If there’s one thing you can rely on with the internet, it’s this: trouble’s never far away. Whether it’s crypto-based Twitter hacks, the rising perils of AI, copycat pranksters, Google-results-juicing sponsored content or ransomware attacks, the information superhighway is full of things about to run you over. And the cycling industry is no less at threat of this than any other.
As we’ve reported previously, a vast network of scam stores stealing credit card details continues to plague many brands. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s now a new scam to beware of: ‘ghost stores’ placing targeted ads on social media platforms, tricking consumers into buying heavily marked-up counterfeit gear under the pretence of ‘closing down’ sales.
This first popped up on our radar back in October 2024, when Escape Collective was alerted to a website for a store called ‘Molly Cycles’, claiming to be based in Adelaide. Their ads had been popping up on social media platforms with paid ad placements, claiming that “after many fantastic years with our family-run sports shop in Adelaide, we’ve made the decision to start a new chapter”.
Clicking through, you’d find an assortment of cycling clothing claiming to be from big-name brands like Rapha and Specialized, along with WorldTour team kit, Grand Tour-branded promo gear, even bicycle helmets. The prices looked appealing – bib and jersey sets for under AU$100 (US$63) – and it was easy enough to see how the unobservant could be taken in. But if you really looked into the details, the deception revealed itself in ways small and large.
Try the following on for size:
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