Fake Smith & Caughey’s advertisements have appeared online slightly over a week after the business closed its doors.
The iconic store had earlier declared it would be closing after 145 years, with its final day originally set for July 31.
However, after a clearance sale, the majority of the remaining inventory has been purchased, leaving the store with mostly empty shelves.
Acting chief executive Matt Harray described the closing-down sale as “exceptionally successful” and far better than anticipated. The store’s closure date has been moved to Sunday, June 15.
Fraudulent Ads
The series of fake Smith & Caughey’s ads appeared on Instagram as sponsored posts, promoting the store’s closing-down sale and showcasing items like clothing, an espresso machine, and towels. One post claimed “up to 85% off,” while another boasted “best prices you’ll see all year.”
These posts linked to a fraudulent website named “Vadends” operating under the fake domain “smithandcaugheys-nz.com,” misleading shoppers into believing they were legitimate offers.
The official Smith and Caughey’s said it is no longer running any advertisements and has stopped selling stocks.
Harray acknowledged awareness of the fake websites and confirmed that the matter had been reported to the relevant authorities.
He also encourages the public to report any scams to Meta and to notify their banks immediately if they suspect they have entered personal or payment information on a fraudulent website.