Scammers Exploit Cheap Domains For Health Product Frauds

News from the source of Reader Wall reveals a worrying development in the world of cybercrime. Netcraft, a notable cybercrime watchdog, has discovered a disturbing new trend. Fraudsters are now using affordable domain names to host websites that sell dubious health products. They do this by creating fake news articles on their site, going as far as to claim endorsements from popular TV shows like Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den.

Use of New Global Top-Level Domain Names

Fraudsters are utilizing the increasing number of new global top-level domain names (gTLDs) to their advantage. The gTLD market witnessed massive growth after the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) 2011 decision allowed new gTLDs. Some of these, including .cloud and .sbs, are obtainable for a meager $0.99.

.sbs Domain and Health Scams

The .sbs domain, formerly controlled by Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service, is now a hotspot for health product scams. A notable increase in such activities was observed in the summer of 2023. From 1,579 unique IP addresses hosting these scams in June, the number ballooned to 6,725 in July. There were months where over half of the .sbs domains registered were linked to suspicious health sites.

Issues with .cloud Domain

Similar problems have been found with the .cloud domain. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States has expressed its worries over these counterfeit celebrity endorsements. The FTC encourages the public to treat these endorsements with skepticism.

Countermeasures Against Health Product Scams

Netcraft’s cybercrime detection operates 24/7 in order to identify and shut down these scams. The organization is making efforts to hinder the widespread of scams across many domains. However, the fight against cybercrime is ongoing. The public is continually encouraged to remain alert and cautious.