Fake online retail shop removed from the web

Canberra, 12 September 2017: An online retail shop representing itself as an official site of the Australian Army – “www.TheAustralianArmy.com” – has been removed from the web. This site was not supported by the Australian Army or associated with the Australian Army.

The official and endorsed online retail facility www.ArmyShop.com.au has been in operation since 2008 and supports Army Relief Trust Fund that provides loans and grants to Army personnel. Army Shop is operated by BrandNet Pty Ltd which has its base of operations in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

Managing Director of the BrandNet which operates the Canberra-based Army Shop, Stephen Davie, says his team has been fielding many enquiries since June 2017 from people who had ordered, but not received, goods from the bogus site. “We raised the alarm with Army when we first saw the site. It used the Rising Sun and Army brand and was voiced in such a way that it implied it was linked to Australia’s Army community,” he said. 

“Unfortunately, I think many people thought that because it was an official-looking site it was in some way linked to us or directly to Army. While it is good that it has been taken offline I think it will be of little consolation to the hundreds who have probably lost their money on products they’ll likely never see.”

When shopping online it is often difficult to be certain who you are dealing with. The online site checker, www.scamadviser.com is one of a number of sites that can provide a quick scan to check a site’s credibility. A Scam Adviser check of TheAustralianArmy.com said the site was “New site with limited or hidden information” and that although registered in Canada, the actual location was also hidden. The same Scam Adviser check on www.ArmyShop.com.au returned a “High Trust Rating”. 

Army Shop’s retail outlet and warehouse is located in Fyshwick, Canberra, within 10 minutes of the Department of Defence Headquarters at Russell. 

Be secure when you order from Army Shop that you are dealing with the experts.