Online Shopping Scams
Professional-looking storefronts with unbelievable prices. The goods either never ship, arrive counterfeit, or the site disappears entirely after collecting payments. Most are run out of fulfillment farms overseas and advertised on Meta and TikTok.
How it worksThe anatomy of the scam
Every case follows roughly the same playbook. Recognize the pattern, stop it early.
1. The ad catches your eye
Beautiful photos, deep discount, 'closing down sale', 'limited stock'.
2. The storefront
Slick Shopify template, fake reviews, no physical address, registered weeks ago.
3. You pay
Credit card, PayPal, or Shop Pay — often all options are offered.
4. The 'shipment'
You get a tracking number that never updates, or a tiny worthless item arrives.
5. Support ghosts
Email bounces or chatbot loops. The store disappears within weeks.
Warning signsRed flags to watch for
If you're seeing two or more of these, assume it's a scam until proven otherwise.
Site registered within 3 months
Use whois.domaintools.com to check.
No physical address or phone
Real stores tell you who they are.
Discounts >50% on brand-name goods
If Nike is selling for $30, it's not Nike.
Reviews all from 2 weeks ago
Legitimate stores accumulate reviews over years.
Protect yourselfDo this. Not that.
✓ Do
Pay with a credit card — you have chargeback rights.
✗ Don't
Don't buy from stores you found via a single Instagram ad.
✓ Do
Google the store name + 'scam' before buying.
✗ Don't
Don't pay via Zelle, Venmo, or bank transfer for online purchases.
RelatedIf this happened to you, also check
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