A Bitdefender Labs investigation identified over 55 fake-shop campaigns targeting consumers across 12 European countries from March to May 2026, impersonating major brands like Samsung, Nike, and Adidas. These campaigns utilized various channels, including Facebook ads and WhatsApp messages, to lure victims into purchasing counterfeit goods or sharing personal information. Strategies such as domain rotation, misleading redirects, and localization were employed to evade detection.
The report highlights the evolution of these scams into coordinated operations resembling professional e-commerce, particularly with the hype around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, indicating a growing trend of sophisticated cyber threats in Europe.