Review a clone case
Each clone of your store gets its own case in Recon. The case shows the evidence that the site copies your store, and the reports to send. Read it before you report a fake website, so you know the site really is a copy.
Open a case
- In Recon, open Clones.
- Under Clones of your store, find the site and click View case.
You can also open a case from the Overview. When Recon finds a clone, the Overview shows Clone of your store found with a Review clone button.
Read the evidence
The case page has the reports in the main column and the evidence on the side.
- The clone shows a screenshot of the site and the date Recon took it. Click Full screenshot to see the whole page.
- Below the screenshot, Recon lists when it first saw the site, how many visits it recorded, who hosts the site and who sold the domain.
- Why Recon flagged this site lists what the site copies, such as your product photos, your product names or your store name.
- Click Technical details to see the exact page address, the page title, and the report address of the registrar and the host.
If you are not sure, open the site yourself in a private browser window. Do not buy anything or enter any details there.
Store clone or Possible clone
The badge beside the address tells you how sure Recon is.
- Store clone: Recon confirmed that the site copies your store. These are the cases Recon emails you about and counts on the Overview.
- Possible clone: Recon found one sign of copying, and wants you to look. Possible clones show on the Clones page only. Recon does not email you about them.
Answer “Is it a copy?”
A Possible clone asks you to check the site and answer.
- Click the link that starts with Open and the site’s address. Look at the site.
- Choose one answer:
- Yes, it’s a copy: the case becomes a confirmed clone, and the reports are ready to send.
- No, then It’s not a clone: Recon closes the case. Your answer also helps Recon flag copies more accurately.
- No, then It’s my own site: Recon records the domain as yours and stops mentioning it.
A confirmed Store clone has no question. If it is really your own site, such as a second storefront you have not connected to Recon, click It’s my own site. You can restore a closed case later from History on the Clones page. See Dismiss a case or mark a domain as yours.
Warn shoppers on this site
Some clones show your real store through another address. On those, Recon can add a red bar at the top of the clone: "This is not the official [your store name] website." It links shoppers to your real store, and it never shows on your own domains. It is on every plan, and it is off until you turn it on.
In the Warn shoppers on this site card, click Warn shoppers. To turn it off, click Stop warning. The bar only appears if the site loads your store’s pages. See Warn shoppers on a clone of your store.
Print an evidence pack
The evidence pack is part of the Pro plan. See the plans at https://apps.shopify.com/recon-bot.
On the case page, click Evidence pack. Recon puts the case into one printable document: the screenshot, why Recon flagged the site, who can remove it, and the full text of each report you sent. Use it when a host asks for proof, or to share the case with your lawyer or brand team. On the Free plan, the button reads Evidence pack (Pro) and opens the plans.
Related articles
- Report a clone of your store: send the reports on the case, in order.
- Dismiss a case or mark a domain as yours: close a case that is not a clone.
- Recon Free and Pro plans: what the evidence pack and clone alerts need.