London, UK: August 4, 2026 – British heritage brand Belstaff has worked with MarkScout on legal action that closed hundreds of websites selling counterfeit versions of its jackets and accessories. The sites used the brand's name, photography and product descriptions to appear authentic.
Luxury clothing remains a leading target. The OECD and EUIPO's 2025 study estimates global trade in counterfeit goods at USD 467 billion, and apparel, footwear and leather goods are consistently among the most copied categories.
The approach combined evidence gathering across the sites, identification of shared hosting and payment infrastructure, court orders where appropriate and notices to registrars, hosts and payment providers. Treating the sites as a network rather than as individual cases helps prevent them from reappearing under new names.
“Taking down one fake shop is easy and temporary. Taking down the operation behind a hundred of them is what changes the economics for the counterfeiter,” says Daniel Hartley, Chief Revenue Officer at MarkScout.