Why Enable Clone Detection?
Clone sites are fake stores that copy your design, products, and branding. They steal your customers by:
- Taking payments and never shipping
- Damaging your brand reputation
- Stealing your SEO investment
SecurEcommerce detects clones so you can act quickly.
Step 1: Access Clone Detection Settings
- Log into your Shopify admin
- Open the SecurEcommerce app
- Click Clone Detection in the sidebar
Step 2: Enable the Canary Token System
The canary token is an invisible tracker embedded in your store:
- Click Enable Canary Token
- The token is automatically embedded in your store
- No visible changes to your site
When anyone copies your store, the token “phones home” revealing the clone.
Step 3: Configure DNSTwist Monitoring
DNSTwist scans for typosquat domains:
- In Clone Detection settings, find Domain Monitoring
- Click Enable Typosquat Scanning
- We’ll automatically scan for variations of your domain
Variations checked include:
- Typos (yourstore.com → yoursotre.com)
- Different TLDs (.com → .co, .net, .shop)
- Homoglyphs (look-alike characters)
- Added/removed characters
Step 4: Set Up Alerts
Configure how you’re notified:
- Navigate to Alert Settings
- Choose notification method:
- Email alerts (recommended)
- In-app notifications
- Set alert sensitivity:
- High: Alert on any suspicious domain
- Medium: Alert on likely threats
- Low: Alert only on confirmed clones
We recommend starting with Medium sensitivity.
Understanding Risk Scores
When we detect a potential clone, we assign a risk score (0-100):
| Score | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30 | Low risk | Monitor |
| 31-60 | Medium risk | Investigate |
| 61-80 | High risk | Take action |
| 81-100 | Critical | Immediate action |
Risk factors include:
- Domain registration age
- Content similarity
- Hosting infrastructure
- Google Web Risk data
What Happens When a Clone Is Detected
- You receive an alert with clone details
- Risk score helps prioritize response
- Recommendations guide your next steps
- Reporting tools help you take action
Verifying Setup
To confirm clone detection is working:
- Check dashboard shows Clone Detection: Active
- Review Monitoring Status for your domain
- Confirm alert settings are saved
Next Steps
With clone detection enabled:
- Monitor your dashboard for alerts
- Learn how to respond when a clone is detected
- Review your security score regularly
Troubleshooting
Canary token not showing as active?
- Check you’re on Basic plan or higher
- Try disabling and re-enabling
- Contact support if issue persists
Not receiving alerts?
- Verify email address is correct
- Check spam folder
- Confirm alert settings are saved