MalwareTips: tortugabackpacksgift.my copycat store borrowing Tortuga backpacks catalog (not the real Tortuga)
MalwareTips says tortugabackpacksgift.my is a month-old copycat store trading on the Tortuga Adventure Backpacks brand; Tortuga is not involved.
- First reported
- Reports
- 1
Source: malwaretips.com · published
What happened
A MalwareTips investigation published 16 October 2026 says tortugabackpacksgift.my is a fake store built from a copied catalog: it borrows catalog, photos and branding from real brands and stores, none of which runs the site. The domain name and product presentation trade on the genuine Tortuga Adventure Backpacks brand (official store tortugabackpacks.com); Tortuga is not involved. MalwareTips reports the domain was registered on September 17, 2026 (29 days before the check) with the owner hidden behind a privacy service at Dynadot, its SSL certificate was issued September 23, 2026, the MalwareTips scanner gives it a Safety Score of 28/100 (High Risk), and 2 of 93 VirusTotal vendors flag it. It says shoppers arrive via sponsored posts on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok with steep discounts, and orders typically result in nothing, a cheap knockoff, a random cheap item, or further card misuse.
MalwareTips' verdict is that the site is a fake store and that shoppers should not order from it or type a card number into its checkout. It notes that the site looks normal on a phone, which makes the copied pages easy to miss.
How the scam works
MalwareTips says the same script runs across hundreds of copycat stores. A sponsored Facebook, Instagram or TikTok post uses photos and videos taken from real brands, with an urgent caption such as an anniversary sale, a warehouse clearance or "we're closing our stores", and comments turned off or full of short praise. The site copies product photos, descriptions, branding, menus and "free returns" badges, but the business name, address and customer service are missing or lead nowhere. Countdown timers, "only 3 left" badges and bundle offers push shoppers to pay quickly and spend more.
After payment comes an ordinary-looking confirmation email; tracking, if it appears, often never moves, stays at "label created" or shows delivery to the wrong city, while the window to dispute the charge shrinks. Whatever arrives is usually a cheap imitation, or a token item mailed only to create a "delivered" record that is later used to refuse refunds. Support stalls, then offers 20% back or a return to China at the buyer's expense, and the operators move the same catalog to a new name and domain.
Source
MalwareTips, "Tortugabackpacksgift.my EXPOSED - Real or Fake Store? Investigation" (16 October 2026).
Red flags
- A store address that isn't the brand's own domain or a retailer the brand names.
- Big markdowns (e.g. $39 for a $180 item) with countdown timers or 'closing sale' banners.
- No registered company name, tax number or physical address in the footer or legal pages.
- Support limited to a contact form or a free email address.
- Returns that must be shipped to China at your expense.
If you were targeted
- 1Don't order from the site or type your card number into its checkout.
- 2Find the brand's official website through your own search and buy there or from retailers it lists.
- 3If you've paid, contact your card issuer at once to dispute the charge and ask for a new card.
- 4Watch your statements for further charges you didn't make.
- 5Report the site: in the U.S. at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, elsewhere to your national consumer or cybercrime agency.