Website Spoofing & Online Scam Preparedness Checklist
Actionable steps to prevent and respond to website spoofing and online scams.
I. Immediate Incident Response (If a Scam is Active)
Public Warning:
- Post prominent warnings on your official website, social media, and email newsletters.
- Clearly state the fraudulent domain (e.g., `fakecompany.com`) and advise customers to only use the official site.
- Provide instructions for scammed customers (e.g., report to bank, authorities).
Reporting to Authorities:
- File a detailed complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Submit a report to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker.
- Contact local law enforcement if there is immediate danger or significant financial loss.
Engaging Domain & Hosting Providers:
- Use the ICANN Lookup tool to identify the domain registrar and hosting provider of the fraudulent site.
- Immediately report the fraudulent activity (phishing, trademark infringement, malware) to both the domain registrar and hosting provider.
Report to Google for De-indexing:
- To prevent the copycat website from appearing in Google Search results, report it directly to Google.
- Phishing Report: Use Google's Phishing Report form if the page is designed to steal personal information by posing as your legitimate site.
- Copyright Infringement (DMCA Takedown): If the copycat site uses your copyrighted material (e.g., logo, unique text, images), file a Copyright Removal Request (DMCA Takedown). This can lead to the removal of the infringing page from search results.
- Spam Report: For general spammy content or deceptive practices, use Google's Spam Report form.
- Provide the specific URL(s) of the infringing content and detailed evidence.
Legal Recourse:
- Consult an intellectual property attorney to discuss legal options.
- Initiate a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) proceeding through an ICANN-approved provider (e.g., National Arbitration Forum) if applicable.
- Explore legal action under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) for "bad faith intent to profit."
- Ensure your brand name and logo are properly trademarked with the USPTO.
- Document everything: Keep meticulous records of all communications, evidence of the scam, client complaints, and financial losses.
II. Proactive Prevention: Domain & Brand Protection
Strategic Domain Registration:
- Register common misspellings and typographical errors of your primary domain name.
- Register your domain name across various popular Top-Level Domains (TLDs) (e.g., `.net`, `.org`, `.biz`).
- Configure all defensively registered domains to automatically redirect to your legitimate, official website.
Continuous Monitoring:
- Subscribe to a reputable domain monitoring service that tracks new domain registrations similar to your brand.
- Ensure the service offers detection for typosquatting, brand impersonation, phishing, and fraudulent SSL certificates.
- Utilize services with automated or managed takedown capabilities for malicious domains.
- Implement brand monitoring tools to track mentions of your brand across the internet and social media.
III. Proactive Prevention: Website & Email Security
Website Security Fundamentals:
- Ensure all client websites use HTTPS/SSL certificates for encrypted connections (look for the padlock symbol).
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter malicious traffic and protect against web-based attacks (e.g., SQL injection, XSS).
- Ensure robust DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) protection is in place to prevent website downtime.
- Keep all website software, plugins, and themes consistently updated to the latest versions.
- Choose a secure and reputable web hosting provider with built-in security measures (firewalls, malware scanning, DDoS mitigation).
- Implement regular, automated website backups and store them securely off-site or in a separate cloud environment.
Authentication & Access Control:
- Enforce strong, unique password policies for all accounts, especially administrative access.
- Mandate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all internal systems and client-facing accounts wherever possible.
- Implement Zero Trust principles by limiting user access and permissions based on the principle of least privilege.
Email Security:
- Implement and properly configure Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records for all email domains.
- Implement and properly configure DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) for all email domains.
- Implement and properly configure Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) policies (starting with `p=none` for monitoring, then `p=quarantine`, then `p=reject`).
IV. Proactive Prevention: Education & Awareness
Employee Training:
- Conduct regular, updated training for all employees on how to identify phishing emails, spoofed websites, and social engineering tactics.
- Emphasize scrutinizing URLs, checking sender email addresses, and being wary of urgent or unexpected requests.
- Establish a clear protocol for reporting suspicious emails and websites to the IT department or designated security personnel.
- Conduct phishing simulations to test and reinforce employee awareness in a controlled environment.
- Promote password hygiene and the use of password managers.
Customer Education:
- Provide clear, accessible resources (e.g., blog posts, FAQs, dedicated webpage) on "How to Spot a Scam".
- Advise customers to carefully check URLs for misspellings, extra characters, or unusual TLDs, even if HTTPS is present.
- Instruct customers to manually type official website addresses or use trusted bookmarks instead of clicking links in emails.
- Warn customers about common red flags: poor grammar/spelling, malicious pop-ups, missing privacy policies, or requests for direct bank transfers as the only payment method.
- Clearly communicate that your company will never ask for sensitive information (passwords, full credit card numbers) via unsolicited email or phone calls.
- Provide a clear and easy way for customers to report suspicious activity directly to your company.
V. Incident Preparedness: Response & Communication
Incident Response Plan (IRP):
- Develop a comprehensive Incident Response Plan (IRP) outlining procedures for before, during, and after a security incident.
- Define clear roles and responsibilities for a cross-functional incident response team (IT, security, legal, communications, leadership).
- Establish phases: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Post-Incident Activity/Lessons Learned.
- Conduct regular cybersecurity drills (e.g., tabletop exercises, simulated attacks) to test the plan and team readiness.
Crisis Communication Strategy:
- Develop a crisis communication plan defining purpose, target audiences (employees, customers, media, regulators), key messages, and designated spokespersons.
- Prioritize transparency, empathy, and clarity in all communications.
- Prepare holding statements to ensure consistent messaging across all spokespeople.
- Establish secure internal communication channels for the incident response team.
- Plan for external communication channels (e.g., dedicated webpage, press releases, email alerts, telephone helplines).
- Ensure timely notification to relevant regulatory bodies (e.g., GDPR, if applicable).
- Commit to ongoing dialogue with stakeholders even after the immediate crisis, providing updates on recovery and preventative measures.
Protect Your Brand. Protect Your Customers.
Implementing a comprehensive, proactive cybersecurity strategy is essential for survival and success in the digital age.