British kit brand Rapha has begun taking advice from an Intellectual Property (IP) protection specialist in order to begin shutting down fraudulent websites claiming to offer heavily discounted Rapha kit.
The brand says that multiple fake websites have emerged in recent months and begun targeting Rapha customers with too good to be true scam deals, the latest being raphacycling-sale.shop.
The sites take cash from customers, leaving them "out of pocket with no items shipped", according to Rapha.
A spokesperson for Rapha said the brand is encouraging customers to report any questionable offers to Rapha directly, to enable them to investigate any further fraudulent sites.
Official advice from the brand to help customers avoid any dodgy deals includes checking any website URLs - to make sure they appear genuine - verifying any social media adverts directly with Rapha if they appear to be fake, and to be wary of any false urgency placed upon you by a site offering discounted kit.
"As Rapha continues to grow as a global cycling brand, we have seen an unfortunate increase in counterfeit websites claiming to sell our products. These fraudulent copycats are targeting potential customers often through social media platforms, using attractive discounts to leave them out of pocket with no items shipped," a statement from Rapha said.
It continued: "We have been monitoring the issue closely and have a clear process for dealing with such issues. We are working hard to report and shut down fake sites as quickly as possible, working with our IP protection specialist to enforce cease-and-desist legal action.
"We want to raise awareness and help people spot fake sites to ensure they are shopping authentically with Rapha.cc. You can find our official advice here and we urge all customers to report fake sites and adverts to us so they can be investigated.
"With vigilance and the help of our community we can prevent more people from falling foul of these scams."
Rapha’s advice document also states that they cannot be held liable for purchases made elsewhere. Customers are advised to contact their bank or card provider immediately if they have shared bank details with an illegitimate website.
Rapha was founded in 2004 by Simon Mottram and Luke Scheybeler. In August last year it was announced that former Team Sky CEO Fran Millar would join the brand as CEO.
