~/scams explained / how-to-spot-a-fake-online-shop
How to spot a fake online shop
Fake shops look like real online stores but never deliver, or send only counterfeits. They lure you with unusually low prices and mostly demand payment in advance.
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How the scam works
- An ad or search result shows a popular product at a price far below the usual one.
- The site looks professional, uses well-known brand names and pictures, and adds pressure with phrases such as "only a few left".
- At checkout, mostly only advance payment or bank transfer is offered, rarely payment on invoice or with buyer protection.
- After you pay, no goods arrive, or something completely different does. Nobody answers your questions any more.
- Sometimes card details are also collected and misused later.
How to spot it
- The price is far below what other sellers ask.
- A complete legal notice (imprint) is missing, or the details look false or unclear.
- Only advance payment or bank transfer is offered, with no safe alternatives.
- The reviews look suspiciously alike, overly positive or hard to verify.
- The shop is very new, and the name of its address resembles that of a well-known shop.
- There is strong time pressure, for example a countdown or "last chance".
What to do now
- Compare the price with other sellers and be suspicious of extremely low prices.
- Check the legal notice: company name, address and contact details should look complete and genuine.
- Search independently for experiences with the shop, for example together with the word "scam".
- If possible, pay with a method that offers buyer protection, and never only by advance payment to strangers.
- Do not enter data based on first impressions; leave the site if something feels wrong.
Already clicked or paid?
- If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider straight away, using the number on your card, and ask about a chargeback.
- If you entered card details, have the card blocked and check your transactions.
- Change your password if you use it on other services too, and keep order confirmations and screenshots.
- Report it to the police and inform a consumer protection organisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is a very low price always a fake shop?
No, but it is a strong warning sign. Then check the legal notice, payment methods and other people's experiences especially carefully.
Is a legal notice enough to trust the shop?
No. Fake shops also show one. Check whether the details are consistent and whether there are independent reports about the shop.
Will I get my money back?
That cannot be promised. The faster you inform your bank or payment provider, the better the chance that a payment can still be stopped or recovered.
More scams
- Fake parcel text: "Delivery failed"
- Fake bank email: "Account locked" and "renew your security method"
- Fake PayPal email: "Account limited" and "suspicious payment"
- Fake Amazon email: order, Prime, locked account or refund
- "Hi Mum, new number": the WhatsApp scam with the fake child
- Classified ads scam: the fake buyer with the "secure payment link"
- Prize draw scam: why "You have won" is often a trap
- Fake Microsoft support: the phone call and virus pop-up scam
- Fake bank employee call: when the bank seems to be calling
- Crypto investment scam: fake ads with famous faces
- Tax refund phishing: fake emails from authorities
General advice, not legal advice. If you lost money, involve your bank and the police.