Impersonation is as old as human civilization. From stolen wax seals to fake recruiter profiles, fraudsters have always found ways to pose as someone they’re not. Today’s technology — from email and social media to generative AI — offers incredible opportunities. But every technological leap also gives attackers new tools for deception.
As technology advances, attackers find new ways to exploit it—turning tools meant for connection, convenience, or creativity into instruments of deception. Each innovation opens doors to progress and to new threats that challenge our ability to defend against fraud.
Consider the trickery made possible during the . . .
Attackers use these technologies to create fake identities, clone sites, and manipulate victims in new and convincing ways.
Fraud isn’t just a problem — it’s an industry. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers reported losing over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, marking a 25% increase from the previous year. And much goes unreported, as victims often feel ashamed or don’t notice small fraudulent charges.
Job seekers, the elderly, consumers — and increasingly, anyone who can be manipulated by technology — are exploited.
Attackers exploit consumers’ trust in search engines and well-known brands to deliver convincing tech support scams. It starts when they register lookalike domains designed to mimic legitimate customer support sites, such as those of Amazon, Microsoft, or popular router brands. They then use paid advertisements and manipulate search engine optimization so that these fraudulent sites appear at the top of search results. These sites display fake support numbers or contact forms that funnel victims directly to call centers operated by the fraudsters. Once in contact, the scammers convince victims that they have an urgent technical problem and must pay for unnecessary services, share credentials, or download malicious software.
Fraudsters go beyond impersonating real organizations. They create entire fake brands, banks, and universities. Using generic top-level domains like .education or .university, they look legitimate. They even create fake accrediting bodies to support their scams.
Regional banks and credit unions are common targets, as they often lack the resources or monitoring capabilities of larger institutions.
Internal security controls can’t catch what happens beyond your firewall. Fraudulent domains, phishing sites, and fake profiles often operate unnoticed.
External brand and domain monitoring provides early warnings. It scans for unauthorized use of your brand, lookalike domains, and fraudulent activity — so you can act before attackers succeed.
At Access Point Consulting, in partnership with Domain Guard, we help organizations:
Educate employees and job seekers.
One of the most powerful defenses against impersonation scams is awareness. Organizations should provide training to help employees and job seekers recognize red flags in recruiter communications, job offers, or outreach. This includes verifying recruiter identities, checking email domains, and confirming offers through official channels. Education empowers individuals to pause, question, and validate — breaking the chain of trust fraudsters rely on.
Adopt external monitoring.
External brand and domain monitoring can play an important role in a layered security strategy. While internal tools protect what’s inside your network, external monitoring provides visibility into threats that exist beyond your firewall — from fraudulent domains and phishing sites to impersonation on social media and ads. Proactive detection allows organizations to respond quickly, protect their reputation, and reduce the likelihood of their brand being used as a tool for fraud.
Establish a reporting process.
Creating a clear and accessible reporting process encourages employees, job seekers, customers, and partners to speak up when they encounter suspicious activity. Whether it’s a dedicated email address, web form, or internal hotline, the goal is to make it easy to report potential fraud. A streamlined process ensures that warnings aren’t missed, patterns can be identified, and the organization can act swiftly to mitigate risk.
Technology will keep advancing — and so will fraud tactics. The key is to embrace innovation while building the safeguards to protect against its misuse. External monitoring, paired with education and proactive defense, helps keep your brand trusted and secure.
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