AI Shopping: How to Protect Your Brand from Fake Websites

Black Friday is no longer just about standing in line outside big-box stores or refreshing your browser to grab a deal. This year, millions of shoppers will turn to AI tools like ChatGPT to help them find the best products, compare options, and even complete purchases—all without ever visiting a traditional website.

Welcome to the era of AI shopping. It’s fast, convenient, and surprisingly effective. But it also comes with a hidden cost.

The Rise of Conversational Commerce

With OpenAI’s recent launch of “Instant Checkout” and integrations with platforms like Etsy and Shopify, tools like ChatGPT can now go beyond recommendations. They can actually pull live product listings, show reviews, and direct users straight to the checkout page. This shift means that discovery, decision-making, and purchase can now happen in a single conversation.

For consumers, this is a leap forward in convenience. But for brands, it introduces a new kind of vulnerability—one that blends technology, trust, and deception.

AI is Empowering More Than Just Shoppers

The same tools that make it easier to find the perfect holiday gift are also being used by bad actors to exploit online shoppers. In fact, recent research shows that 28% of people who knowingly buy counterfeit products are already using AI tools to help them find what they’re looking for.

This is not just about bargain hunters looking for knockoffs. Cybercriminals are actively using AI to generate realistic fake listings, spin up copycat Shopify and WooCommerce stores, and even write convincing product reviews. Worse still, these fake websites are getting smarter. Some are using AI to fool not just users, but also AI browsers and search engines.

Fake Websites Are Getting Harder to Spot

In the past, fake websites often looked suspicious. Low-quality images, broken grammar, or outdated design made it easier to identify a scam. Today, thanks to AI-generated content and template-based e-commerce platforms, many counterfeit websites look almost identical to legitimate brand pages.

Some scammers go a step further by registering lookalike domains or buying ads that direct unsuspecting users to fraudulent pages. They know shoppers are moving fast during Black Friday and that trust is often based on speed and appearance. If a site looks real, most people will not stop to verify it.

This creates a perfect storm. AI shopping speeds up the buying journey while AI-powered fake websites manipulate it. Shoppers are moving quickly, and scammers are keeping pace.

Why Black Friday is the Perfect Storm

During peak shopping events like Black Friday, consumers are focused on urgency and price. They are clicking quickly, comparing deals, and trying to buy before inventory runs out. These high-pressure conditions make it even easier for fake websites to succeed.

When AI platforms recommend products, shoppers may not always know whether the site they’re sent to is safe. If a scammer has created a convincing enough copy of a product page, the average consumer will have no idea they’re handing over their credit card to a fake business.

What’s even more concerning is that some of these scams now use AI-generated chatbots and fake customer service tools to complete the illusion. It’s not just the storefront that’s fake. The entire experience can be manipulated to keep the shopper unaware until it’s too late.

Counterfeit Detection is No Longer Optional

In this new landscape, counterfeit detection must evolve. Traditional methods of flagging known threats are not enough. Brands need to actively monitor the digital ecosystem for emerging threats in real time.

This includes watching for:

• Typosquatting and spoofed domains

• Unauthorized use of brand assets on third-party websites

• Fake stores that copy legitimate product pages

• AI-generated listings on platforms like Etsy or Amazon

Fortunately, AI can work both ways – BrandShield’s AI.ClusterX™ uses AI to detect infringement threats at scale. But technology alone is not the full solution. Human analysts are still essential for verifying threats, prioritizing them, and executing takedowns with speed and accuracy.

How Brands Can Stay Ahead This Holiday Season

With so much at stake during Black Friday and Cyber Week, now is the time for brands to act. Here are three immediate steps you can take to protect your customers and your reputation:

1. Monitor for Fake Domains and Listings

Set up alerts for newly registered domains that resemble your brand. Use advanced detection tools that scan marketplaces, websites, and social media for signs of counterfeit activity.

2. Respond Quickly with AI-Human Enforcement

Leverage a solution that combines machine learning with human expertise. Fast identification means little if it’s not followed by fast removal.

3. Educate Your Audience

Many shoppers don’t realize they’ve been scammed until it’s too late. Offer guidance on how to verify real sites, spot red flags, and report suspicious links.

By taking proactive measures, you can protect not just your revenue, but the trust you’ve built with your customers.

AI Shopping Is Here to Stay—So Are the Risks

As AI shopping becomes more mainstream, brands must adapt to a new kind of threat. The shift from search-based discovery to chat-based decision-making changes everything—from how consumers interact with products to how scammers exploit that journey.

Fake websites will continue to evolve. Counterfeit detection must evolve faster. And as more consumers rely on AI for product recommendations and purchases, the responsibility to create a safer online experience will fall heavily on brands.

The good news? You still have time to prepare. BrandShield’s AI.ClusterX™ is built on over a decade of proprietary threat data and anonymized intelligence, refined across 12 years of real-world digital risk detection.

Conclusion

This Black Friday, millions will trust AI with their holiday shopping. Some will score great deals. Others will walk straight into well-crafted scams. Whether your brand thrives or falls victim depends on what you do now.

Don’t wait until the damage is done. Use this moment to strengthen your brand’s defenses and lead your industry in smart, proactive protection.

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Ready to protect your brand during Black Friday and beyond?
Request a demo of BrandShield and discover how our AI-powered platform helps you detect fake websites, eliminate counterfeit threats, and safeguard your customers in real time.