Online Shopping Scams: How to Avoid Purchase Fraud

Before paying a seller found through a social post, marketplace listing, or unfamiliar shop, separate the product claim from the payment risk. A low price and a convincing product photograph can be copied; the seller’s independent history and return route still need checking.

Where Purchase Scams Happen

• Social media marketplaces (Facebook Marketplace, Instagram shops) — fake sellers with stolen product photos
• Classified ad sites (Gumtree, eBay) — fraudulent listings for high-value items like cars, electronics, and concert tickets
• Fake e-commerce websites — professional-looking stores that take payment and disappear
• Ticket fraud — fake tickets for sold-out events

How to Spot a Fake Online Shop

Check	Red Flag
Domain age	Site registered recently (check with WHOIS)
Prices	Significantly below market value
Payment methods	Only accepts bank transfer or cryptocurrency
Contact details	No phone number, no physical address
Reviews	No reviews, or only 5-star reviews posted on the same day
Returns policy	No clear returns or refund policy

Protecting Yourself

Always pay by credit card or PayPal when buying online — these offer the strongest consumer protections. Bank transfers offer almost no protection once the money has left your account. Check the seller's feedback history carefully. If a deal seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Check the shop before paying

Check the exact shop URL in ScammersCheck, then compare the business details with independently sourced information and the platform’s buyer protections. Do not treat HTTPS, a recent review, or a checker result as proof that a seller will deliver. Keep payment and identity details out of the text you submit.

Source note: Safer next steps are consistent with Citizens Advice guidance on online scams and Report Fraud.