fake shopping websites in india

Buying Guides

5 Ways To Report Online Fraud in Shopping in India

December 2, 2022

Online shopping has become a very common practice in today’s Digital Era, and it got a further boost ever since the pandemic began. India’s e-commerce festive sale season from October 15 to November 15 in 2020 recorded Rs. 58,000 crore (US$ 8.3 billion) worth of gross sales for brands and sellers, up 65% from Rs. 35,000 crore (US$ 5 billion) last year.

With this rise in online shopping, the rate of online fraud has also increased by 28.3% (according to a study by TransUnion) as people including celebrities (recently Mira Rajput was seen posting about a wrong product delivery) posted about defective, wrong products, and many other issues with their shopping orders. Today we will be sharing various ways to report Online Fraud, so as to get the issue sorted out as soon as possible.

Also, Read | Get Refund If Someone Sold You Fake Samsung TV, Big Fraud Exposed

5 Ways to Report Online Shopping Fraud in India

Expiry date
Return & refund
Warranty and guarantee
Delivery and shipment, modes of payment
Grievance redressal mechanism
Payment methods
Security of payment methods
Charge-back options

Also, Read | 5 Quick Easy Tips to Identify Fraud Emails in Your Inbox

Reaching out to Customer Care

Using Social Media in the Right Way

Also, Read | 3 Easy Ways to Report Cyber Crime in India; Everything You Should Know

Contact Consumer Helpline

Visit the NCH Website
Dial 1800114000 OR 1800114404 (Toll-Free) [9:30 AM to 5:30 PM]
Send an SMS on 8130009809 (SMS charges apply)
Lodge a complaint via:

NCH App Consumer App UMANG App

Also, Read | [Working ] 3 Ways To Get Refund from Google Play Store for Fraud Transactions, We Tell You

File an FIR and Reach Cyber Cell

Also, Read | 3 Ways to Get Refund If You Get Fake Product From Amazon or Flipkart

Other Helpful Platforms

Voxya – Helps to File complaints, launch a social media campaign, or send a legal notice on your behalf
ICRPC – International Consumer Rights Protection Council, is also another Fee-based service.
I Am Cheated – They contact the concert company on your behalf and follow up until the issue gets resolved.
Money Life Foundation – It is another portal to get help regarding any consumer issue.
Mouth Shut – It is a portal to find and write reviews about any product or service.

Also, Read | [Working] Trick To Get Refund for In-App Purchase Payments On Google Play Store

Things to keep in mind while Online Shopping

Shop from only well-recognized shopping websites
Don’t fall for any unknown or new website for a cheaper deal
Check out the rating of the product, along with user reviews on the portal
Always check the return or refund policy for the product, before buying
Compare the price on other well-known shopping portals
Always make a video of unboxing your package, including the outer packing. It works as proof to strengthen your case and helps to get the issue resolved quickly.
The complaint if required needs to be filed within 2 years from date fraud, deficiency in service, or defect in goods has arisen or detected

Also, Read | 5 Ways to Check Any Product Price History on Amazon (2022)

According to the New Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the government has also asked all e-commerce firms to ensure that complaints are acknowledged within 48 hours and redressed within one month. I hope with these ways, you will get the issue resolved as soon as possible. You can also reach out to us on Twitter at GadgetsToUse or Abhishek , so we can help you amplify the issue at our capacity.

You can also follow us for instant tech news at Google News or for tips and tricks, smartphones & gadgets reviews, join GadgetsToUse Telegram Group or for the latest review videos subscribe GadgetsToUse Youtube Channel.

Gaurav Sharma

As an editor, Gaurav ensures the delivery of quality-rich, detailed, and accurate content tailored to the right audience. His three years of experience as a reviewer allow him to provide comprehensive evaluations of various consumer gadgets. On the video front, Gaurav serves as a video production manager for both long and short formats and anchors short videos at GadgetsToUse.

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10,000 people duped of Rs 25 crore in 3 years using fake shopping websites, 5 arrested

The delhi police cyber cell unit has arrested five people after busting a scam in which multiple fake e-commerce websites were used to dupe more than 10,000 people of rs 25 crore over three years..

Listen to Story

10,000 people duped of Rs 25 crore in 3 years using fake shopping websites, 5 arrested

MODUS OPERANDI OF THE ACCUSED

The accused created more than 60 fake shopping websites for electronic goods and clothing. Some of these include ‘Bookmytab’, ‘The Ripped Jeans’, ‘Dailyposhak’, ‘Denimtee’ and ‘Femidukan’.

They promoted these websites online using aggressive digital marketing tools and search engine optimization techniques. When netizens looking to buy electronic gadgets or clothes searched for the same online, they were directed to these websites.

HOW DID DELHI POLICE BUST THE SCAM?

The Delhi Police’s CyPAD (Cyber Prevention Awareness & Detection Centre) received multiple complaints in which people alleged that they had ordered tablets from the website ‘www.bookmytab.com’ but never received their products despite having made an advance payment. They further stated that their efforts to contact the website to get a refund had all gone in vain.

On receipt of these complaints, the Delhi Police cyber cell scanned the website concerned and a web search for more complaints against www.bookmytab.com was conducted. It was learnt that the said website was being used to dupe people on a large scale. Several complaints of the same kind were found online on different fora.

A police team was formed and a technical investigation initiated into the case. The team analysed the mobile phone numbers and established money trails. Taking assistance from CyPAD labs, the location of the accused was zeroed in on.

The police team then conducted a raid at the location of main accused Vijay Arora. Incriminating material was recovered from his office, including inferior quality products. He was arrested.

Subsequently, the operations managers and campaign manager involved in search engine optimisation were also arrested. A total of five people have been arrested.

ALSO READ: Pushpa, Sarkaru Vaari Paata makers file complaint with Cyber Crime Cell after scenes leaked online ALSO READ: Online investment racket busted by Telangana Police, 2 arrested Published By: Tarini Mehta Published On: Aug 18, 2021 --- ENDS ---

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A big List of fake fraud shopping website in India.

Long list of fake ecommerce shopping websites in india.

They have looted millions of rupees from Indian buyers. Beware of them and do not trust them or shop at their website.

Big list of e-commerce fraud websites (Updated : 20th Oct 2021)

Wenzye https://www.wenzye.com https://www.instagram.com/wenzyedotcom [email protected] Phone : 7572801094
Wear Your Glamour https://wearyourglamour.com https://www.instagram.com/wear_your_glamour [email protected] Phone : 8690006778
DeckUp https://www.deckup.in Phone : 9440007981
Style Guru Shop https://styleguru.shop [email protected]
The Cloth Ero https://theclothero.in [email protected]
Label Suit https://www.labelsuit.com [email protected] Phone : 8238769264
Trendy Western https://trendywestern.com [email protected]
Famous Feets https://famousfeets.com [email protected] [email protected]
Three Dot Store https://threedotstore.com [email protected] [email protected]
Keveshop https://keveshop.com [email protected] Phone : 9330815986
PAN India https://www.panind.com Phone : 8800883920
SEBI Refunds https://sebirefunds.org Phone : 9663136943
BodyFitPrime https://bodyfitprime.com [email protected] Phone : 7506698471
GoSlay http://www.goslay.in [email protected]
SariBox https://www.saribox.com https://www.facebook.com/saribox1 [email protected]
Caseitup https://caseitup.in [email protected]
Rajsimran https://www.rajsimran.com [email protected]
Qsporty https://qsporty.com [email protected]
Intajio https://www.intajio.com [email protected] Phone : 7290890437
Goslay http://www.goslay.in [email protected]
Feskur https://feskur.com [email protected] Phone : 8141689792
Zapvi https://zapvi.in [email protected] Phone : 6351212822, 6351265241
Sugdeal http://sugdeal.com [email protected] Phone : 8733062235
Ant Girl Collection https://antgirlcollection.com [email protected] Phone : 9064298478, 7679336134, 7077796855, 8927900489
Mahiyaran Fab https://www.mahiyaranfab.com [email protected] Phone : 9978885886, 7801966659
All Eyes Over Here https://alleyesoverhere.business.site/ https://www.facebook.com/alleyesoverhere/ https://instagram.com/all_eyes_over_here/ https://twitter.com/alleyesoverher2 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpS-m1Z6EhdjRtY-VaLkJw Phone : 9152785181, 9112817911, 9619797026
Aldrado https://www.aldrado.com/
Ethnik Mall https://ethnikmall.com
Mindhol https://mindhol.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Clothing–Brand-/Mindhol-Fab-104890714227092/
Wilka https://wilka.in
Hayesa https://www.hayesa.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hayesa.official/
Womenclothestudio https://womenclothestudio.com https://www.facebook.com/Womenclothestudio-115160126546439/
Misrifab https://misrifab.com https://www.facebook.com/misrifab007/
Readydeals https://readydeals.com
Stribhava https://stribhava.com https://www.facebook.com/stribhava/
Saree Buket https://sareebucket.com
Kikree https://www.facebook.com/KikreeShopping/
EthnicClap https://ethnicclap.com https://www.facebook.com/EthnicClap/
Aarvi fab https://aarvifab.com https://www.facebook.com/Aarvi-Fab-494781337939564/
Ajmera fashion https://ajmerafashion.com https://www.facebook.com/AjmeraFashion/
Fabbazar https://fabbazar.com https://www.facebook.com/Fabbazaronline/
Wootiq https://wootiq.com https://www.facebook.com/wootiq/
Arrival fit https://arrivalsfit.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Clothing-Store/Arrival-Fit-372410276811760/
Mettimo https://mettimo.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Women-s-Clothing-Store/Mettimo-2450529421833439/
Sarideal https://sarideal.in https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Women-s-Clothing-Store/Sari-Deal-1157268201088883/
Instakurti https://instakurti.in https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Clothing–Brand-/Instakurti-109935783719834/
Wittycart https://wittycart.com https://www.facebook.com/wittycart
House of lehengas https://houseoflehengas.com
Nareevastra https://nareevastra.com
Ladybazaar https://ladybaazar.com https://www.facebook.com/LADY-BAZAAR-1644780432478228/
Swisholic https://swisholic.in https://www.facebook.com/SwisholicDotCom https://www.instagram.com/swisholic
Fashion IP http://fashionbip.com
M WAY SHOP https://mwayshop.in
Solo Luxury https://www.sololuxury.co.in
The Pocket https://m.thepoket.com Phone : 7074269171, 8014242752

Also watch for these below names as they are fake!

Fashion2ware
Menka Urvashi
Simply Shirtstore
Google Pay Scams
Airtel Scam
Flipkart Scam
Amazon Scams
Modicare Scams
Safe Shop Scams
Infosys Scams
Naaptol Scams
Internet Scams
Paypal Fraud
Homigo Fraud

How we have identified these Scams?

The list is compiled based on inputs from our users. If you are a website/phone owner and think that your details are wrongly included please contact us so that we can remove you. We have taken below factors into consideration while categorizing a website as Scam :

Online Consumer Complaints You can search in Google about these ecommerce websites and you will easily find a lot of complaints for them on internet. So, if you see lots of complaints against any company then that surely means something is not right. Mostly all these complaints are either about the poor quality of the product or delivering no product even after confirmed order. The modus operandi of these Scam websites is to grab money and do nothing or deliver a low quality or duplicate product against the money charged.
Owner Information & Contact Details The second most important thing is to check for the contact details of the websites. We are unable to find any contact details of the company or are only seeing incomplete/fake address at their websites. Sometimes, they only provide a mobile phone number and email at their website, which they use to lure and scam people but if they have no address then its better to stay away. Also keep in mind that you can not catch them with their phone number and email. Moreover, we were unable to find the owners details through their Domain Name Whois records, that means that they have made Owners name and contact details hidden by using proxy company, which again is not a good sign.
Low Quality Website All these fake website will have very low quality website design along with low quality (blurred & low resolution) product images. Mostly these images are stolen from other designer blogs or portals. If you will look closely you will find watermarked or copyright information on the images. The website design will be template-based having many non-working links and dummy texts which clearly shows that they are fake. We have checked the texts in important pages like privacy policy, refund policy, about us, terms & conditions etc. and found dummy/irrelevant texts.
Heavy Discounts All these scam website will offer heavy discounts to customers, mostly very low prices compared to other ecommerce websites. Now-a-days many of these scam website offers unbelievable deals which grabs the attention of common people as they love to buy on discounts. Sometimes they show discount codes and coupon codes to their visitors with a timer saying that the deal will be closed within few minutes, just to trap innocent customers.
Social Activity We are unable to find any real activity at their social network accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Google+ etc and many of them do not have any presence on these platforms. But sometimes these scam websites will “buy” fake likes to display large number of likes at their page. But you can easily identify them if you take a close look at customers reviews/comments on these social accounts. Mostly, we found customers complaining about different product, no delivery or fake low quality product, which proves they are scam.

How to stay away from Scams?

It is wisely said, prevention is better than cure. The same is true when it comes to save yourself from fraud / scam websites.

1. Do not fall prey to unbelievable discounts and too-good-to-be-true prices
2. Check our this Scams page before buying products or services
3. If you are receiving an unknown call then 1st search that number in our database to check if that number is already listed on our fraud/scammer database or not
Do read our Safety Guides and Booklet and share with your friends and family.
4. Do watch our every informative video and share these videos to your friends and family so they can be aware of all latest scams in going on and stay safe. Visit our YouTube channel and Subscribe Now!

You have been scammed and want to recover your money?

If you have already been cheated by these scam ecommerce websites then immediately send legal notice to the other party at just Rs.199/ only at SeeYouInCourt.in . Also, you can Talk to Lawyer and know your legal rights and options to recover money.

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Fake alert, beware! Mumbai Police busts bogus online shopping racket, shares list of fraud websites

The mumbai police has cautioned against fake shopping websites asking citizens to remain aware that can harm their hard-earned money..

Mumbai Crime Police shares list of fake shopping websites. (Representational image)

"Don't Fall In The Dark Web Of fake sites! Mumbai Cyber Police arrested an IT expert from Gujarat, busting a fake online shopping racket. Using fake websites selling household items, accused duped 22,000 plus people for more than ₹70 lakh,"

List of fake shopping websites

shopiiee.com
white-stones.in
jollyfashion.in
fabricmaniaa.com
takesaree.com
assuredkart.in
republicsaleoffers.myshopify.com
fabricwibes.com
efinancetic.com
thefabricshome.com
thermoclassic.site

ALSO READ | JEE Aspirants Attention! Beware of fake websites. Read this before fee payment

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Explained: Fake e-commerce reviews, and what can be done to curb them

The centre is planning to develop a framework to curb fake reviews of products on e-commerce websites. what are fake reviews, and why do they pose a big problem how do countries across the world deal with this problem.

The Union government recently said that it plans to develop a framework to curb fake reviews of products on e-commerce websites after studying the “best practices available globally”. This was announced after a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, e-commerce companies, and consumer rights groups on May 29.

In a statement released after the meeting, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) flagged paid and unverified reviews as a challenge, and underlined the need for a framework.

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What are fake reviews and how do countries across the world deal with this problem?

Why do fake reviews pose a big problem?

Fake reviews were defined in a 2015 document of the European Parliament, the highest law-making body of the EU, as: “Any review that is not an actual consumer’s honest and impartial opinion, or that does not reflect a consumer’s genuine experience of a product, service or business.”

The DoCA also quoted a statement of the European Commission from January 20, 2022 which said that more than half of 223 websites screened by them (the Commission) did not follow guidelines on presenting truthful information to consumers.

Talking about the Indian scenario, the statement added, “Given that e-commerce involves a virtual shopping experience without any opportunity to physically view or examine the product, consumers heavily rely on reviews posted on e-commerce platforms to see the opinion and experience of users who have already purchased the goods or service. As a result, due to fake and misleading reviews, the right to be informed, which is a consumer right under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is violated.”

In India, fake reviews pose a threat to the consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Act states that the consumers have a right to be “informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, products or services”.

How much do people rely on online reviews?

The EU documents mention that around 70% to 80% of people in multiple surveys said online reviews play a part in their purchase decision.

With the growth of the e-commerce industry, the need for transparency has increased. In a 2018 report by Kearney, a global management consulting firm, it was estimated that by 2030 the e-commerce sector in India will be valued at $40 billion or more than Rs 3 lakh crore.

In June 2020, e-commerce company Myntra saw over 7 lakh first-time customers during their ‘End of Reason Sale’, a reflection of the growth experienced by the industry.

Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, DoCA, said that in India, ensuring the authenticity of the reviewer and the associated liability of the platform are the two key issues in the fight against fake reviews.

E-commerce players must disclose how they choose the “most relevant reviews” for display on their websites, he added.

Are there different sources of fake reviews?

In the 2015 report, different types of fake review sources were identified. One source is consumers reviewing a product negatively as they may have had unrealistic expectations. Another is service operators, such as hotels or shops, seeking to counteract negative reviews.

The last two types constitute more organised fake reviews – ones written in return of incentives provided by companies like discounts, vouchers, etc., and others that originate through operators that assist companies in managing their online reputation.

As the 2015 European Parliament report says, fake reviews are hard to detect and it is difficult to prove that a reviewer has been paid to provide a false review.

In a 2020 study, the Harvard Business Review said that a large and thriving market for fake reviews was discovered in private Facebook groups in the US.

“Sellers would use these groups to recruit people to purchase their products and leave an authentic-sounding five-star review, and then compensate them…for the cost of the product, any taxes and fees, and in some cases, a $5-10 commission,” reads an excerpt from the study.

It added: “The increase in reviews translated into a significant boost in sales, with these products experiencing an average 12.5% bump in their sales ranks.”.

What can be done to combat this?

Apart from India talking about a framework to tackle the issue, the UK recently said that it will outlaw fake reviews. The European Union covers fake reviews under its Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. Clarifying the directive, it said: “To make enforcement easier it is explicitly provided that selling, buying and submitting false consumer reviews in order to promote products is prohibited. Further, there is now a clear obligation to inform the consumers about the handling of reviews.”

E-commerce websites have also attempted to correct this problem that hurts their credibility.

Amazon says that it uses “machine learning tools and human investigators” to weed out fake reviews. Similarly, Tripadvisor claims to have removed more than 2 million posts from its website in 2019 – about 8% of the total in that year. This was done by using “fraud detection technology” employed by banks, it said.

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Mumbai Police bust fake online shopping racket, share list of 12 fraud websites; check here

According to the Mumbai Cyber Police, the racket has duped over 22,000 people so far for over Rs 70 lakh by selling household items including jewellery, dress materials etc.

By Talibuddin Khan
Published: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 02:58 PM (IST)
Source: JND
Google News

mumbai-police-bust-fake-online-shopping-racket-share-list-of-12-fraud-websites-check-here

Don't Fall In The Dark Web Of Fake Sites! Mumbai Cyber Police arrested an IT expert from Gujarat, busting a fake online shopping racket. Using fake websites selling household items, accused duped 22,000+ people for more than ₹70 lakh. #MumbaiCaseFiles #CyberSafety pic.twitter.com/ehTuZ8EJf2 — Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 19, 2021

Explained: What are various types of online shopping scam and tips to stay safe

Shop from well-known retailers. If you're unfamiliar with a retailer, do some research to make sure they are legitimate.
Be careful about clicking on links in emails or social media ads. If you're unsure about a link, hover over it with your mouse to see where it takes you.
Pay attention to the URL of the website you're shopping on. The URL should be the same as the retailer's website and should start with "https."
Don't enter your personal information on a website that you don't trust. This includes your name, address, phone number, and credit card information.
Beware of deals that are too good to be true. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Use a credit card when shopping online. Credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards.
Keep your computer software up to date. This will help protect you from malware that can steal your personal information.

TOP TRENDING

How to spot fake websites and avoid online shopping scams: A guide for consumers

Before making a purchase, it is a good idea to check for reviews of the website and the products they are selling..

cyber security, online shopping scam, fake website, online scam, phishing attack, cyber attacks, how to spot fake website

Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the years, providing convenience and accessibility for shoppers all over the world. However, with this convenience comes the risk of falling victim to online shopping scams and fake websites. Scammers often create fake websites, emails, or social media accounts that look legitimate but are designed to trick people into providing personal and financial information or to make payments for goods or services that are never delivered

It is important to understand how to spot these fake websites and avoid becoming a victim of online shopping scams.

Check the website’s URL

The first thing you should do when you land on a website is to check the URL. A genuine website will have a URL that is spelled correctly, without any extra characters or misspellings. A fake website, on the other hand, may have a URL that is similar to the genuine website, but with slight variations. For example, a fake website may use “.com” instead of “.co.uk” or “.org” instead of “.com”. Always check the URL carefully before entering any personal information or making a purchase.

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Look for the padlock symbol

The padlock symbol is a sign that the website is secure and has an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. This means that any data you enter on the website is encrypted and cannot be accessed by hackers. If a website does not have a padlock symbol, or if the padlock symbol is broken, it is best to avoid the website and look for another online retailer.

Check for contact details

A genuine website will always have contact details such as a phone number, email address or physical address listed on it. If you cannot find any contact details, it is a sign that the website may not be legitimate. Even if the website does have contact details, it is a good idea to check them out by calling or emailing the company to verify that they are genuine.

Read reviews

Before making a purchase, it is a good idea to check for reviews of the website and the products they are selling. Look for reviews on the website itself, as well as on independent review websites such as Trustpilot or Feefo. If a website has a lot of negative reviews or no reviews at all, it may be best to avoid it and look for another online retailer.

Check for spelling and grammar errors

Fake websites often have spelling and grammar errors on their pages, which is a sign that the website may not be legitimate. Look for errors in the website’s content, as well as in the product descriptions and reviews. If you notice any errors, it is best to avoid the website and look for another online retailer.

Online shopping scams and fake websites can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions. Keeping in mind the tips mentioned, you can enjoy the convenience and accessibility of online shopping while avoiding online shopping scams and fake websites.

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How To Spot A Fake Online Shopping Website And Report It

There was a time when the only way to shop was to go down to a store and buy over the counter. What would one’s biggest worry have been at that time? In terms of crime, you might think about being mugged in the street or leaving your bag in the back of a rick but you’d never worry about an entire store is fake. However, being a modern-day shopper keeps you on your toes. Currently, the rate at which people have been shopping online these days has risen to new heights thanks to Covid and lockdown. And of course, we use the usual sites like Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra etc. However, a ton of new websites have also cropped up to combat this current demand. These websites come with great discounts and happy-shiny landing pages to draw you in.

The truth is a lot of these websites might be fake and that item you purchased with that steep discount might never make its way to your doorstep. What’s worse is you might never even get your money back. Plenty of shoppers have lost thousands of rupees to these fake websites. Since most of us pay in advance for our orders, we put our faith in these companies to live up to their end of the bargain. Sometimes after placing the order customer care numbers stop working, emails tend to bounce back and sometimes the website itself will disappear. Even though there are ways to report these cases the chances of getting your money back are slim or next to nothing. So it’s important for you to safeguard yourself and pay attention when shopping online.

Here are a few tips that will help you spot fake online shopping websites:

1) cross-check the domain name..

The first thing you need to do is check the website name, commonly known as the URL. A trustworthy brand will have a domain name that is based on their name e.g. Zara.com or HM.com . But if you spot random numbers, typos or strange alphabets in the URL, that is usually a red flag. A lot of fake websites might also reverence well-known brands but won’t really be the official website.

Keep an eye out for websites that have terms likes sales and deals in their URL’s because these clickbaity options are 1000% fake. If you’re still not sure you can do a website scammer search using Google’s Safe Browsing tool to check its legitimacy. Make sure you cautiously approach domains that end in .net or .org, as they are rarely used for online shopping.

2) Look for the tiny lock on the top left of the website URL.

A lock next to the website’s URL means the website is encrypted, so whatever you do on it – like browse or make payments – can’t be intercepted. Most trustworthy websites have this feature, so if you notice a website without this feature then it could be a red flag. But these days scammers are even able to forge or buy these locks so seeing one doesn’t necessarily mean the website is safe. So make sure to do all the further checks mentioned below.

3) Poor website design.

A good business understands the value of making a good impression on their potential customers. This is why they always have a professionally designed website that ensures your information is safe. Fraudulent websites will obviously not invest the kind of time required to make a fool-proof website because it requires resources and funding. Look for pixelated images, spelling errors, grammatical errors and broken links.

4) Research the site and look them up on social media.

If you chance upon a website that you like and haven’t used before, it wouldn’t hurt you to take a couple of minutes to research the website. Google the company and look for reviews and any sign of their social media handles. Cross-check that with user reviews. Additionally, you could also check out the sites About Us page. Any problems you notice with sentence formation and spelling errors means danger up ahead. You should also check if the website has contact information listed out.

Legitimate companies want to hear from their customers and will always list ways to get in touch with them. But if the website is devoid of a Contact Us page it could be fake. You should also be wary of websites that only offer the contact form to fill out. Fraudulent websites only want to take your money and run. That’s why you won’t find a lot in terms of contact information. And even if you do manage to get your hands on a phone number and email address, it may not actually lead anywhere.

5) Look at their return and privacy policy

A legitimate company will always have a shipping and return policy set up on the website with clear information for the customer. It should tell you how and where you can return the product purchased. The website should also have terms and conditions, and a privacy policy listed out telling you exactly what it plans to do with any data you share and any extra-contractual rights you might have. Most of these scam sites use an e-commerce platform called Shopify to run their site, which gives you a standard privacy policy that you can edit and use. A scam site is likely to not spend time doing this and will leave parts of it unedited.

6) Don’t fall for those great bargain prices.

If you spot ridiculously low prices that seem too good to be true then they probably are. Fake websites will use the discounted rates to lure in the bargain-hungry shopper. If your gut instinct is telling you that something smells fishy then you’re probably right. This is the easiest way to lure in victims. They’ll even have a lineup of pricey items at discounted rates which make them even more desirable to laypeople. In such cases, it would help you to cross-check prices with other online retailers as well because there’s no real way to know if it’s a fraudulent website.

They might even say they have products in stock that are sold out almost everywhere else. Also, important to note that official websites will announce sales but will never send you a message claiming deals or specific products.

7) Customer reviews

Customer reviews are a treasure trove of information especially if you’re looking to dig up any dirt on a brand. And if a fake website crops up then the reviews will include a warning for potential customers. It should be a red flag to you if you see similar looking and sounding reviews across the website. If you only see new reviews then you know something is up. You might also notice reviews with no personal opinion and they may as well be fake. Just make sure to go through as many reviews as you can to be sure.

8) Pay attention to the targeted ads you click on.

Watch the sites that catch your eyes through social media ads because this is a common way to lure customers. Targeted ads show up on your feed because you’ve been searching for particular items online. Scammers intercept and can buy ads to get their site on your timeline luring you in to make a purchase.

9) Never pay via a bank transfer.

If you ever find a website that asks you to pay via direct bank transfer you better know to run for the hills. If you happen to buy something that is fake or never turns up at your door with a credit or debit card, you do have some rights to get your money back. But if you pay via bank transfer, there’s little or no chance to get your money back.

The last tip:

Overall stick to shopping from well-known websites or websites where you know someone has previously purchased from. It’s also important to understand the condition they received the product in. Were they happy with packaging and quality etc? But if the website looks legit and you really want to buy something from there then place an order for a small amount as a test run.

Usually, Cash on Delivery is a great way to save you from such kind of fraud. However, you can report it to cybercrime.gov.in and file a complaint, in case you still manage to get scammed. You can also report it to the cyber cells and even file a complaint at the nearest police station. Because while we think these amounts are small, a ton of people are getting scammed the same way you are and this adds up. Report and expose these sites so other people don’t fall prey to them.

What are some of the steps you follow to build an ethical closet? Let me know in the comments below.

Follow @missmalinifashion on Instagram for more updates.

ASSOCIATE PARTNER

TYRE PARTNER

How To Spot Fake Shopping Sites And Avoid Being Scammed

Associated Press

Last Updated: December 16, 2020, 02:24 IST

Ben Black bought what he thought was a wellpriced drone online. But the drone never showed up, the site stopped responding to his emails and he never got his $100 back.

NEW YORK: Ben Black bought what he thought was a well-priced drone online. But the drone never showed up, the site stopped responding to his emails and he never got his $100 back.

He was scammed.

Im pissed I got caught in it, says Black, who lives in Westminster, Colorado.

Online shopping scams, like the one Black fell for, are on the rise as thieves take advantage of the surge of people flocking to the internet during the pandemic. They do it by creating slick-looking websites pretending to sell gadgets, toys, cleaning supplies and anything else in high demand. To lure you onto the sites, scammers pay for ads on Facebook, Google and other websites.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says it received a record number of reports from people losing money to online shopping scams in April and May, mostly from people being tricked into paying for face masks, disinfectant wipes and other pandemic-related supplies that never arrived. So far this year, the FTC has received more than 37,000 reports of online shopping fraud, amounting to $27 million in losses. The number has been increasing every year since 2015, amounting to a $420 million in losses.

The best way to not get scammed is to be aware of the tactics and know what to look for. Heres some tips:

RESEARCH THE SITE

If youre on a website youve never used before, do an online search of the company’s name along with the words scam or review. Check the sites social media pages for any complaints from customers. And try the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker, which lets you search company names and read any complaints. Another thing you should do: Read the site’s About Us page. Misspellings or sentences that dont make sense are red flags.

BE WARY OF ONLINE ADS

Place extra scrutiny on sites you find through social media ads, which are a common way to lure people in. Sometimes the ads are based on products you’ve been searching for online. For example, if youve been looking for a certain toy, scammers can buy ads to get their site on your Facebook timeline with a picture of the toy you’ve been wanting to buy.

BE SUSPICIOUS OF HARD-TO-FIND PRODUCTS

Another way shoppers get tricked is by sites that falsely say they have products in stock that are sold out almost everywhere else. Last month, for example, the FTC moved to shutdown 25 sites that tricked people into paying for Clorox and Lysol wipes, only to never receive them. Scammers do the same during the holidays, saying that they have hard-to-find video game consoles or toys.

DONT FALL FOR PRICE

If the price is too good to be true, it probably is, says Better Business Bureau spokeswoman Katherine Hutt. Scammers offer lower prices on hot products knowing that shoppers will find them hard to resist.

IF YOU ARE SCAMMED…

Call your credit card company to dispute the charges and try to get a refund. You can also report the site on the Better Business Bureau and FTC websites, which could help others from being scammed.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and Coronavirus News here

How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed

Best way to not get scammed

Online shopping scams are on the rise as thieves take advantage of the surge of people flocking to the internet during the pandemic. They do it by creating slick-looking websites pretending to sell gadgets, toys, cleaning supplies and anything else in high demand. To lure you onto the sites, scammers pay for ads on Facebook, Google and other websites. The best way to not get scammed is to be aware of the tactics and know what to look for. Here's some tips:

Research the site

If you're on a website you've never used before, do an online search of the company's name along with the words ``scam'' or ``review.'' Check the site's social media pages for any complaints from customers. And try the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker, which lets you search company names and read any complaints. Another thing you should do: Read the site's ``About Us'' page. Misspellings or sentences that don't make sense are red flags.

Be wary of online ads

Place extra scrutiny on sites you find through social media ads, which are a common way to lure people in. Sometimes the ads are based on products you've been searching for online. For example, if you've been looking for a certain toy, scammers can buy ads to get their site on your Facebook timeline with a picture of the toy you've been wanting to buy.

Be suspicious of hard-to-find products

Don't fall for price

If you are scammed...

Call your credit card company to dispute the charges and try to get a refund. You can also report the site on the Better Business Bureau and FTC websites, which could help others from being scammed.

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ONLINE SCAMS IN INDIA – LEGAL ACTION

Understanding the cyber crime of Online Scams and online frauds in India and the legal actions that can be taken under Indian laws

Meaning of Online Scam

Online scams or internet frauds in India can be understood as an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves deceiving, defrauding and tricking people. [1] It is a term used to define any fraudulent business practice or scheme performed by an individual or company so as to obtain money or something valuable illegally. In recent times, the most numbers of scams taking place are internet scams particularly online frauds in Banking. Especially during Covid-19, when almost all activities are taking place online, these scams are increasing with each passing day.

Some internet fraud examples taking place are as follows:

Donation scams/Fake charities – Some people often claim that they need financial assistance for some medical reasons or even for basic necessities, many of these claims can be real but this has also become a way of scamming people by creating fake accounts on donation sites to collect money. Scammers impersonate genuine charity organizations and ask for donations.
Auction Scam – Some scammers might claim to sell fake tickets for a match or a concert on online auction sites but actually the tickets might not be authentic.
Fake prizes – A scammer claims that the victim has won a non-existent price, takes personal details from the victim by convincing the victims that such details need to be shared to claim the prize.
Phishing – This is the most common type of scam which is being used widely lately. Scammers use deceptive e-mails and websites as a weapon to gather personal information. The aim is to trick the email recipient into accepting that the mail received is regarding something they want or need. Phishing is basically a cyber attack which steals user data, including login credentials, passwords and credit card numbers as soon as a trusted entity deceives a victim in opening the mail, instant message, text message or any spiteful link attached with these messages, it can lead to the installation of malware, the freezing of the system or the revealing of sensitive information.
Fake Shopping websites – Scammers may create websites that look genuine or that replicate existing retailer websites. These fake websites might offer deals that are too good to be true, the deals appeal the customers to fall prey and they purchase the fake items.
Threat Scam – A scammer might threaten the victim to embarrass o injure him or his family members unless a certain amount of money is paid. The scammers might gather personal details from social media websites.

Legal Provisions & Combating Online Scams in India

Types of Online Frauds in India

The Information Technology Act, 2000 [2] .

Section 66D – Punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource: “ Whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource cheats by personation, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.” When an attacker by means of any computer resource or communication device cheats by personation, the abovementioned section will be attracted. The maximum punishment under this section is imprisonment of up to three years and fine up to Rupees One Lakh. For example- Phishing.
Section 43 – Penalty and compensation for damage to computer, computer system, etc: “ If any person without permission of the owner or any other person who is in charge of a computer, computer system or computer network steal, conceal, destroys or alters or causes any person to steal, conceal, destroy or alter any computer source code used for a computer resource with an intention to cause damage shall be liable to pay damages by way of compensation to the person so affected.” This section provides that if any attacker accesses a computer system without the permission of the owner and conceals or destroys any data or important information in order to make financial gains, then the attacker shall be liable to pay damages by way of compensation to the person so affected.
Section 74 – Publication for fraudulent purpose : “Whoever knowingly creates, publishes or otherwise makes available a [electronic signature] Certificate for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.” If any person creates, publishes or makes an electronic signature certificate available for any fraudulent or unlawful purposes which can result in wrongful financial loss, then that person shall be punished with imprisonment of up to two years or with fine up to Rupees One Lakh.

The Companies Act, 2013 [3]

Section 36 – Punishment for fraudulently inducing persons to invest money: “Any person who, either knowingly or recklessly makes any statement, promise or forecast which is false, deceptive or misleading, or deliberately conceals any material facts, to induce another person to enter into, or to offer to enter into,— (a) any agreement for, or with a view to, acquiring, disposing of, subscribing for, or underwriting securities; or (b) any agreement, the purpose or the pretended purpose of which is to secure a profit to any of the parties from the yield of securities or by reference to fluctuations in the value of securities; or (c) any agreement for, or with a view to obtaining credit facilities from any bank or financial institution, shall be liable for action under section 447.” Investment Scam is a type of financial fraud and is very common in today’s time. When an attacker makes any false or deceptive statement or promise with the motive of convincing the victim to investment, this section will be attracted. The maximum punishment for frauds as specified in Section 447 is imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to ten years and fine which shall not be less than the amount involved in the fraud but may extend to three times the amount involved in fraud. If the fraud is in anyway related to public interest, the term of imprisonment will not be less than three years. For example – Auction Scam etc.
Section 448 – Punishment for false statement: “Save as otherwise provided in this Act, if in any return, report, certificate, financial statement, prospectus, statement or other document required by, or for, the purposes of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, any person makes a statement,— (a) which is false in any material particulars, knowing it to be false; or (b) which omits any material fact, knowing it to be material, he shall be liable under section 447.” If in any return, report, certificate, financial statement, prospectus, statement or other document, the attacker makes any statement which is false in any material particulars or omits any material fact, he or she will be liable under section 447. Such false statement can lead to financial loss of the victim. For example- fake donation scam, etc.

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 [4]

Section 405- Criminal breach of trust: “Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own use that property, or dishonestly uses or disposes of that property in violation of any direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged, or of any legal contract, express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge of such trust, or wilfully suffers any other person so to do, commits “criminal breach of trust.” When a person who is entrusted with property or any dominion over property, fraudulently converts that property into his own use so as to gain wrongful profit at the cost of making the victim suffer will be liable for criminal breach of trust. For example- if an executor of will who is supposed to divide the property in accordance with the will appropriates the will to his own use in order to get wrongful financial gains. The punishment for criminal breach of trust is imprisonment of up to three years or with fine or both, as prescribed under Section 406.
Section 415- Cheating: “Whoever, by deceiving any person, fraudulently or dishonestly induces the person so deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to consent that any person shall retain any property, or intentionally induces the person so deceived to do or omit to do anything which he would not do or omit if he were not so deceived, and which act or omission causes or is likely to cause damage or harm to that person in body, mind, reputation or property, is said to “cheat”. To attract this section, the attacker must deceive the victim and the victim should be induced to deliver any property to any person. The victim must be deceived to omit or to do anything which he would have not done otherwise and this act is likely to cause damage or harm to the body, mind, reputation or property of the victim. For example- the attacker puts a counterfeit mark on an item and convinces the victim that the item is of a reputed brand and fraudulently induces the victim to pay for the article and wrongfully gain financial profit from the victim(fake website scam). The punishment for cheating is imprisonment of up to one year or fine or both, as prescribed under Section 417.
Section 416 : Cheating by personation —“A person is said to “cheat by personation” if he cheats by pretending to be some other person, or by knowingly substituting one person for or another, or representing that he or any other person is a person other than he or such other person really is.” Most of the scams take place by using personation as a weapon. The attacker pretends to be the victim in order to gain wrongful profit. For example- A cheats by pretending to be a certain rich banker of the same name. A cheats by personation. The punishment for cheating by personation is imprisonment of up to three years or fine or both, as prescribed under Section 419.
Section 418- Cheating with knowledge that wrongful loss may ensue to person whose interest offender is bound to protect: “Whoever cheats with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause wrongful loss to a person whose interest in the transaction to which the cheating relates, he was bound, either by law, or by a legal contract, to protect, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.” This section states that whoever cheats with the knowledge that he is likely to cause wrongful loss to such a person whose interest in the transaction to which the cheating relates, he was bound to protect shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years or with fine or both.
Section 420- Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property: “ Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.” This section talks about the offence which is committed by the person who cheats another person and thereby induces the deceived to deliver any property or to make, alter or destroy any valuable security or anything which is sealed or is capable of being converted into a valuable security by falsely representing something so that the person is deceived. The maximum punishment under this section is imprisonment of up to seven years and fine.

Safeguards against Online Scams

As the number of scams are increasing, it is very important to stay aware and vigilant. As in most cases people are easily getting tricked because of the lack of knowledge and awareness among people. In order to protect oneself from becoming a prey to such online scams, it is very important to keep certain basic things in mind like one should always keep his/her personal details secure, the passwords and pins must not be shared with anyone, the personal information shared on social media sites must be limited. It is important to keep two factor authentication on all the ID’s. One should also beware of online shopping and should check the authenticity of the product and the site properly before purchasing. One should be careful before opening any suspicious texts, pop-up windows or click on links or attachments in emails.

[1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/scam

[2] The Information Technology Act, 2000; https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1999/3/A2000-21.pdf

[3] The Companies Act, 2013; https://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/CompaniesAct2013.pdf

[4] The Indian Penal Code, 1860; https://www.iitk.ac.in/wc/data/IPC_186045.pdf

For further information on Cyber Laws in India, please write to us at [email protected] .

To know more about Information technology law in India, read below :

Cyber law in India

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ADJUSTED GROSS REVENUE (AGR) – PAYABLE BY TELECOM COMPANIES
FINANCIAL FRAUDS IN INDIA – LEGAL ACTION
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Fake websites are the latest tool in a wave of online shopping scams — Melinda fell for one and warns they're getting harder to spot

One hand on a laptop's trackpad while another hand holds a credit card

Online shopping may be convenient but it's never without risks.

Whether the order shows up with defects or ends up being a poor fit, many things can go wrong when making a purchase online.

Depending on the company's policy, there may be the option to make an exchange or request a refund.

But what happens when you make a purchase from a fraudulent site?

Melinda Cleland paid $200 for two pairs of shoes, only to receive a pair of sunglasses she thinks is worth $2 in return.

Site looked legitimate

She had wanted to buy a pair of waterproof boots from a trusted US brand to add to her existing collection.

A quick Google search brought up the online shop as the second result on the list.

A screenshot of a shopping website showing three models posing in separate shots.

As an online business owner, Ms Cleland considers herself tech-savvy when it comes to verifying the legitimacy of other online shops.

She had made sure the domain name was in the website and that the URL started with "HTTPS" before clicking on anything else.

"I always look for that to know that my details are secure – that's my kind of test," says Ms Cleland.

"Your credit card details aren't going to be sold off to anyone else or recorded anywhere. It's all encrypted so the website owner can't see it."

But that's not entirely accurate, cybersecurity expert Ryan Ko explains.

The HTTPS indicates a connection and transmission is secure, which means information you transmit to the site is encrypted and can't be intercepted by third parties during transmission, the Queensland professor says.

"But that only protects you from hackers sniffing your data transmission, not dodgy site operators," Professor Ko says.

"So HTTPS isn't always an indicator that a website is safe."

And some dodgy operators bank on people being fooled by this common misconception.

Ms Cleland says the website looked secure and even greeted her with a promotional message offering free delivery above a certain amount spent.

So, she decided to add another pair of shoes to her cart to take advantage of the offer.

The entire purchasing process went smoothly up until the payment point.

While the products were advertised in Australian dollars, the final amount had converted to American dollars at check-out.

"I thought it was a bit odd," says Ms Cleland.

But she dismissed this as a glitch and proceeded with the sale, which went through successfully.

Hidden in the fine print

A couple of weeks had passed and there was still no sign of her parcel, so she decided to check the tracking information.

This is when she realised it was missing from her email, so she visited the online shop's FAQ section.

"When you actually read the fine print, that's when things started to get a bit weird," Ms Cleland says.

"You'll receive a receipt from an email," read the answer to missing tracking information, which Ms Cleland says was a random address and not the domain address.

In another section about issues with orders, another email address to contact them was listed, and again it was a random address.

By this time, she figured she had been scammed but decided to try contacting them about her order anyway.

Ms Cleland didn't get a response.

But she did find the receipt with the tracking number sitting in her junk mail which she says "looks like spam" and had saved it just in case.

An unexpected package arrives

"Then randomly one day, this parcel turned up," says Ms Cleland.

"It was a pair of sunglasses – really shitty, plasticky and hard.

"Then I got another spam-looking email saying my package has been delivered."

The tracking number matched that on the parcel so she did some digging into the company.

Ms Cleland found the owner of the website to be an established international wholesaler.

Determined to take the website down, she reported the scam along with her findings to the authorities, the registered brand and the wholesaler — believing them to be a victim.

She then emailed the scammers, demanding a full refund after calling them out on their scheme, fully transparent about the reports she had made.

Conversation with scammers went in circles

A couple of days after, Ms Cleland received a comical reply lined with an apology, with no acknowledgement of the scam.

The scammers had suggested she keep the sunglasses or gift them to a friend or family member.

As part of their apology, they offered a refund of 50 per cent of the full amount.

A screenshot of an email response from a scam website.

Ms Cleland persisted for a full refund, confident the authorities and other parties involved would soon take action on the scammers.

She continued to call the scammers out on their scheme.

Meanwhile, she had heard nothing back from any of the bodies she had reported to.

Unfazed by Ms Cleland's allegations, the scammers continued the conversation with a spiteful response.

They requested her to return the pair of sunglasses and pay for postage in exchange for a full refund.

A screenshot of an email conversation with scammers

Flustered by the audacity of the scammers' request, Ms Cleland stood her ground.

She warned scammers of an impending shutdown, sharing her plan to escalate her report to more authorities, which she did go ahead with.

A screenshot of an email exchange to a scam company

This time, the response was lined with a sympathetic tone as the scammers claimed the delivery to be an honest mistake.

To appease Ms Cleland, they offered a refund of half the amount she had paid for the goods.

A screenshot of an email exchange from a scam company

Ms Cleland stopped engaging with the scammers and decided to contact her bank to get a refund instead.

How common are online shopping scams?

Australians aged between 35 and 44 have reported the greatest loss to online shopping scams, and Ms Cleland is one of them.

According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost $9.2 million to this type of scam last year.

The total losses increased by 5 per cent over the previous year (2021) despite 37 per cent fewer scams reported.

"While these scams are impacting less people, those impacted are on average suffering greater losses than in the prior year," says an ACCC spokesperson.

Although scams are present all year round, they are likely to heighten over peak online shopping periods such as Black Friday sales and festive seasons such as Christmas.

So how can you spot a fake website?

Scammers now set up fake retailer websites to replicate genuine retail brands.

From sophisticated layouts to stolen logos and Australian Business Number (ABN) and even a ".com.au" domain name, they are pulling all the stops to trick consumers.

Professor Ko says it's difficult to know whether you're buying from the real deal.

But he says there are some checks you can do to verify the legitimacy of a website .

Man in a blue suit smiling at the camera

Firstly, he says to pay attention to the URL as even a slight misplacement of the full stop can be a tell-tale sign.

"Look at the domain name and see if there are deviances to the normal way it's spelled."

Real domain names usually appear right before the ".com".

Next, similar to what Ms Cleland had done, Professor Ko says to look out for websites that begin with "HTTPS" .

This indicates a secure connection, often accompanied by a certificate displayed as a lock icon in the search bar.

Professor Ko, who also co-founded CyberCert, a cyber security certification company, suggests going a step further.

"Click on the lock icon and see where or who the certificate is issued to."

"If it doesn't look like the company itself, then you might want to be a bit careful," he warns.

Some commonly trusted certificate issuers include Comodo SSL, DigiCert, Entrust Datacard, GeoTrust and GlobalSign.

Professor Ko says to also scan the website's content for any potential red flags .

Inconsistencies in typography such as font design, size and cases as well as spelling errors are signs to take note of.

Screenshot of text inconsistencies in fake website

Professor Ko also recommends entering the website URL into Google's Transparency report to check if a link is legitimate .

Lastly, he says browser settings can also offer an added layer of protection .

"You could turn on settings within your browsers to [allow you to] surf encrypted websites only."

This prevents scammers from eavesdropping or stealing sensitive information.

Fake websites can appear as a top search result

Ms Cleland had her guard down after seeing the website appear high in Google's search list result.

Professor Ko says: "Fake websites, just like any websites, can easily optimise themselves for search engines."

"If you create a hundred fake websites that point to this central fake website, it looks more legitimate than a standalone one and then appears higher on the search list."

Similarly, this can be achieved when key search terms are sprinkled across the content.

Products from fraudulent sites can also come up as sponsored posts by paying advertisement fees.

"It is a small price to pay following the returns they will make," says Professor Ko.

Scammers operate like a business – they even have an HR department

Professor Ko says to not underestimate the extent to which scammers will go to create a functional, fraudulent site.

"They run like businesses — they have web developers, a finance department, even a human resources department to run as syndicates of organised crime."

In his research, Professor Ko labels cybercrimes as a growing and present danger affecting organisations and nations alike.

And getting to the root of online scams is not easy as "sometimes IP addresses can be spoofed" or "redirected to a buffer of websites".

He argues that regulators and law enforcement can be more effective in preventing cybercrimes using traditional crime prevention methods.

Ms Cleland's case is a clear example of how scammers remain nonchalant about being reported to authorities.

Despite the multiple reports made more than half a year ago, the website is still up and running.

Professor Ko believes increasing the barriers and risks to cybercriminals would reduce their rewards and motivations in perpetuating cybercrimes.

How else can you avoid falling for scams?

Ms Cleland later found reports from other people who labelled the website a scam but it was too late.

"Well, you don't find them until you realise you've been scammed, especially when it looks legitimate," she says.

The ACCC advises shoppers to take time to suss out a website or seller online, especially if they are new.

"If possible, try and ascertain how many sales the seller has, and the period of time they've been selling," says the ACCC spokesperson.

"If the store is on social media, read the comments and search for independent reviews on the internet – noting that sometimes there may be fake positive reviews."

What should you do if you think you've been scammed?

Here's what an ACCC spokesperson says to do after you have been scammed:

Contact your bank or financial institution as soon as possible if you have lost money
Contact the platform on which you were scammed and provide details about your experience

Tell your friends and family about your experience for support and to help protect them from scams

The ACCC also encourages you to make a report on the Scamwatch website , subscribe to their Scamwatch radar alerts and stay updated via Twitter .

You can report fake websites as well as websites suspected of hosting or distributing malware to Google for review.

Sponsored scam ads can also be reported to Google in "My Ad Centre", accessed by clicking on the three stacked dots next to the ad.

Ms Cleland contacted her bank after failing to get a refund from the scammers.

Although it had been about a month since she had made the transaction, her bank approved her request within a couple of days.

She believed sharing all emails, invoices and reports relating to the scam with the bank had helped her case.

"If you want to get your money back, you've got to persevere and try everything. Why should someone else get your money?"

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COMMENTS

5 Ways To Report Online Fraud in Shopping in India
Online shopping has become a very common practice in today's Digital Era, and it got a further boost ever since the pandemic began. India's e-commerce festive sale season from October 15 to November 15 in 2020 recorded Rs. 58,000 crore (US$ 8.3 billion) worth of gross sales for brands and sellers, up 65% from Rs. 35,000 crore (US$ 5 billion) last year.
10,000 people duped of Rs 25 crore in 3 years using fake shopping
The Delhi Police cyber cell unit has arrested five people after busting a scam in which multiple fake e-commerce websites were used to dupe more than 10,000 people of Rs 25 crore over three years. MODUS OPERANDI OF THE ACCUSED. The accused created more than 60 fake shopping websites for electronic goods and clothing.
A big List of fake fraud shopping website in India
Long list of fake ecommerce shopping websites in India. They have looted millions of rupees from Indian buyers. Beware of them and do not trust them or shop at their website. Big list of e-commerce fraud websites (Updated : 20th Oct 2021) ...
Fake shopping websites dark web Mumbai Police shares ...
Taking to Twitter, Mumbai Police released a list of some websites, busting online shopping racket. "Don't Fall In The Dark Web Of fake sites! Mumbai Cyber Police arrested an IT expert from Gujarat ...
Explained: Fake e-commerce reviews, and what can be done to curb them
The Union government recently said that it plans to develop a framework to curb fake reviews of products on e-commerce websites after studying the "best practices available globally". This was announced after a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, e-commerce companies, and consumer rights groups on May 29.
Mumbai Police bust fake online shopping racket, share list of 12 fraud
Mumbai Cyber Police arrested an IT expert from Gujarat, busting a fake online shopping racket. Using fake websites selling household items, accused duped 22,000+ people for more than ₹70 lakh.
How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed
Online shopping scams are on the rise as thieves take advantage of the surge of people flocking to the internet during the pandemic. They do it by creating slick-looking websites pretending to sell gadgets, toys, cleaning supplies and anything else in high demand. To lure you onto the sites, scammers pay for ads on Facebook, Google and other websites. The best way to not get scammed is to be ...
How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed
Research the site. If you're on a website you've never used before, do an online search of the company's name along with the words ``scam'' or ``review.''. Check the site's social media pages for any complaints from customers. And try the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker, which lets you search company names and read any complaints.
Fake Shopping website frauds
4. A fraud shopping site not only cheats you through non-delivery of promised product, but it also captures your debit/credit card credentials and may sell it on dark web. Hence, do not make payment using credit/debit card on untested e-commerce sites unless the payment link is taking you to a verified, secure payment gateway. 1. Brief facts of ...
Don't Fall For Fake Shopping Websites
Research unknown sites - Quickly search any unfamiliar shopping sites to check for reviews, scam reports and feedback. Verify the URL - Double check site URLs match the official domain, watch for typos or extra words. Check site security - Ensure the website has full HTTPS encryption and a padlock icon during checkout.
Online shopping scam: How to not become a victim and where ...
You can file a complaint on the consumer affairs website; Consumerhelpline.gov.in. Additionally, you can file a complaint by visiting the consumer court. In addition, you can report a cyber crime and or to the police. Whenever you shop online, only purchase items from reputable e-commerce websites.
Fake reviews on Amazon, Flipkart and other online shopping websites: 10
Fake reviews on Amazon, Flipkart and other online shopping websites: 10 verification tips issued by BIS realme and its distributors, a synergistic journey fueling unprecedented growth and customer ...
Explained: What are various types of online shopping ...
Online shopping scams involve fake websites, phishing emails, social media ads, and fake shipping alerts. Scammers create fake websites resembling legitimate retailers to steal payment information.
How to spot fake websites and avoid online shopping scams: A guide for
A fake website, on the other hand, may have a URL that is similar to the genuine website, but with slight variations. For example, a fake website may use ".com" instead of ".co.uk" or ...
How To Spot A Fake Online Shopping Website And Report It
2) Look for the tiny lock on the top left of the website URL. A lock next to the website's URL means the website is encrypted, so whatever you do on it - like browse or make payments - can't be intercepted. Most trustworthy websites have this feature, so if you notice a website without this feature then it could be a red flag.
Fake Shopping Sites: Mumbai Police Releases List After Over 20,000
Read on to know about them. "Don't fall in the dark web of fake sites", warned Mumbai Police in one of its recent tweets after 22000 people get duped of Rs 70 lakh by a shopping website ...
How To Spot Fake Shopping Sites And Avoid Being Scammed
To lure you onto the sites, scammers pay for ads on Facebook, Google and other websites. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says it received a record number of reports from people losing money to online shopping scams in April and May, mostly from people being tricked into paying for face masks, disinfectant wipes and other pandemic-related ...
Fake online shopping websites: 6 ways to identify a fraudulent shopping
Most retailers use simple domain names based on the name of their business, like tiffany.com, bananarepublic.com, or bestbuy.com. That's why typos and random numbers in the URL are tip-offs that you're on a fraudulent website. For example, a fraudster may lure Amazon customers to bogus Amaz0n.net.
How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed
Research the site. If you're on a website you've never used before, do an online search of the company's name along with the words ``scam'' or ``review.''. Check the site's social media pages for any complaints from customers. And try the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker, which lets you search company names and read any complaints.
How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed
3/6. Be wary of online ads. Place extra scrutiny on sites you find through social media ads, which are a common way to lure people in. Sometimes the ads are based on products you've been searching for online. For example, if you've been looking for a certain toy, scammers can buy ads to get their site on your Facebook timeline with a picture of ...
Online Fraud, Online Scams in India
Fake Shopping websites- Scammers may create websites that look genuine or that replicate existing retailer websites. These fake websites might offer deals that are too good to be true, the deals appeal the customers to fall prey and they purchase the fake items. ... Legal Provisions & Combating Online Scams in India. Types of Online Frauds in ...
Fake websites are the latest tool in a wave of online shopping scams
Here is some other advice the ACCC offers to stay safe when shopping online: Review a website in your Google search result by clicking on the three stacked dots to the right of the web address
Leading Mystery Shopping company in India
Retail Audit and Research Solutions. With a coverage of 350+ cities, FloorWalk has manpower of about 5,00,000 more mystery shoppers and field agents across India. There are two ways you can conduct your audit and research project with us - Connect with us for a personalized solution OR Setup your project in minutes using FloorWalk Marketplace.