Online shopping scams consist of hackers that wear the mask of a trusted online seller, either by using fake website, fake ad on a genuine seller website.

How do the scammers do this?

As most the online sellers are trustworthy, some of the scammers use the anonymous behavior of internet to exploit the customers.

Modern technology has enhanced the scammers to setup a fake retail website that look like a genuine one. They steal the logos of the established online sellers to make sophisticated designs and layout so that they can trick the customers easily. They even use the domain names of the same trusted sellers. Thus, the customer finds it difficult to identify the original from the duplicate.

In the case of a hacked shopped websites, you may find clothing, equipment and other useful products at a cheaper rate. And even they put up fake offers to attract the customers. But once someone orders from these websites, they may receive a low quality product or nothing at all.

The hackers use the customers to transfer funds in the form of money orders, pre-ordered money card or even wire transaction. In most of the cases, cash on delivery method will not be available for these websites.

Social media plays a major role for setting up a fake platform to attract the customers. The attackers create fake ads about their store in social media that grabs the attention of the users. Once the user gets flattered and shop from these websites, within a few purchases the shop disappears.

Never trust a website by just merely seeing an ad on social media. These are the traps hackers set to fool the users.

Go through the reviews of every website that you find suspicious. In this way you can detect a fake trader and fake online shopping scams.

Understanding the trap

The first and the most attractive criteria of a fake seller is the advertisement they put on webpages. They display the products at an unbelievable low price with amazing benefits. At one glance, this appears to be so genuine with good features.

Once someone falls for this trap, they demand for online payment or other electronic payments to buy the product. They offer fake vouchers in return for the online transactions. Even give aways are offered for up-front payment through wire service.

Social media stores are becoming more popular these days. They appear to be cheap and affordable when compared to other trusted online stores. But once you go deep into their policies and delivery, limited information will be available.

A fake store may not have a proper privacy policy and terms & conditions. There will be no provision to contact them directly. Also, the seller location will be hidden.

In these types of attacks, the seller does not allow you to do transactions via trusted applications like Gpay, PhonePe, Paypal or credit card transactions.

The authorities are bringing changes to the technology that can withstand e-commerce frauds so as to protect people from financial loses.

The major types of e-commerce frauds include credit card fraud, identity theft, charge backs and bogus returns. Both customers and merchants are affected by these frauds.

Prevention protocol

• Shop from trusted sites, using their application. Do not use search engines to shop products as the scammers can get your search results and this may prove fatal.
• Compare the price rates of product between more than one shopping sites. Do not fall for fake discount offers or cheap price rates. Analyze the basic price range of the product you are about to buy.
• When it comes to an unfamiliar product or brand, check for the reviews before ordering. Check for the scam reports or complaint comments registered under the brand.
• Unless it is not a trusted site, do not pay funds through online transactions. Even if they offer you gift cards or vouchers, do not do wire transactions. Check for the cash on delivery option to be safer.
• Never believe a website based on their encryption. Scammers cam use encryption like https:// in their URL to make their sites more trustworthy.
• Never provide more of your personal information to the seller. There are chances that they may exploit them. The only information required is the billing information and the delivery address.