legal team from multiple angles has been involved, to work with Google and to send cease and desist letters where there's been points of contact," said Andre, who pointed out that search engines and online providers are quick to remove the offending links but new ones pop up quickly.According to cyber-security analyst and Toronto-based lawyer Ritesh Kotak, the problem of duplicate, impostor businesses is growing.