Not even small businesses are safe from online scammers making cheap knockoffs to steal their customers and money.
These copycats are savvy at stealing legitimate business owners’ videos, logos, and social media posts to assume their identities, steer customers to cheap knockoffs, or simply take their money, the Wall Street Journal reports. Imitators have also fine-tuned their tactics, including by outbidding legitimate brands for the top position in search results.
Although online behemoths such as Amazon.com and Meta Platforms are using technology to identify and remove misleading ads, fake accounts, or counterfeit products, many customers are still fooled and often unhappy with the cheap product.
The copycat explosion has had an unexpected benefit for one targeted small business, however: Dallas-based ceramist Jen Rose said sales of her porcelain Bee Cuts sales are up 30% this year due to more visibility coming from the fact that all of her videos were mass-produced by fake companies.
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