Brand abuse is increasing, but more important than the sheer volume is the increased sophistication and the opportunistic nature of brandjackers, who are quick to take advantage of current events and popular concerns.

In this report, I look at brand abuse trends in the financial vertical, focusing on four major financial services brands and four terms associated with the financial crisis – foreclosure, mortgage, refinance and
unemployed. As the economy has worsened over the past months, we found that con artists have exploited consumers’ financial fears and uncertainties, and have rushed in to hijack well-known brands for their own profit. There has been a profound increase – 36 percent in one quarter – in the level
of phishing attacks as well as in cybersquatting.

You can download the entire report here on MarkMonitor’s site.