You’ve registered your trademark. You’ve secured a strong domain name. Your brand is growing – and so is the risk of online infringement.
While many brand owners are aware of overt threats like counterfeit goods on marketplaces or fake reviews on social media platforms, today’s digital landscape harbours more insidious dangers.
Intellectual property infringers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to exploit your brand’s reputation, mislead your customers, and eat into your revenue.
Here are five hidden online brand threats that can significantly divert your revenue and endanger your customers. We’ve also shared brand protection strategies to help you fight back:
1. The “Almost Identical” Domain
Example:
A skincare brand called OrganicSkin uses the domain organicskin.com. An infringer registers organicskinn.com, a subtle typo with significant consequences. The counterfeit site mimics the brand’s design, sells potentially unsafe products, and deceives customers into divulging personal information.
Why It’s Dangerous:
These “lookalike” domains – also known as typosquatting – can divert traffic and revenue, damage consumer trust and serve as platforms for phishing scams. There are lots of potential risks associated with fake websites and domains, both for your brand and your customers.
How SnapDragon Helps:
Our domain monitoring tools proactively scan for suspicious domain name registrations resembling your brand’s including common typos, added characters, and internationalised variants. Upon detecting a threat, we facilitate prompt enforcement actions to protect your customers and preserve your brand’s integrity.
For example, when GAINSWave was targeted by an infringing domain, SnapDragon’s online monitoring helped identify and remove infringing content, This is an essential first step in stopping copycat domains that deceive customers and damage trust.
2. The Social Media Impersonator
Example:
A renowned fashion brand discovers multiple fake Instagram accounts impersonating them, and copying the aesthetic of their online presence. These accounts run fraudulent giveaways, post misleading content, and build up a huge following under false pretences.
Differences in account names can be very subtle, for @OrganicSkin might be a genuine account and @Organic_Skin or @OrganicSkinn a fake account.
These fake accounts often steal official images making the distinction between accounts extremely difficult to spot.
Why It’s Dangerous:
Fake accounts on social media platforms can damage consumer trust, share false information, and create public relations crises, often before a brand even becomes aware of their existence. What’s more, if brands also rely on their social platforms as a source of revenue from sponsorship, the presence of fake accounts can dilute follower numbers and result in smaller deals.
How SnapDragon Helps:
Brands with high visual appeal, like 4moms, are often targeted on social platforms. SnapDragon helped them stay ahead by proactively scanning for unauthorised use of their name and imagery across multiple online social media platforms.
We combine keyword monitoring and image recognition. Using machine learning, our tool finds unauthorised use of your brand’s name, logo, and product imagery across social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest.
From fake accounts to fraudulent giveaways, our online brand protection software identifies these infringements, enabling swift removal actions by our expert team.
"SnapDragon has played a key role in protecting and strengthening the 4moms brand’s online presence by eliminating counterfeit 4moms listings in the International marketplace."
3. Deepfake Product Demonstrations
Example:
A deepfake video circulates online, depicting a well-known influencer “endorsing” a product. However, the content is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and links to counterfeit goods that appear nearly identical to the original.
Why It’s Dangerous:
The dangers of AI impersonation are varied, as bad actors get their hands on more advanced tools. Synthetic media attacks are designed to deceive, using AI to lend counterfeit products a veneer of credibility. Differentiating real from fake is extremely challenging as AI technology advances. These videos can spread rapidly, misleading consumers in the process. By the time the truth emerges, the reputational damage is done.
How SnapDragon Helps:
Our online brand protection technology can detect unauthorised brand usage in images and videos, including AI-generated content. Coupled with real-time monitoring across platforms, we help identify and address these cyber threats before they gain traction.
Our monitoring services continually adapt to the latest trends in online brand protection. For instance, SnapDragon’s protection team recently assisted a high-profile celebrity whose image was stolen and used without permission in online videos.
4. Highly Targeted Paid Ads
Example:
A consumer receives a meticulously branded ad from a retailer they trust, offering an exclusive discount. They click on the ad and the landing page appears legitimate but is actually a phishing site designed to steal login credentials and payment information.
Why It’s Dangerous:
Cyber threats including fake ads have become increasingly sophisticated. Infringers can now replicate official communications to target your loyal customer base, causing financial loss for them and damaging long-term brand equity for you.
How SnapDragon Helps:
We monitor the web for fraudulent ads, identifying and facilitating the removal of phishing ads and pages that impersonate your brand to conduct criminal activity.
As Bikinis Guadalupe Cid discovered, threats to a brand can show up anywhere from fake listings showing counterfeit products, to phishing sites. SnapDragon’s multi-channel monitoring helped protect her customers from being misled by fraudulent ads.
"SnapDragon was instrumental in defending our brand, eliminating fakes, and protecting our reputation. Their dynamic approach tackled diverse threats with unparalleled efficiency."
5. Counterfeit Mobile Apps
Example:
A popular fitness brand discovers a mobile app bearing its name and logo, offering similar functionalities. However, the app is unauthorised, collects user data maliciously, and delivers a subpar user experience.
Why It’s Dangerous:
Counterfeit apps can compromise user data, degrade customer experience, and tarnish your brand’s reputation.
How SnapDragon Helps:
Our software scans app stores for unauthorised applications using your brand’s assets. Upon detection, our team of experts assist in the removal process to safeguard your customers and maintain brand integrity. That includes app stores, where unauthorised apps can damage your reputation in just a few taps.
Combatting These Threats:
Be Everywhere Your Brand Is
Online threats are relentless and ever-evolving.
SnapDragon’s online brand protection software acts as an all-seeing-eye, with smart technology providing comprehensive surveillance across digital platforms. From marketplaces to social media, domains to mobile app stores, we continuously monitor the digital landscape for signs of brand abuse.
Protecting your brand transcends removing counterfeits, it’s about proactive vigilance, rapid response, and preserving the trust you’ve meticulously built. Our comprehensive detection software combines with the expertise of our dedicated brand protection team to ensure any external threats are quickly neutralised.
How Protected Is Your Brand?
Book a consultation with our brand protection specialists to understand more about your current protection level and how to better safeguard your brand.
Laura Sodaymay
SnapDragon | Brand Protection Specialist
