AI-Recommended Shopping Scams Involving Fake Websites
Consumers are being defrauded after trusting online stores recommended by AI tools, believing them to be legitimate.
You decide to purchase a new bag and ask ChatGPT for suggestions. Having a preference for Russell & Bromley, you inquire about popular items from that brand.
The AI assistant provides options such as crossbody, shoulder, casual, and formal bags, listing prices alongside. You follow the links to what appears to be the official Russell & Bromley website and purchase a discounted bag.
However, the item never arrives. Instead, you have fallen victim to a scam where your payment and bank details are captured through sophisticated fraud involving counterfeit websites designed to closely mimic authentic retailers.
Ask Silver, a service specializing in scam detection, reports that cloned websites have appeared in ChatGPT’s search results. Among these are fraudulent versions of Russell & Bromley and the home furnishings retailer Dunelm.
Anna Jones from Ask Silver explains that the large language model (LLM) behind ChatGPT may have been "poisoned," meaning malicious content was introduced into the data the AI was trained on, possibly via cloned webpages created by scammers.
"In this instance it looks like scammers are taking advantage of the fact that Russell & Bromley went into administration in January 2026 and was absorbed by Next – so there is no longer an official Russell & Bromley website, but potential customers will likely still be searching for it."
Louise Baxter, head of the scams team at National Trading Standards, cautions consumers not to assume a website is genuine simply because it is recommended by an AI tool.
"Consumers are increasingly turning to AI tools for advice and recommendations, but criminals are adapting just as quickly. The fact that scam websites can appear in AI-generated results is worrying, and is a stark reminder that fraudsters will exploit any new technology that helps them reach potential victims,"she said.
What the Scam Websites Look Like
Ask Silver conducted research by querying ChatGPT with: "What are popular Russell & Bromley purses and bags?"
The AI’s response included detailed descriptions, prices, trends, and recommendations for different bags suited to various occasions. Among the sources cited were two fraudulent Russell & Bromley websites.
These counterfeit sites appeared credible. One offered substantial "discounts" of up to 80% on bags. In reality, any purchase would likely result in financial loss to the buyer.
The cloned websites often use domain names closely resembling those expected of legitimate stores. Ask Silver identified fake sites with addresses such as therussellbromleyofficial, russellandbromleylondon, russellbromleyonlineuk, and russell-and-bromley.
The authentic Russell & Bromley store is now hosted within the Next website.
Advice for Online Shoppers
When shopping online, consumers should scrutinize website addresses carefully. Legitimate UK retailers typically use .co.uk or .com domains. Be wary of additional words in the domain name such as "official" or "deals." Fraudulent sites often require payment by bank transfer, which is an immediate warning sign, and offer unusually large discounts.
It is advisable to visit retailers’ official websites directly rather than following external links. A Dunelm spokesperson stated:
"We encourage our customers to only engage with our official website, www.dunelm.com, or via the official Dunelm app."
He added that whenever Dunelm becomes aware of fraudulent sites, the company works diligently to have them removed promptly.
If you have provided your financial details to a suspicious site, report the incident to your bank immediately.
Next, which acquired Russell & Bromley in January 2026, acknowledged awareness of the issue and confirmed efforts to have the fraudulent sites shut down.
A ChatGPT spokesperson stated that the AI tool has removed the fraudulent websites from its search index. Users can report sites violating policies through the appropriate channels.
