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Beware! More fake bike websites trying to scam you

FSA, SRAM, and DMR have all reported fake sites in the past few days, so if you’re looking for a bargain, make sure everything checks out before you check out

If you’re searching for bike and component bargains online, watch out for the fake websites that have sprung up over the past few weeks with fraudsters apparently keen to make money from bargain hunters in the lead-up to Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. FSA/Vision and SRAM have recently reported fraudulent new websites and British mountain bike and dirt jump bike DMR is the latest to be targeted.

“It has come to our attention that a direct-to-consumer website is using our brand name, identity and products without permission, and consumers should stay well away,” says DMR. “They also claim to hold in-stock products we are not aware of.”

The fraudulent website in question is dmrdiscount.com.

DMR’s official website is dmrbikes.com

DMR says, “Any other website using our name or wordmark without permission is to be considered unsafe and we strongly advise against their use. DMR Bikes and products are sold only via authorised international distributors and approved retailers.”

CyclingTips recently reported that component brand SRAM had confirmed that sramcycling.com was a fake. That website appears to have been dealt with now. SRAM’s real website is www.sram.com. 

FSA, which frequently warns of fake websites and counterfeit versions of its products, has this week said, “Recently, we have noticed an increase in websites and e-commerce sites that are falsely and deliberately referring to FSA and Vision without authorisation. 

> How can you spot counterfeit bike components and avoid getting ripped off? We spoke to Shimano to find out

“We would like to remind you that the only official company websites are: 

“Any other site which uses names like our brands is to be considered unofficial and we do not consider these sites to be safe sales channels and advise against their use. FSA and Vision products are sold only through our official distributors, authorised retailers or through our corporate sites listed above.”

The danger of using a fake website isn't simply that you'll get fake components – there are a lot of those about – but that you'll get nothing at all.

If you’re looking for a bargain online this weekend, make sure that you’re vigilant. If in doubt, contact the retailer before parting with your money – ideally by phone – to make sure they check out. If you’re still not sure, walk away.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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stebe | 1 year ago
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Scams like these can be reported to NCSC in the UK and taken down. Can also be reported to Google.
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/about-this-website/report-scam-website

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