Cloned Websites Warning: How to Stay Safe When Buying Insurance Online

Spoofed websites are on the rise – and insurance providers, such as ourselves, are increasingly being targeted. These fake sites are designed to look just like real ones, tricking people into handing over personal details or buying bogus policies.

That’s why we’re sharing this important warning about cloned insurance websites – including how to spot them, how to stay protected, and what action we’ve taken at GoShorty in response.

What is a Cloned Website?

A cloned website is a fake copy of a legitimate one. It mimics the layout, branding, and even wording of the real thing to fool visitors into thinking it’s genuine.
The aim? To trick people into:

• Entering personal information.
• Submitting payment details.
• Buying a fake or invalid insurance policy.

These sites often look convincing at a glance, which is why knowing what to watch out for is so important. If you unknowingly use a fake clone website, you will be left uninsured, and your personal and payment details will have been compromised.

Cloned Websites to Watch Out For

As part of our ongoing brand monitoring, we recently discovered a cloned version of our site. A misleading and unofficial copy of our real site, goshorty.co.uk.

The fake site has copied key design elements, colours and text to appear genuine. At first glance, it looks like us – but it definitely isn’t.

Important: This cloned site has no connection to GoShorty. No customer data was accessed or at risk. Our website, systems and customer records remain fully secure. They have only cloned design elements from our site.

Many other legitimate temporary insurance firms and other legitimate sites have been victims of cloning. For a full list of cloned financial services sites and FCA unauthorised sites to watch out for, review the FCA unauthorised sites list.

How We Responded

As soon as we identified the fake site, we acted quickly. Our internal security team followed strict response protocols, including:

• Reporting the domain to the Financial Conduct Authority and Insurance Fraud Bureau.
• Filing a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown request with the web host.
• Increasing checks within our customer support process.
• Taking legal and regulatory steps to remove the site from the internet.

You can read more about this case in this Insurance Age article: ‘GoShorty urges vigilance after uncovering website clone.’

While the takedown is still in progress – and these things can take time – our top priority is keeping our customers safe.

Was My Data Affected?

No, your data is completely safe.

Cloned websites only copy the look of a site – they do not and cannot access our systems or customer records.

• If you bought a policy directly through goshorty.co.uk, you’re protected and your details are secure.
• If you’re unsure whether you used the real site, get in touch with us directly. We’ll confirm your policy and help with anything you need.

How to Check a Website is Legit

Fake sites can be convincing, but a few quick checks can help you stay safe online:

• Check the URL – Our official domain is goshorty.co.uk if you’re purchasing temporary insurance with us, the web address shown in your browser will always end in goshorty.co.uk. Watch out for extra dashes, different endings (like .co instead of .co.uk), or minor spelling differences.
• Search the FCA Register – Make sure the company is authorised using the FCA Firm Checker. You can find our FCA registration here; it also warns about identified clone versions of our site, so you can always be sure you’re using the right one.
• Explore the site – Genuine sites include detailed pages like About Us, Insurance Partners, and Regulators, not just pages pushing you to purchase.
• Trust your instincts – If something feels off – blurry logos, urgent messaging, etc – close the tab and contact the company directly.

Still unsure? Our team is here to help. Just reach out, and we’ll confirm everything with you.

A Message from Our Managing Director

Phil Evans, Managing Director – “Spoofed websites, ghost broking and other such scams are a constant threat to not only the insurance industry, but to consumers who put their trust in online sites. We will not tolerate misuse or misrepresentation of our brand and will always pursue whatever avenues are open to us to have such threats removed. We urge consumers to always be vigilant when using financial services websites and purchasing products at risk of being targeted by scammers, such as temporary car insurance. Check the domain name is correct, check the site is secure, and always get in touch with the organisation directly if something doesn’t look right.”

Final Tip: Always Start at goshorty.co.uk

The safest way to buy temporary insurance is to go directly to goshorty.co.uk.

You can get a quote in under two minutes, and we email all your policy documents directly to you, straight away.

If you’re ever unsure about a website or want to double-check your policy, reach out. We’re here to give you the peace of mind you need and keep you comprehensively insured whenever you’re in need of a short-term policy.