The Secret That Could Make Someone Else Rich Using YOUR Name

We see it ALL the time. In fact, we ourselves have been the victim of multiple instances of brand impersonation and small business identity theft over the years.

For many, it starts as a small ripple.

Maybe someone creates an Instagram account that looks like yours. Or a website pops up selling your products without your permission. At first, it seems harmless. Like, “Oh, that’s weird,” and you move on.

Then months later, you see the fake account pop up again. This time, they’re starting to attract real customers. These customers are commenting and interacting as if they’re talking to you.

And just like that, money starts flowing to someone else.

Brand Impersonation You Didn’t Even Notice

Fake accounts, listings, emails in your inbox, numbers, reviews, or platforms that pop up in your periphery are easy to spot. If you’re lucky, they can be identified before it’s too late.

But what about the invisible, behind-the-scenes things you don’t even notice until they start stealing your revenue? Sometimes, scammers try to live off another brand for years without them ever realizing they’re there…

These are some invisible strategies that impersonators use to piggyback your business:

• Scammer is someone you know (a team member or a collaborator who has inside information on how your business is run).

• Scammer runs targeted ads online using your name.

• Scammer overlays their own invisible checkout form over your actual website. Customer thinks they are buying from you (and they might even receive your product). Scammer receives the payments.

• Scammer posts a job ad for your business, using your information to "onboard" people and steal the identities of applicants. You only find out when a victim files a police report naming your company as the scammer.

• Scammer finds an old, expired domain of yours and redirects all that old traffic to themselves.

• Scammer creates a profile designed to fool AI assistants & chatbots. Customer asks AI for business recommendations, and AI recommends scammer’s business instead of yours.

• You set up a subdomain (ex: jobs.yourbrand.com) on a service that you no longer use, and you forgot to remove it. Scammer hosts a fake version of your website on that subdomain, tricking customers, search engines, and even security checks.

• Scammer creates a lot of fake, local websites using your branding. Each site targets a different city. You may never notice them, but scammer is quietly stealing your customers in those regions.

• Scammer DMs everyone who has commented on your social media posts.

• Scammer creates a fake app (on App Store / Google Play) that copies your business. Customer downloads it, and the app secretly steals their payment details / login info.

What Makes You More Likely To Be Targeted for Impersonation

First of all, there is NO SHAME in being/ having been a victim of crime.

Scammers are highly cunning and work surprisingly hard.

Like, why not put all that effort their own thing and feel genuinely good about their work, right?!

Victims are not gullible, careless, or naive. In fact, scammers usually target business owners that are doing something right.

Almost every person has been, is, or will be a victim of some type of scam in their lives (the lucky ones will be victims of tiny scams that don’t rob too much from them).

So what would make you - no matter your industry or role - a prime target for impersonators?

1. You’re successful.

   This one is self-explanatory. Scammers go for people who have a strong presence, audience, and/or are bringing in revenue.

2. You have a younger / more vulnerable audience.

   Scammers target audiences that trust easily or may not know what red flags to look for yet. Vulnerable populations are an easy opening for them.

3. Your brand identifies as being “helpful” or “kind” in some way.

   Altruistic brands may also be perceived as “soft” and less likely to report illegal activity.

4. Your brand’s “payment collection” process is too simple.

   You may want to make everything as seamless as possible for your customers. But scammers can just as easily copy your process or insert their own “buy now” link into the flow.

5. You post your personal life online.

   When people feel like they know you, they trust messages that sound personal. Scammers can copy your tone, reference your life, or pretend to be you.

6. Your team is not coherent enough.

   Lack of communication or collaboration between the members of your team can create “trust gaps” that scammers exploit.

7. Your business has too many “options” for customers.

   For example, if you offer 5 different options to pay, a scammer can easily offer a 6th option without raising red flags.

8. You have old accounts that are dormant and haven't been removed yet.

   Scammers use unmonitored accounts as vehicles they can hijack to immediately look legitimate.

9. You’re going through a public transition of some kind in your business.

   It could be a new partnership, transfer of hands, acquisition, in the process of hiring new employees, looking for vendors…scammers love to exploit transitions. For example, they can impersonate vendors or new employees being considered.

10. You sell expensive products or services.

    Industries like finance, luxury coaching, and real estate can attract more scammers, as they go where the money goes.

11. You do not vet the people that you work with.

    Scammers can impersonate those people and slowly grab control of your business. Try to vet, as much as possible, everyone that you work with!

12. You are accessible to your audience as a business owner.

    If your audience expects you to reach out, be personable, or connect directly in some way, there’s a higher chance they will respond to a scammer in their DMs.

13. You’re going viral.

    Scammers keep tabs on “trending” content, as new followers don’t yet know your voice enough to distinguish from another copycat brand.

14. You run highly seasonal or event-focused services.

    Scammers know that during a big launch, your stress and rush to meet deadlines lowers your guard and makes your business more vulnerable.

This Is How Scammers Are Able To Impersonate Your Brand

Scammers aren’t necessarily hacking computers.

They’re hacking humans.

Technology rapidly changes, but scammers are here to stay so long as humans exist.

As you can see from the list above, none of the points are centered around technology or security breaches. Sure, authentication and extra security measures can help protect our business.

But at the heart of it, impersonation works because it looks real.

Adding more friction - resistance - can be like implementing a security guard. Scammers do well when they act like you or someone you already trust (using names you know, friendly messages, or showing up when you aren’t paying close attention).

Scammers also look for predictable patterns. Times when you’re busy, stressed, launching, taking a vacation, etc. allow them to either hide in the noise or exploit the silence.

Ultimately, any of us can be victims of impersonators. The only thing we can do is set proper boundaries from the start and invest in both our long-term business vision and our peace of mind.