Scammers appear to be deliberately targeting brands that have recently shut down or been acquired, leaving a gap between consumer demand and an official web presence. Ask Silver’s Anna Jones told The Guardian that Russell & Bromley, the British footwear retailer that went into administration in January 2026, is one example. With no official site remaining after Next absorbed the brand, fraudsters built a convincing clone and optimized it to surface in ChatGPT’s results. Shoppe
