Brand protection isn’t just a seasonal task—it requires continuous vigilance. Discover current challenges and priorities for online brand protection as well as practical strategies for achieving protection 365 days a year.
Online brand abuse, counterfeits, phishing, and account takeovers surge during peak shopping periods. However, brand rights are targeted by counterfeiters and online fraudsters year-round.
In our recent webinar on ‘staying ahead of online brand threats,’ Questel’s Subject Matter Expert Séverine Bonhomme and Customer Success Manager Yuliya Kotenko use the busy Black Friday shopping period as a springboard to discuss current challenges in online brand protection and practical strategies and services to help safeguard brand rights 365 days of the year. Here we summarize some of the key points they discussed.
- Online brand abuse spikes during major sales events, but threats remain active 365 days a year.
- AI is a game-changer for scams: Fraudsters now use AI to generate fake sites, reviews, and ads in minutes.
- Continuous monitoring and rapid takedowns reduce financial and reputational damage. Acting before counterfeits gain traction is key.
- Technology and expertise deliver ROI: Automation scales detection, while human analysts add context and precision, turning data into real results.
Current Challenges in Online Brand Protection
AI and the Rise of Online Scams
The emergence—and increasing sophistication of—artificial intelligence (AI) tools has made online scams faster, cheaper, and harder to detect. Fake websites and phishing pages can now be created in minutes, AI-generated product photos, logos, and ads boost scam credibility, and deepfake customer reviews and influencer videos can easily mislead unwary consumers, especially in busy sales periods when urgency can make online shoppers more vulnerable to scams.
Peak Period Attacks
During busy shopping periods, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and seasonal sales, five types of brand scams typically peak:
- Fake websites
- Phishing emails
- Social media scams
- Bogus gift cards
- Fake order confirmations
However, that only shows part of the picture. Our analysis of infringement captured by our online brand protection solution in 2025 reveals there has also been a surge in:
- Fake ads (sponsored ads leading to phishing sites)
- AI-generated visuals and fake influencers
- Domain-based phishing campaigns
- Cross-platform abuse (marketplaces, social, and fake sites)
- Unauthorized resellers misusing trademarks
- Bulk counterfeit uploads on marketplaces
The attackers aimed to exploit the holiday chaos by sending fake delivery notifications, luring victims to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal and payment details.
The campaign was broad, relying on a network of freshly registered domains and compromised infrastructure to distribute phishing emails.
By monitoring the threat activity, we quickly identified the sending infrastructure and escalated reports to the relevant intermediaries, leading to the suspension of the servers responsible for distributing the malicious messages.
At the same time, we moved against the phishing URLs. Each fraudulent domain pointing to a phishing site was submitted for takedown, and our efforts ensured that the majority of the active landing pages were neutralized before they could claim many victims.
What made this case particularly successful was our proactive approach. By conducting reverse IP and domain searches, we identified a cluster of domains that were clearly registered as part of the same campaign but had not yet been put into use. Acting swiftly, we reported these as well, ensuring that most of the attacker’s planned infrastructure was dismantled before it ever went live.
Thanks to this combined approach—neutralizing the sending infrastructure, disrupting the phishing sites, and pre-emptively removing unused domains—the campaign was effectively stopped in its tracks. It was a textbook example of how early detection, thorough investigation, and quick collaboration with intermediaries can cripple a large-scale phishing operation before it reaches full momentum.
The Year-Round Threat Landscape
Outside the key shopping periods, brand owners are also at threat from counterfeiters and fraudsters throughout the year, including the following key events:
- Product launches → fake domains & pre-order scams
Fraudsters register domains mimicking the new product name (brand-newcollection.com) and run fake pre-order campaigns, capturing payments or data before the official launch. - Summer sales → counterfeit promotions
Unauthorized sellers use phrases like “official summer outlet” or “clearance sale” to disguise counterfeit listings, often promoted with heavy discounts to outbid legitimate sellers. - Holidays → phishing gift card and social scams
Fake “holiday giveaway” campaigns spread across social media and emails, leading consumers to phishing sites requesting payment or login data under the guise of gift card activation. - Limited editions & collaborations → impersonation accounts
New product drops or collaborations attract fake social media accounts offering “exclusive access” or “early releases.” - Back-to-school & festival seasons → ad abuse spikes
Seasonal ad keywords (e.g., “back to school deals,” “Valentine’s sale”) trigger a surge in fake sponsored ads hijacking brand names.
How to Stay Ahead of Online Brand Threats
Continuous monitoring across platforms is critical to identifying and shutting down these threats. This includes implementing robust online monitoring and enforcement practices throughout the year, while also preparing for peak periods early; for example, by stepping up their focus on key platforms, keywords, and new seller accounts before the rush. Such early monitoring helps detect emerging counterfeit networks and test enforcement responsiveness, which evolve year-on-year.
3 Key Reasons to Implement Continuous Monitoring
Continuous monitoring strategies help brand owners to safeguard their customers, reputations, and bottom lines from:
- Revenue leakage
Year-round monitoring stops counterfeit networks before they peak during major sales, protecting genuine conversion and sales performance. - Customer mistrust
Preventing fake listings and scam websites avoids negative customer experiences that can permanently damage trust in the brand. - Fraud escalation
Early detection limits how far infringers can expand their networks; continuous enforcement keeps threats from multiplying across new domains, platforms, and markets.
How to Protect Your Brand Online Year-Round
Key areas of focus for most brand owners should include:
- Proactively monitoring marketplaces, domains, social media, and ads to achieve a unified view of all channels and ensure no infringement slips through, from counterfeit listings to keyword abuse and phishing.
- Detecting and prioritizing real threats by focusing on enforcement where it truly matters, on high-risk listings, repeat infringers, and large-scale networks.
- Acting quickly with efficient takedowns, since fast response minimizes exposure time, prevents reuploads, and protects both brand equity and consumer trust.
- Coordinating across teams to ensure collaboration between Legal, Marketing, and Operations, building consistency and faster escalation during high-risk events.
- Tracking return on investment (ROI) to create a proactive, data-driven strategy that not only stops infringement, but also actively recovers brand value and drives measurable business results.
The Benefits of Questel’s “Hybrid” Approach to Online Brand Protection
By combining AI technologies and human expertise, Questel’s online brand protection solution helps our clients spot emerging threats and act quickly to protect consumers and brand revenue.
- Automation detects threats at scale, 24/7
Continuous scanning across marketplaces, domains, and social media ensures no high-volume or emerging threat goes unnoticed. - Analysts validate relevance, reducing false positives
Expert review filters noise from real risk, so actions target genuine infringements, not legitimate resellers. - Strategic insights prioritize action on real risks
Data analytics reveal which infringements have the highest commercial or reputational impact, focusing enforcement where it matters most. - Proven ROI: faster enforcement, fewer wasted resources
Streamlined workflows and better prioritization translate to measurable savings and stronger protection for every euro invested.
Remember: Threats Don’t Stop after Cyber-Monday
Black Friday is a high-risk event, but it’s not unique, with threats active 365 days a year. AI has made scams faster, cheaper, and harder to detect, so proactive protection is essential. Through continuous monitoring and rapid takedowns, brand owners can reduce financial and reputational damage. By choosing a digital brand protection service that combines technology and human expertise, they can do so cost-effectively by combining automation with human expertise.
To find out more about how Questel’s online brand protection solution combines technology and analyst-driven expertise to deliver measurable ROI, watch our webinar on “Black Friday & Beyond: Staying Ahead of Online Brand Threats” or contact our subject matter experts for tailored support.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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