Fake event websites
Find and take down fake event websites
A copy of your website, on an address a lot like yours, selling tickets you didn’t issue. We look for them every day, show you each one safely, and help you get them switched off.
How the scam works
It usually goes like this
A lookalike address
Registered quietly, a lot like yours.
Your site, copied
Logo, wording and a new payment page.
The links go out
By email, social media and adverts.
Tickets that don’t exist
And people turned away at the door.
Red flags to look out for
If you see any of these, stop and check before you pay or reply.
- An address that’s nearly yours, or uses a different ending
- Cheaper tickets or “last few” banners
- Payment by bank transfer or an unusual method
- No way to contact anyone
- A site that appeared recently
- Your event listed on a ticket site by an organiser that isn’t you
What to tell your exhibitors
Five habits that stop these scams. Copy them into your next newsletter.
- 1Never pay a new bank account without checking it with us first
- 2Check any email, website or number on our check page
- 3Look for the stamp on our invoices, and click it
- 4Forward anything that feels wrong to our check address
- 5Only use the suppliers listed as official
How SummitShield helps
Protection at every step
Fake website watch
Found every day, photographed safely, evidence ready. Fake listings on Eventbrite and other event sites too.
How it worksWebsite badge and copy alerts
Alerts the moment your site is copied.
How it worksTrack down and report
Reports to the companies that can take it down.
How it worksCheck page and check address
Anyone checking the address is told it’s a scam.
How it worksScam alerts across events
Fake sites confirmed at other events are recognised for you too.
How it worksEmail stamps
Your real ticket emails carry a stamp, so links to fakes stand out.
How it worksLive example
See how an event shows its official suppliers and known scams
Try the official directory and scam check for a made-up event. Paste one of its scam addresses and see the instant answer, browse its official suppliers, and see the scams already reported.
Questions people ask
How do I find fake websites for my event?
SummitShield looks for them every day and adds anything people report. You see each one with a screenshot and decide what it is in one click.
How do I get a fake event website taken down?
Report it to the services that warn web browsers and to the companies that sell and host the address, with clear evidence. SummitShield prepares the evidence and the reports for you.
What about fake listings on Eventbrite?
We search Eventbrite for listings of your event that aren’t yours, and check listings on other event sites such as Meetup, Luma, AllEvents and 10times when they turn up. Each comes with a screenshot and the name of whoever listed it, plus help reporting it to the site.
Is it safe to visit a fake site to check it?
It’s best not to. Fake sites can try to take your details or harm your computer. We photograph them for you in a safe, separate browser.
Other scams we help stop
The scams that follow events around
Event email scams
Protect your exhibitors and attendees from event email scams: fake invoices, hotel offers, attendee list sales and “official” partner emails.
Read morePhone and text scams
Phone scams target event exhibitors with fake housing, directory and stand calls.
Read moreHotel and room scams
Room poachers and fake housing bureaux target exhibitors and attendees with cheap hotel offers.
Read moreAttendee list scams
Exhibitors get offered “your event’s attendee list” for sale.
Read moreInvoice and payment scams
Fake stand invoices and “new bank details” emails cost exhibitors thousands.
Read moreThe 8 most common event scams
A plain guide to how each one works, the signs to look for and how to stop it.
Read the guideFree for event organisers
Protect your event today. It’s free.
Set up in an afternoon. Your exhibitors and attendees get a place to check what’s really you, and you get an early warning when someone uses your name.