Brand Protection 2025: The Bigger You Are, The Bigger the Threats!

Don’t look now, but you’re being watched. Brands may spend years building trust and visibility, but that visibility also makes you a magnet for online criminals. Way back in 2015 BrandShield warned that “the bigger you are, the greater the threats.” A decade later, the world looks very different and it seems we were right. The exponential growth of e‑commerce, social media and generative AI has given fraudsters access to not only a global reach but also to some of the most sophisticated tools. Counterfeiters replicate products and packaging with uncanny accuracy, scammers impersonate corporate websites and social media accounts, and phishing messages flood inboxes at unprecedented scale. In 2025, brands simply need to be more vigilant with continuous monitoring and data‑driven protection.

A booming counterfeit economy

Counterfeiting isn’t a back‑street problem any more; it’s a global business that has infiltrated legitimate supply chains. The OECD estimates that counterfeit products account for 3.3 % of global trade, worth more than US $500 billion each year. The International Chamber of Commerce warns that by 2025, the trade in fake goods could cost the world economy about US $4.2 trillion and put over 5.4 million jobs at risk. 

This surge is fuelled by the  rapid growth in online marketplaces. E‑commerce platforms like Amazon, AliExpress, and Facebook Marketplace provide huge audiences and convenient logistics for sellers. Legitimate brands invest millions in authentication technologies, track‑and‑trace programmes and legal action, yet counterfeiters continue to slip through gaps in the supply chain. Historically, fake goods used to be about replicating luxury handbags but today, this has expanded into every type of industry, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and even auto parts.

Phishing and brand impersonation are exploding

But counterfeiting is only one part of the risk. Phishing and brand impersonation have become the most common forms of cyber crime. A 2025 phishing trends report reveals that cybercriminals send an estimated 3.4 billion phishing emails each day, representing over a trillion fraudulent emails a year. Impersonation—where attackers mimic a trusted brand—is responsible for about 1.2 % of all email traffic. In 2022, 84 % of organizations had been targeted at least once with phishing emails. Even with improved awareness, criminals continue to adapt. 

It is mostly normal human behaviour that remains the weakest link. In typical phishing campaigns, 17.8 % of recipients click on malicious links, while targeted spear‑phishing attacks have a staggering 53.2 % click‑rate. On average, 3 % of employees will click a malicious link and financial institutions and software‑as‑a‑service providers are among the most impersonated sectors. 

Big events mean BIG opportunities for criminals

High‑profile events such as global sporting tournaments or sold-out music tours provide irresistible and unique opportunities for counterfeiters and scammers. In the lead up to  Beyonce’s recent concert series, we found an increase in fraudulent ticketing sites and counterfeit merchandise platforms posing as official sources. These scams don’t just target fans, they also exploit the visibility of associated brands, hijacking logos for phishing campaigns, fake giveaways, and malicious advertising. And it’s not limited to concerts. With the 2026 World Cup still a year away, cybercriminals are already registering deceptive domains and launching unofficial fan sites to cash in early. When the spotlight shines on a global event, opportunists target both the organisers and the sponsors.

Marketplaces to Social Media – More Channels, More Risk

As mentioned, a decade ago, the biggest threat to brands came from counterfeiters hiding out on street corners. Today there are a plethora of digital channels to be exposed upon.

• Online marketplaces: Fraudulent sellers list fake goods on mainstream platforms and no one is untouched. Think amazon, Alibaba, Temu, Shein etc. Counterfeiters exploit weak vetting processes and use fake reviews to build credibility. These fake products circulating through legitimate supply chains can cause supply base problems and legal risks.
• Social media scams: Fake profiles on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn impersonate brands, offering fraudulent promotions or harvesting customer credentials. Some attackers hijack verified accounts via phishing and then spread malicious links to millions of followers.
• Phishing & “quishing”: Emails and text messages appearing as if to be from trusted brands lure users into entering credentials or payment details. Newer techniques include QR‑code phishing (“quishing”), deepfake audio and AI‑generated chatbots.
• Paid ad scams: Attackers buy search ads that mimic official websites, directing shoppers to counterfeit storefronts or credential harvesting pages. Because ads are displayed above organic results, many consumers don’t realise they’re clicking on a fake.
  

How big brands are fighting back in 2025

Leading brands have responded by deploying multi‑layered digital risk protection. The following practices are becoming both standard and necessary.

1. Continuous monitoring across platforms. Effective brand protection requires continuous automated scanning of domains, marketplaces, social media and mobile app stores. AI‑powered tools such as BrandShield’s platform can spot fake listings, track newly registered domains that resemble brand names, and flag suspicious social profiles.
2. Rapid takedown processes. Speed matters. Once a counterfeit product or phishing page is detected, brands must work with platforms and legal teams to remove it quickly. BrandShield’s enforcement team consists of IP trained layers that know how to perform takedowns swiftly and effectively.
3. Education and awareness. Employees and consumers need up‑to‑date guidance on identifying phishing and counterfeit goods. 
4. Prioritization.  BrandShield uses analyzing and prioritizing actionable risks as their core approach. Their system focuses on what matters most by distinguishing between the critical risks and dealing with them first. Using AI-powered detection to monitor external attack surfaces and use machine learning to automatically categorize risks, ensuring that critical threats like executive impersonation, high-impact phishing sites, and trademark violations get immediate attention while filtering out lower-priority items.

Looking ahead

As generative AI enables more realistic deepfakes and personalized scams, brand protection in 2025 will be defined by speed, scale, and intelligence. Economic pressures and geopolitical instability will continue to fuel illicit trade, but regulators are tightening marketplace rules, and AI-driven detection is giving brands the upper hand. The takeaway remains clear: size attracts threats. Larger brands have more to lose — and more to protect — than ever.

Your brand’s visibility is your strength — but it’s also your biggest vulnerability.
Protect it with BrandShield’s AI-powered detection and expert enforcement.

Request a demo today to see how we can remove threats before they damage your revenue, customers, or reputation.

FAQ: Brand Protection in 2025

1. Why are big brands more at risk of online threats?
Their visibility, customer base, and reputation make them prime targets for counterfeiters, impersonators, and scammers.

2. What industries are most affected by counterfeiting?
While luxury fashion is still a major target, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and auto parts now face significant counterfeit threats.

3. How does BrandShield detect brand impersonation?
Our platform uses AI-powered monitoring to scan marketplaces, social media, ads, and domains for logo misuse, trademark abuse, and phishing activity.

4. How quickly can counterfeit goods be taken down?
With platform-ready evidence and legal expertise, BrandShield often removes infringing listings and sites in hours or days, not weeks.

5. What role does AI play in brand protection?
AI accelerates detection, maps coordinated threat networks, and prioritizes the most dangerous risks for immediate action.

People Also Ask (PAA)

What is the biggest online threat to brands in 2025?
Phishing, brand impersonation, and counterfeit product sales are the leading online threats this year.

Can AI help stop counterfeit goods?
Yes. AI can identify fake listings, detect logo misuse, and link coordinated seller networks for large-scale takedowns.

Why do global events increase brand risk?
They attract large audiences, giving scammers more opportunities to impersonate brands, sell counterfeits, and run phishing campaigns.