A fake "Hawaii Invasive Species Council" website is tricking Hawaii residents into thinking it's the real state program meant to fight invasive pests.

• A real state-run Hawaii Invasive Species Council has existed since 2002, but a near-identical fake site, with a similar green circular logo, is now circulating and only a close look reveals a disclaimer that it's not official.
• The fake site traces back to Daniel Anthony, a Native Hawaiian environmentalist and activist who recently ran for lieutenant governor as a Republican; the site claims the state isn't doing enough on invasive species despite millions spent while pests like frogs, ants, and beetles persist.
• The mix-up is risky because the state's real reporting system, now run by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, is where people need to report pests like beetles, frogs, and ants, and the fake site could send reports to the wrong place.
• Anthony also runs a company called Aloha Organics with a similar name, pushing organic, chemical-free pest approaches, raising questions about whether the site is partly aimed at selling his own products.

Outlook: The fake site remains live, so confusion and misdirected pest reports are likely to continue until officials or Anthony take it down.