Online shopping scams use fake stores, fraudulent listings, and misleading deals to steal money or personal information.
Scammers may:
These scams can appear in social media advertisements, online marketplaces, search results, and unsolicited messages. Knowing the warning signs can help you avoid losing money.
A legitimate retailer provides clear product details, transparent pricing, and understandable shipping and return policies. You can independently verify the business and use a recognized checkout process with appropriate payment protections.
A scammer advertises an expensive product at an unusually low price and pressures you to buy immediately. The website may use copied product photos, fake reviews, or a misleading domain. After payment, the product may never arrive, or your payment information may be misused.
Remember: a professional-looking website or a large discount does not prove that a seller is legitimate.
Scammers create convincing offers to gain your trust and get you to pay. They may then disappear, send counterfeit products, or misuse the information you provide.
You find a product through an advertisement, marketplace listing, email, or unfamiliar online store. The price may seem unusually low, or the seller may claim that only a few items remain.
The seller encourages you to buy quickly. You may be directed to a fake checkout page, asked to pay outside the marketplace, or prompted to enter personal and payment information.
The product never arrives, a counterfeit item is delivered, or the seller stops responding. In some cases, the scammer may also misuse your payment details or other personal information.
Online shopping scams can appear in many places, including:
Anyone shopping online can encounter a scam. Scammers may target people looking for:
However, anyone can fall victim, regardless of their shopping experience.
If an online store or product listing seems suspicious, take these steps:
Remember: one warning sign alone does not prove fraud. Check several details and independently verify the seller before making a purchase.
Contact your payment provider as soon as possible. Available protections and dispute deadlines vary depending on the payment method and provider.
Look for multiple warning signs, such as unrealistic prices, missing contact information, suspicious website addresses, unclear policies, and unusual payment requests. Research the business independently and verify its official website before purchasing.
No. HTTPS encrypts the connection between your browser and the website, but it does not prove that the seller is legitimate. Scam websites can use HTTPS too.
Contact the seller using verified contact information, but do not let repeated excuses delay action. Contact your payment provider promptly to ask about dispute options, and report the listing if you suspect fraud.
An unfamiliar store is not automatically a scam, but it deserves extra scrutiny. Verify the business, look for independent reviews, check its policies, and use a payment method with appropriate buyer protections.
