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Recorded Future reported that the ERIAKOS campaign used 608 fake shopping websites promoted to Facebook users with deep-discount ads. It assessed that the operation likely originated in China, based on clues including domain registration and payment services—but that does not prove who operated it or their nationality. The campaign put shoppers’ personal and payment information at risk.
What was the ERIAKOS Facebook ad campaign?
Recorded Future detected the campaign on April 17, 2024, and named it ERIAKOS after the CDN host oss[.]eriakos[.]com. Its report counted 608 fraudulent e-commerce websites, not 608 victims or a known amount of losses. The sites impersonated brands and used steep discounts in ads to lure shoppers into placing orders. Recorded Future’s campaign report describes the operation; BleepingComputer’s July 31, 2024 account adds details about how the shops appeared to users.
Why the sites were difficult to detect
Recorded Future said the shops were accessible through mobile devices and Facebook ad lures, a tactic intended to frustrate automated detection. BleepingComputer reported that opening a site directly on a desktop, or without arriving from the Facebook ad context, could show a 404 page instead. The campaign also used fake testimonials in ad comments and short-lived domains, according to BleepingComputer. These techniques help explain how a link might look different depending on how it is opened; they are not evidence that every inaccessible shop is fraudulent.
What does “linked to China” mean?
BleepingComputer reported that Recorded Future assessed the campaign as likely originating in China based on clues that included the domain registrar, card networks, and payment-service providers. Recorded Future’s own summary identifies Chinese payment-service providers as part of the payment picture. Taken together, these are indicators used to assess likely origin—not proof of the identities, location, or nationality of the people behind the sites.
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The campaign should also be kept separate from other China-linked Facebook operations. Meta’s March 2021 report on Earth Empusa/Evil Eye described cyber-espionage targeting activists, journalists, and dissidents, particularly Uyghurs, using malicious links, fake personas, and malware. Meta’s report does not describe ERIAKOS.
Likewise, WIRED’s 2020 account of SilentFade concerned malware that stole Facebook credentials or session cookies and used compromised accounts’ payment methods to run fraudulent ads. Facebook reported $4 million in fraudulent ad charges for that separate operation, according to WIRED. That figure is not an ERIAKOS loss estimate.
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What was at risk for shoppers?
Recorded Future said the fake shops aimed to steal personal and payment data. It reported that payments flowed through major card networks and Chinese payment-service providers. A purchase could therefore expose card details and lead to fraudulent charges, as BleepingComputer explains. The campaign reporting does not provide a verified total for ERIAKOS victims or losses.
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For broader historical context only, the Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost $117 million to scams that started on social media during the first six months of 2020, as reported by TIME in December 2020. This figure predates ERIAKOS and covers social-media scams generally; it is not a measure of this campaign.
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How to check a Facebook shop before buying
A Facebook ad, familiar brand imagery, and a polished storefront do not establish that a seller is legitimate. Check the business independently rather than relying only on the ad or the shop’s own claims.
- Search for the company and shop name separately, and look for independent information and reviews. Be wary if there is little verifiable background or reviews appear only on the seller’s site.
- Read the terms, returns, and contact information before ordering. Missing, vague, or inconsistent details are reasons to pause.
- Check the website and any payment subdomain for consistency with the business. HTTPS encrypts a connection; it does not prove that the store is genuine.
- Treat extreme discounts and pressure to act quickly as warning signs, especially when you cannot independently verify the seller.
- Be cautious with unsolicited ads and avoid entering personal or payment details until you have checked the shop.
These checks reflect guidance from Recorded Future and BleepingComputer. No single signal, including HTTPS or a familiar-looking brand, can establish a shop’s legitimacy on its own.
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What to do if you paid a suspected fake shop
- Contact the card issuer promptly using the number on your card or the issuer’s official website. Report the suspected fraudulent purchase and ask what steps it recommends for disputing the charge and protecting the account.
- Save the ad, shop URL, order confirmation, payment receipt, and any messages. These details can help explain what happened when you report it.
- Report the suspected scam to the Better Business Bureau, as Recorded Future recommends. Also use Facebook’s available reporting controls for the ad or account.
- Watch the payment account for unfamiliar transactions and follow the issuer’s instructions if it recommends replacing the card or taking other protective steps.
Recorded Future also recommends researching companies, verifying e-commerce sites and payment subdomains, and being cautious of unsolicited advertisements. BleepingComputer reported that Facebook sometimes blocked scam ads and ultimately blocked the account responsible for this ad campaign; platform enforcement does not make an individual ad or store safe by default.
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What the reported numbers do—and do not—show
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| 608 websites | Fraudulent shops counted in Recorded Future’s 2024 ERIAKOS reporting; not a victim or loss count. Source. |
| $117 million | FTC-reported losses from scams that began on social media in the first six months of 2020, as reported by TIME; broad historical context, not an ERIAKOS estimate. Source. |
| $4 million | Fraudulent ad charges attributed to the separate SilentFade operation, as reported by WIRED in 2020; not an ERIAKOS figure. Source. |
The ERIAKOS details describe a campaign reported in 2024. They do not establish whether its domains or operators remain active today.
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- Designed for the home. With a sleek picture frame design, quick setup and intuitive voice and touchscreen controls, Meta Portal fits easily and seamlessly into your home.
- Privacy by design. Easily disable the camera and microphone, or block the lens with the camera cover.
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