Types of Brand Abuse
Understanding the different ways your brand can be exploited online.
Brand Impersonation
The most direct form of abuse—criminals pretend to be your organization or claim false affiliation. This includes fake social media accounts, impersonation websites, and fraudulent communications sent in your name.
Phishing and Credential Theft
Attackers create convincing copies of your login pages to steal customer credentials. Your brand's reputation suffers even though you're not at fault.
Counterfeit Products
Fake goods sold under your brand name, typically through unauthorized online stores or marketplace listings. This damages revenue and brand perception when customers receive inferior products.
Executive Impersonation
Fake profiles of your leadership on LinkedIn, Twitter, or other platforms. Used for business email compromise, social engineering, or reputation damage.
Domain Abuse
- Typosquatting – Domains with misspellings of your brand
- Lookalike domains – Visually similar domain names
- TLD variations – Your brand with different extensions
Trademark Misuse
Unauthorized use of your logos, slogans, and brand assets by third parties, from competitors to fraudsters.
App Store Abuse
Fake mobile apps using your brand name or logos, potentially containing malware or designed to steal data.
Social Media Abuse
- Fake customer support accounts
- Fraudulent promotions
- Brand hashtag hijacking
- Impersonation accounts
Protection
Comprehensive brand protection monitors for all these abuse types.