Gibraltar warns of fake websites | Scam alert

Found a Gibraltar rack at a price that looks too good to be true? It probably is.

Gibraltar Hardware has warned drummers about websites pretending to be Gibraltar and advertising its products for sale. Here is what it said, and how to avoid getting caught.

What Gibraltar said

The sites use Gibraltar’s name, product photos and descriptions to look legitimate. They are not run by Gibraltar or connected to it in any way.

Gibraltar says it is working with the relevant service providers to get the sites taken down. In the meantime, it has two requests:

• Check the address. The official site is gibraltarhardware.com, exactly. Fake sellers pick names that sound very close.
• Report anything suspicious to contact@gibraltarhardware.com. That covers websites, social media ads and online stores. Screenshots and links help most.

How to spot a fake drum shop

This isn’t just a Gibraltar problem. Copycat shops turn up across music retail, and hardware suits them well because stands and racks are easy to photograph and hard to judge from a picture. A few checks that take seconds:

• The price is silly. Thrones and rack systems don’t suddenly sell at 70% off.
• The URL is almost right. Extra words, odd spellings, or a domain ending that isn’t what you expected.
• The payment is odd. Bank transfer only, or no card or PayPal option. Card and PayPal payments give you a way to get your money back.
• The shop can’t be found anywhere else. No reviews, no phone number, no address.

If in doubt, buy from a dealer you know. If you buy second-hand, stick to marketplaces with buyer protection. Our guide to buying used drums online covers the safe places.

Final thoughts

A dull story, but a useful one. Gibraltar makes the sort of hardware that sits under half the kits in the country, and nobody wants to lose £150 on a rack that never arrives.

Bookmark the real address, and if you’re shopping for stands this autumn, our Tama Spartan hardware kit story is a good place to start.