Alert: Scams Targeting Shoe & Sportswear Shoppers

Protecting Our Customers: How to Spot and Avoid Scam Websites

The world of counterfeit and scam online platforms is nothing new, but scam artists are becoming increasingly creative and sophisticated in their tactics to deceive online shoppers.

Given the rising popularity of premium branded footwear, sportswear, and sporting equipment in South Africa, leading brands are investing significant resources to defend their intellectual property and reputations. Many South African consumers are being misled into thinking they are purchasing authentic goods from authorised retailers—only to fall victim to fraud.

Tifosi Sports, the official distributor of the On brand in South Africa, is one of those brands committed to customer safety. The company works tirelessly to protect the integrity of the On brand and to educate consumers about the risks of buying from scam resellers.

Caroline Greyling, Chief Operating Officer of Tifosi Sports, explains: “We’ve known for over 18 months that various scam websites falsely present themselves as the official On brand store in South Africa. They use domain names with terms like ‘onshoes’, ‘onrunning’, or ‘oncloud’ followed by ‘southafrica’ to create a false sense of authenticity. Combined with copycat branding and product images, these websites are convincing—but fraudulent.”

Further research indicates that other premium running brands—such as Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Hoka One One, Nike, and Saucony—are also under attack. Their brand identities are being misused on unauthorised websites and social media pages targeting South African consumers.

Greyling adds: “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. We urge consumers to research before making purchases—especially when asked to share credit card information.”

Some quick checks to protect yourself include:

• Look for a valid business address on the website.
• Be cautious of unbelievably low prices and huge discounts.
• Contact our Blairgowrie, Johannesburg office to verify a seller.
• Read online reviews via Google or Trustpilot for user feedback.

Spending just a few minutes verifying a website could save you from financial loss—and ensure you buy from an authorised seller who will deliver your On products safely and promptly.

Tifosi Sports and On (Zurich) remain vigilant, continually working to identify and shut down fraudulent websites and social media pages. Recent successes include the takedown of several imposter URLs. We are actively collaborating with local and international domain registry partners to stop these scams at their source.

This website is the official distributor platform for all On shoes and apparel in South Africa.