Fake ChatGPT and Perplexity Sites Used to Target Advertisers
· 1h ago · Originally reported by MediaPost
Fraudsters created counterfeit websites impersonating popular AI platforms ChatGPT and Perplexity to siphon advertising dollars. The fake sites were set up to attract ad placements from brands and media buyers who believed they were buying inventory on legitimate AI-owned properties.
Why it matters
This matters because AI brands are among the most-visited destinations online, making their spoofed domains lucrative targets for ad fraud schemes that steal budgets and expose advertisers to brand-safety risks.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like someone putting up a fake McDonald's sign to trick food suppliers into delivering free stuff — except here the 'suppliers' are advertisers and the 'food' is ad money.
Read the original at MediaPost
Terms in this story
Advertiser
An advertiser is the company, organisation or person that pays to place ads in order to sell products, build a brand, recruit, or spread a message.
Ad slot (ad unit)
An ad slot (or ad unit) is a specific, defined place on a page, app screen or video stream where an ad can be shown, with its own size, format and rules.
Ad inventory
Ad inventory is the total amount of advertising space a publisher has available to sell, usually counted in impressions across its ad slots, pages, apps or screens.
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