A fraudulent 'Stetson Hats Canada' website like this one appeared legitimate to Canadians trying to get the product shipped here — but buyers would eventually find that they received no products.
Companies and anti-fraud professionals are warning consumers to watch for fake listings on search engines that redirect people to fraudulent versions of familiar companies and brands.A fraudulent Stetson Hats Canada website like this one appeared legitimate to Canadians trying to get the product shipped here — but buyers would eventually find out they had been scammed.
Bacchus' initial surprise at a Canadian website should have been a red flag. The website was a fake duplicate. He never received his hat despite spending about $100 US. After a month of waiting, customer service from the real Stetson company confirmed he was scammed. Reported fraud of all types has increased by $187 million since 2021 — and that's with only a small minority of cases actually reported or tracked.A similar problem is hitting customers of the travel agent chain Flight Centre.
CBC News found multiple fake listings for 'Flight Centre Calgary' or 'Flight Centre Vancouver' that pointed to incorrect phone numbers. The number has been hidden as it leads to a fraudulent call centre. "It's a constant endeavour. Our legal team from multiple angles has been involved, to work with Google and to send cease and desist letters where there's been points of contact," said Andre, who pointed out that search engines and online providers are quick to remove the offending links but new ones pop up quickly.According to cyber-security analyst and Toronto-based lawyer Ritesh Kotak, the problem of duplicate, impostor businesses is growing.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
8-year-old boy with autism donates 70 handmade winter hats to homeless peopleEight-year-old Ethan Brodofski, who has autism and ADHD, wanted to help make a difference in the Brockville community after he noticed a homeless encampment, and realized that some of the people weren't wearing hats and looked cold.
Read more »
Canadian government's top science advisor provides update on official UFO studyThe Canadian government's top scientific advisor is calling for the release of more UFO information and says her office is working on a public report that will be published this year.
Read more »
Man uses fake passport to try to open bank account in Bowmanville: DRPSDurham police are asking for help identifying the suspect in an alleged bank fraud in Bowmanville. Around 2 p.m. on January 16, the man walked into the TD Ba
Read more »
Measles may be spreading in some Canadian communities, officials warnA colourized electron transmission micrograph of measles virus particles. The highly-contagious virus may be spreading locally, health officials in Quebec warned on Friday.
Read more »
Defence insiders sound alarms on state of Canadian militaryCiting everything from troop shortages to dwindling ammunition stocks to aging equipment and technology, a growing number of defence insiders are raising alarms about the state of the Canadian military.
Read more »
This Ramadan will be sombre as Canadian Muslims reflect on GazaThe traditional daily iftar won’t have its normal celebratory feeling as we are conscious of the terrible suffering Palestinians are experiencing
Read more »