Fake website scams: Gorman, Frankie Says Relax issue warnings over imitation sites

Australian fashion label Gorman has once again warned customers to beware of imitation sites after scammers tricked buyers into purchasing items from a fake digital storefront.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, the cult favourite brand said it was “deeply heartbroken” to learn some customers have “unknowingly fallen victim to a scam website masquerading as our company”.

Gorman and its parent company Factory X are “actively taking measures to combat these deceptive websites”, which have long plagued the brand.

In July, Gorman alerted customers to a crop of fraudulent websites that copied its branding and website design to fool customers into making purchases.

At the time, a Factory X representative told SmartCompany it had successfully “shut down a number of domain names which have hosted scam websites,” and “will continue to take urgent action where required to protect our valued customers”.

In its latest post, Gorman urged customers to check they were purchasing from genuine URLs of gormanshop.com.au and gormanshop.co.nz.

The label’s warning shows the resilience of fraudulent websites, which can easily spring up to replace the fake shopfronts removed by genuine website hosting companies.

The Gorman post also suggests fraudulent activity may be increasing ahead of the busy festive shopping period.

Smaller brands now say they too have fallen victim to impersonation scams.

Homewares business Frankie Says Relax has brick-and-mortar locations in Melbourne, Geelong, Torquay, and Queenscliffe, along with an e-commerce site.

On Tuesday, it too claimed to have been impersonated by digital scammers.

“Sadly — we have had a fake website created in our name,” the brand said on social media.

“The biggest giveaway — it is not very aesthetically pleasing.”

Like Gorman, Frankie Says Relax said the URL is a key giveaway, with frankiesaysrelax.com.au being the genuine website.

Customers who fear they have purchased an item from the fake website can contact Frankie Says Relax directly to confirm their order.

In early October, cult favourite drink bottle brand Frank Green issued an online safety warning regarding fake products being sold at discounted prices online.

“We are doing everything we can to help avoid this activity from happening,” the company said.

“This includes working with a brand protection agency to remove these websites as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately, these types of websites will continue to pop up from time to time under new names and new domains.”

Although scam websites are prevalent, there are steps businesses can take to combat imitators.

If the creator of a fake website can be identified, sending a take-down demand is an important first step, says James Neil and Bridget Renehan of law firm Clayton Utz.

While it can be costly, securing a lawyer to formulate a take-down notice to the website’s host or domain registrar can also see the fraudulent site removed from the internet.

Social media platforms often have strong protections for businesses that can prove they are being impersonated, giving genuine operators a chance to remove fake profiles.

Ensuring trademark protections are valid and up to date can also help businesses in their case.

To stop further fake websites from springing up, Clayton Utz also recommends a “defensive” approach to URLs: buying a URL before a fake website acquires it can defend against lookalike frauds.

Consumers who think they have fallen prey to a scam should contact their bank immediately after purchase, and report their experience to Scamwatch.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says Australians lost $3.1 billion to scams of all types in 2022.