Cloned Website

[ATADesigns]

Hi Everyone,

I recently had a Google Alert and it points me to a website that has copied my website and it is selling my products in a sale. 

I have reported this to shopify fraud, and I am waiting to hear back from them.  In the meantime, the fraudsters at cloning more of my work and I really want to take the site down immediately.  I check the website through ICANN and it looks like the fraudsters are based in Malaysia.

Does anyone know what I can do?

And...is there a way I can protect my site?  the more I read about this it seems shopify sites get cloned a lot, am i right?

Looking forward to receiving some solutions as I am getting frustrated with this.

Thank you for your help.

[calan]

Why does nobody from Shopify reply to this? I was scammed by a Shopify scam store as well, and the support system doesn't even let me report the store without an order confirmation URL.

This is not acceptable, having scammers on your platform and no effective means to have them stopped with urgency. As a Shopify merchant with 2 stores, I expect better service.

[ATADesigns]

Hi Calan,

Thank you for your message, i agree, I have reported this to Shopify and nobody has come back or even acknowledged that they are doing something.  I have always rated Shopify since I have been with them a few years now,  But since the cloning it feels my cry for help to Shopify has fallen on deaf ears which makes me want to close the website and start with another platform.

I will continue trying with Shopify, and see how I go, with advice from people in this chat and advice from others.  I don't want to rack up costs, I just want the fraudsters shut down.

[PageFly-Richard]

Hi,

This is Richard at PageFly - Shopify Advanced Page Builder app.

It's unfortunate that your website has been cloned. This is a common issue, especially for popular online stores. Here are some steps you can take to address the situation:

1. Legal Action:

• Consult with a Legal Professional: Seek advice from an intellectual property lawyer. They can guide you on the best course of action, including potential legal remedies like cease and desist letters or lawsuits.
• International Considerations: If the fraudsters are based in Malaysia, you may need to consider international legal procedures. Consult with an international law firm to understand the complexities involved.

2. Technical Measures:

• Strengthen Website Security:
  • Strong Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for your Shopify admin account.
  • Two-Factor Authentication: Enable two-factor authentication for added security.
  • Regular Updates: Keep your Shopify theme and apps up-to-date with the latest security patches.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Consider using a WAF to protect your website from attacks.
  • Monitor for Malicious Activity: Use security tools to monitor your website for suspicious activity.

3. Online Reporting:

• Report to Shopify: Continue to work with Shopify's fraud team to report the incident.
• Report to ICANN: File a complaint with ICANN about the domain name registrar.
• Report to Relevant Authorities: Contact your local law enforcement or cybercrime authorities to report the incident.

Hoping my solution helps you solve your problem.

Best regards,

Richard | PageFly

[calan]

Hi Richard,

With respect, your advice is entirely pointless. Suggesting legal action, when the client is probably a scammer sitting in a Vietnam (as example) basement, will achieve nothing other than severe legal costs.

Shopify needs a fraud team that can act immediately and investigate the claim, following which they should be shutting down the fraudulent clone.

The Shopify platform, by it’s nature, makes fraud very easy for any non-technical person to execute upon, and they therefore have a responsibility to wipe this out without cost to legitimate merchants.

[ATADesigns]

Hi Calan,

Re your message to Richard, I appreciate Richards suggestions which I will look into, but you are also right about Shoify...All I want them to do is take the fruadster's site down.  It's frustrating the lack/non-communication from Shopify right now.

[ATADesigns]

Hi Richard,

Wow that's a lot of info I will take a look at your points 1 and 2. 

For your point 3, I have already reported this to Shopify fraud, but heard nothing so I don't even know if they are doing anything which is very frustrating. 

I found the fraudsters details on ICANN, but I have not contacted ICANN as yet so i will do this.

I have already reported this to Action Fraud who are looking into this.  I have a crime number from Action Fraud and I have sent this to Shopify to help move this along, and I also sent the number to Google.  I will also send this to ICANN when I report this to them.

All I want really is for someone to shut the frauder down, and for Shopify to do something about it.  I really don't have time for all of this mess and money.

Thank you again for your suggestions