Digital Forensics Dispatch

Scammers Running Fake Online Stores

June 14, 2022

Peter Thompson, of Cyber-Forensics.net, published an article about fake online stores that are being run by fraudsters.

In today’s technologically advanced world, online shopping has become increasingly popular because of the simplicity and the fact that you can order items from the comfort of your home. Scammers are adapting and are now creating fake online shopping stores pretending to sell their products online. This allows them to steal peoples’ money with ease.

According to Thompson, a couple tried to buy a cheap barbeque online for $160 on a clever looking website. The scammer asked the couple to pay using a credit card with a 2.99% fee or with a direct transfer with a 5% discount. Later on, the victim received an email saying their order was cancelled and refunded, but they never received the refund.

As stated by Cyber-Forensics.net, a scam recovery services provider for online scams, says “These scammers use the latest technology to set up a fake retailer website to make it look like a genuine online retail store. Their websites offer low prices for luxury items like branded clothes, shoes, jewelry, or electronics. But when someone orders, they might receive a low-quality product or may not receive anything at all.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported consumers have lost nearly $392 million due to online shopping fraud, which is up from $246 million in 2020.

One of the best ways to make sure a website is legitimate is by checking its reviews. Individuals can also check the website name to determine if it is an actual brand. Also, if the domain name consists of random letters and numbers, that is usually a red flag as well.

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