When Dutch beauty brand Rituals recently warned consumers about fraudulent social media accounts impersonating the company and its employees, it highlighted a growing problem facing beauty brands of all sizes.
According to the company's public statement, fake accounts were using Rituals branding to contact users about collaborations, special offers and discounts, and Rituals said it was working with social media platforms to report and remove the accounts.
The rise of influencer marketing, direct messaging and social commerce has created fertile ground for impersonation fraud.
Beauty brands are especially attractive targets because consumers are accustomed to seeing brands run competitions, collaborate with creators and offer product giveaways.
Fraudulent accounts can be hugely damaging to brands, diverting sales and damaging consumer trust, so what should beauty businesses do when fake accounts appear?
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1. Do act quickly
One of the biggest mistakes brands make is treating impersonation as a customer service issue rather than a brand protection issue.
The longer a fraudulent account remains active, the greater the risk that consumers will engage with it.
Scammers frequently use a fake account to build credibility before contacting consumers with investment opportunities, collaboration offers, requests for personal data or links to fraudulent websites.
As soon as a fake account is identified, brands should:
- Capture screenshots and preserve evidence – scammers often rely on ‘stories’ which can be very difficult to find once viewed;
- Document follower counts and user activity
- Identify whether any customers have been affected
- Submit takedown requests immediately.
Speed matters. Many social media platforms operate on a first-response basis and delays can make
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