Brand impersonation, online ads, and malicious merchants help purchase scam network prey on victims

Description

A network of 71 purchase scam websites has been identified, linked to 12 shared merchant accounts used for fraudulent transactions. The scams employ brand impersonation, online ads, and malicious merchants to target victims. The network, operational since February 2025, uses typosquatting and brand logo abuse to impersonate legitimate retailers. Transactions with the identified merchant accounts are likely fraudulent and facilitate card compromise. The network's attribution remains unclear, possibly controlled by a single actor or multiple actors collaborating through dark web services. Mitigation strategies for card issuers and merchant acquirers are provided to reduce financial fraud and compliance risks associated with these scams.