AG Warns of Spoof Websites

(HELENA) – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) are warning Montanans about fraudsters creating spoof websites that look nearly identical to legitimate websites to collect consumers’ personal and financial information.
There are two popular scams that fraudsters use spoof websites to steal information. Fraudsters, who are mainly based overseas, post marketplace advertisements on a social media platform for a product that doesn’t exist. When a potential buyer contacts the scammer to inquire about the product, the scammer provides fraudulent documents and directs the victim to a fake website to wire the money.
Fraudsters also create a replica of a legitimate business’s website with a similar web address. A victim may attempt to purchase an item from that website, then ultimately enter their personal and bank account information into the fake website.
Montanans can report any website scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection, toll free at (800) 481-6896.