Typosquatting: How Fake Domains Steal Your Customers

What is Typosquatting?

Typosquatting is when someone registers a domain name that’s a slight misspelling of a legitimate brand. For example, if your store is coolsneakers.com, a typosquatter might register:

• coolsneaker.com (missing ‘s’)
• coolsneekers.com (doubled letter)
• cooisneakers.com (‘l’ replaced with ‘i’)
• coolsneakers.co (different TLD)

When customers accidentally type these addresses—or click links in phishing emails—they land on fake sites that steal their payment information or sell counterfeit goods.

Why Typosquatting Matters for Shopify Merchants

The more successful your brand becomes, the more attractive it is to typosquatters. They target Shopify merchants because:

• High-intent traffic: Customers typing your URL are ready to buy
• Trust transfer: Your brand reputation makes their fake site believable
• Low effort, high reward: Setting up a convincing fake store takes hours, but can generate thousands in fraud

Types of Typosquatting Attacks

Simple Typos

The most common form—registering obvious misspellings that customers might type by accident.

Homograph Attacks

Using characters that look similar, like replacing ‘o’ with ‘0’ or using Cyrillic characters that appear identical to Latin letters.

TLD Variations

Registering your brand name with different extensions: .co, .net, .shop, .store, etc.

Combosquatting

Adding common words to your brand: coolsneakers-official.com, shop-coolsneakers.com, coolsneakers-sale.com

Real Impact on Your Business

Typosquatting costs Shopify merchants in multiple ways:

• Lost sales: Customers who land on fake sites don’t buy from you
• Fraud liability: Customers may blame you for scams even if you’re not involved
• Support costs: Dealing with confused or angry customers
• Brand damage: Association with counterfeit or low-quality goods
• Ad spend waste: Competitors or scammers bidding on your brand keywords

How to Detect Typosquatting

Manual checks

Periodically search for variations of your domain and brand name. Check who owns similar domains using WHOIS lookups.

Customer reports

Pay attention when customers mention landing on strange versions of your site or receiving suspicious emails.

Automated monitoring

Use tools that continuously scan for new domain registrations matching typosquatting patterns.

How to Respond to Typosquatting

1. Document everything: Screenshot the fake site, save WHOIS records
2. File a UDRP complaint: For clear trademark violations
3. Report to registrar: Most registrars have abuse policies
4. Report to hosting provider: Get the fake site taken down
5. Alert customers: If customers may have been affected

How Recon Helps

Recon actively protects your brand by:

• Monitoring for new domain registrations that match typosquatting patterns
• Alerting you immediately when threats are detected
• Providing one-click takedown requests for infringing domains
• Tracking the status of your takedown requests
• Building a historical record of threats for legal action

FAQ

Q: Should I register all variations of my domain?

A: It’s impractical to register every possible typo. Focus on the most common variations and obvious alternatives. Recon helps identify which domains are actually being used maliciously.

Q: How quickly can typosquatting domains be taken down?

A: Simple cases with clear trademark violation can be resolved in days. Complex cases may take weeks. Recon automates the takedown process to speed up resolution.

Q: Can typosquatters use my brand name legally?

A: Generally, no—if you have trademark protection. However, enforcement requires action on your part. Domains don’t get taken down automatically just because they’re similar to your brand.