Online IP infringements rise during the holiday period
New analysis from enterprise-class domain registrar CSC reveals that for the past three years, seasonal IP infringements have risen sharply in Q4 and remained elevated through January, when post-holiday sales draw heavy consumer traffic.
The combination of high demand, gift-driven impulse buying, and deep discounting creates a perfect environment for cybercriminals to ply their trade. Over the holidays, fraudsters set up fake websites and lookalike domains impersonating legitimate brands.
It’s also a key time of year for criminals to launch social impersonation campaigns, potentially selling counterfeit goods, and push counterfeit or unauthorized products through marketplaces and social commerce.
CSC tracks three types of online infringement: marketplace violations -- fraudulent listings, counterfeit goods and unauthorized sellers; domain infringements -- lookalike domains, fake sites and typosquatting; and social media infringements -- impersonation accounts, fake promotions and scam pages.
Historically, marketplace abuse has made up the bulk of enforcement actions but CSC’s data suggests a shift towards social media and domain-based infringements.
Elliott Champion, senior director of technology, CSC Brand Protection, writes on the company’s blog, “IP infringement is evolving quickly, and the holiday season amplifies every weak point, whether it’s a vulnerable domain, an impersonated social profile, or a marketplace exploited by rogue sellers. With social and domain abuse accelerating faster than marketplace fraud, enterprises can’t just rely on traditional enforcement strategies.”
Tips to stay safe and avoid falling victim to these scams include sticking to trustworthy sellers and websites, never sharing payment details via email or social media, and using multi-factor authentication on financial accounts.
You can read more along with additional safety tips on the CSC blog.
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