A new generation of online scams – powered by AI
Fraudsters are now leveraging AI-powered website building tools to clone legitimate businesses with alarming accuracy. By feeding the URL of a genuine website into these tools, attackers can collect design elements, layouts, branding and contact details. The result? A fake website that closely mirrors the look and feel of the original website.
Once the cloned site is live, fraudsters use phishing techniques, such as malicious emails, to direct unsuspecting users to the fraudulent website. On the website, customers are encouraged to enter personal information into forms that appear to be legitimate. As these sites look authentic, many users fail to spot the warning signs until it’s too late.
How businesses can secure their websites against AI-assisted fraud
To help protect your business against the rise of AI-assisted fraud, you should adopt a multi-layered approach to website security. Key best practices include:
- Using HTTPS and SSL Certificates – An SSL certificate authenticates a website’s identity and creates an encrypted connection between a web server and a browser. This encryption prevents criminals from reading or modifying information transferred between systems, helping to protect customer data and secure online transactions. Just as importantly, HTTPS builds trust with users by signalling that a site is legitimate and secure.
- Multi-Factor Authentication – Creating strong and unique passwords, alongside using a multi-factor authentication software, will add another layer of protection. Even if login credentials to your site are compromised, multi-factor authentication will make it significantly harder for attackers to gain access.
- Regular Software Updates – Keeping your content management system (CMS) and plugins up to date is crucial. Regular updates will patch vulnerabilities that attackers might otherwise exploit, reducing the risk of your site being compromised.
How to spot a fake website
On first glance it can be hard to identify if a website is fake or genuine, so it’s worth bearing in mind the following:
- How did I get here? – Fraudulent websites exist to try and scam you – either out of your data or your money, or both. So think: how did I arrive on this website? Did you type in the URL that you know to be correct? (in which case, it is likely to be the genuine website you are now on). Or did you click a link in an email you received? (Exercise caution – and don’t make a habit of clicking links in spammy emails!)
- Why am I here? – What was the purpose of you going on the website? Doing your regular online food shop with your usual supermarket means it’s probably the real deal. But if you arrived on the website after clicking on a link in an email you received, promising limited time deals, free prize draws, or cash prizes and 99% discounts – you would probably thank yourself for double checking that the site is legitimate and trustworthy, as it is this kind of fake urgency that is typical of scams.
- What do they want from me? – If you are being enticed to provide your information (name, address, date of birth, credit card details etc) in exchange for an extremely limited time deal, bear in mind that this is a common phishing tactic, designed to make you bypass your usual process of checks by creating a sense of urgency.
- Does this make sense? – Even the best cloned websites will likely have red flags, such as spelling and grammatical errors that genuine websites take care to check for. Other things to look out for are different domain extensions (.net instead of .com, for example), or actual domain names spelled wrong or with an extra letter added in (such as amazonn.co.uk). Images on the site can also look pixelated or just “wrong”. Trust your gut. If it doesn’t look or feel right, leave the site immediately.
Helping your customers identify a legitimate website
Protecting your customers against AI-assisted fraud means helping them recognise when they are on a genuine site. Clear trust signals can make a significant difference:
- Display Trust Badges – Placing trust badges on key pages, such as the checkout or on login screens, to reassure customers that their personal data will be handled securely.
- The Devil Is In The Detail – Making sure that all the content on your website is expertly written and thoroughly proof-read will instil confidence and trust in your customers. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can introduce suspicion that your site might not be genuine, and cause your customers to go elsewhere.
- Customer Reviews and Testimonials – Displaying verified customer reviews and testimonials helps reinforce authenticity and credibility, making it harder for fake websites to compete with the real ones.
- Watch Your Language – Every business has its own tone of voice, but if your website content uses urgent language that demands that customers act NOW!, this can be perceived as a red flag for vigilant visitors, and can actually lose you sales. Keep your tone professional and helpful, without demanding that visitors make decisions quickly. Provide enough information so that they find purchasing from you easy, without feeling pressured.
How Hydra Creative can help ensure your website is secure
At Hydra Creative, our expert team of developers can build websites that incorporate security best practices, such as multi-factor authentication, from the start, reducing exposure to potential attacks.
Beyond the initial build, we also offer ongoing support, including regular maintenance services – such as timely plugin updates – to help minimise vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit. We can also support you with targeted effective copywriting and ongoing digital marketing strategy retainers.
For more information, get in touch with our friendly team for an initial consultation.
