Aldi Cloned in Fake Air Conditioning Scam Sites
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Kaspersky uncovered fake retail websites offering air conditioning units at a fraction of normal price, including a replica Aldi site that mimicked the supermarket's branding and used real product images.
- The cloned Aldi site listed an 'energy efficient' AC and heater set for £28.13 (claimed original £64.44) and a '3-in-1' portable air conditioner with dehumidifier for £149.99 (claimed retail £474.99), with messages like 'Only five left in stock' to rush buyers.
- Olga Altukhova of Kaspersky said scarcity messaging and expiring discounts exploit the demand spike: 'When demand spikes, warnings that only a few items are left... can easily compel users to enter financial details or personal data.'
- Aldi said it tries to identify and report fake websites, and that genuine offers are only available through its official site and verified social media accounts.
- The fake sites displayed live visitor counts and countdown timers on product pages to manufacture urgency, according to Kaspersky's analysis.
- Guardian Money noted Aldi was the best-known brand among the examples it reviewed, though other retailers are also being impersonated.
- Kaspersky advises victims to contact their bank, report to Report Fraud, and change passwords if they handed over financial details.
Why it matters: With UK retailers running low on AC stock and temperatures at record highs, shoppers searching for deals are the ideal targets — a single rushed purchase on a cloned site hands criminals full card details. Aldi being the marquee name exploited raises the stakes for its millions of UK customers specifically.
Ask SkimNews
