Brand impersonation represents a significant and rapidly increasing threat for organizations in the digital age. Cybercriminals exploit brand trust by creating fraudulent websites that mimic the appearance of legitimate organizations, using their name, logos, and visual identity to deceive customers, partners, or employees into divulging sensitive information or falling victim to financial scams.
In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received a staggering 3 million fraud reports from consumers, with imposter scams being the most commonly reported type of fraud since 2020.
A recent report by Clutch revealed that over half of consumers (54%) admit to trusting a brand less after encountering a scam associated with it, even if the company itself was not directly responsible. Furthermore, 92% of consumers believe that the companies they interact with have a responsibility to safeguard their digital privacy, according to a report by TeleSign.
Cybercriminals are leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and toolkits to create phishing websites that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing, making it easier to deceive even the most vigilant users.
These scammers employ various tactics to impersonate brands, including typosquatting, which involves registering websites with slight misspellings or variations of legitimate URLs to redirect unsuspecting users to malicious sites for phishing, malware distribution, or generating ad revenue.
Another method used by cybercriminals is the use of homoglyph characters, where they substitute genuine characters with visually similar characters from Cyrillic, Greek, or Latin alphabets to create hyperlinks that appear legitimate but lead to fraudulent websites.
Additionally, scammers utilize creative subdomain structures, such as using brand names in URLs to create lookalike domains, taking over abandoned subdomains, or generating random strings of characters that resemble genuine websites.
Every second that a phishing site remains active, attackers collect more credentials. Security teams are constantly racing against the clock to identify and eliminate these malicious sites. However, the process of submitting takedown requests can be challenging, with rejections leading to wasted time, resources, and efficiency.
To combat brand impersonation effectively, organizations need to follow a systematic four-step process for taking down fraudulent websites. By adhering to this process, security teams can efficiently address brand impersonation threats as soon as they are identified.
Step 1: Confirming the Impersonation
The initial step involves documenting the elements that make a site misleading or unauthorized, such as unauthorized use of brand names, logos, or product references, lookalike domains, misleading content, or deceptive forms and links.
Key requirements include capturing screenshots of the fraudulent site URLs with timestamps and organizing this information in a document or spreadsheet for reference during the takedown process.
It is also recommended to familiarize oneself with common indicators of phishing to help identify fraudulent websites effectively.
Step 2: Identifying the Hosting Provider
To initiate the takedown process, it is essential to determine the entity that controls the infrastructure hosting the fraudulent site. This typically involves conducting a WHOIS lookup to identify the domain registrar and hosting provider, as well as locating abuse or trust & safety contact information.
Documentation required includes domain name, IP address (if applicable), registrar and hosting details, and any relevant information about intermediaries like content delivery networks (CDNs) or proxy services.
Step 3: Submitting a Takedown Request
Each hosting provider has its own procedures for handling takedown requests. In most cases, submitting a takedown request involves providing a clear explanation of the policy violation, supporting evidence such as URLs and screenshots, and following the correct reporting channels for each provider.
Prepared documentation from Steps 1 and 2 is crucial for a successful takedown request. Common takedown entry points include Google Safe Browsing for phishing sites and abuse contacts of hosting providers and registrars.
Step 4: Confirming the Takedown
After submitting a takedown request, it is essential to verify that the fraudulent site has been successfully taken offline. This may involve checking the original URL directly and searching for cached or mirrored versions to ensure complete removal of the malicious content.
Regular monitoring is recommended, as cybercriminals may attempt to reestablish similar fraudulent sites under new domains.
Brand impersonation websites pose a serious threat akin to viruses, causing increasing harm the longer they remain active. Security teams must act swiftly to take down these fraudulent sites promptly. By following a structured approach like the four-step process outlined here, organizations can effectively combat brand impersonation and protect their digital assets.
Rod Schultz, CEO of Bolster AI, brings over 25 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity leadership to the forefront. With a background in product innovation and executive roles at prominent companies like Cisco, Apple, Adobe, and Zoom, Rod leads Bolster AI in its mission to detect and disrupt digital threats such as phishing and impersonation. His commitment to innovation, trust, and speed drives the company’s efforts to safeguard brands, customers, and digital identities on a large scale.
For more information, you can connect with Rod Schultz online via LinkedIn and visit the company website at https://bolster.ai/.
