What consumer rights do I have against a fake online shop?
Your most effective recourse against a fake online shop is through your payment method — card chargeback, Section 75, or APP fraud claims — rather than through the shop itself, which will typically vanish or ignore communications.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Fake online shops are designed to take your money and either deliver nothing, deliver counterfeit goods, or disappear entirely. Because they are often built and abandoned quickly, operated under false business names, and hosted in jurisdictions with limited consumer protection enforcement, pursuing the shop directly is generally not the most productive approach.
However, you do have several practical recourse options through your payment method. If you paid by credit card, Section 75 (for UK purchases between £100–£30,000) or chargeback applies. Debit card chargeback is available through Visa and Mastercard. If you paid via bank transfer, APP fraud reimbursement rules may help. PayPal purchases may be covered by PayPal's Buyer Protection programme.
You should also report the fake shop to trading standards authorities (Trading Standards in the UK, the FTC in the US), which can investigate and take enforcement action, and to the web hosting company or registrar to have the site taken down and warn others. Report to Action Fraud for a crime reference number.
This is general information. The specific options available depend on how you paid and your jurisdiction.
Common red flags
- The shop's contact details are incomplete, vague, or fictional
- Prices are dramatically below market rates
- Website was created very recently (check creation date via WHOIS)
- No genuine customer reviews exist on independent platforms
- Payment options are limited to bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or non-reversible methods
What to do now
- Contact your card issuer or bank to initiate a chargeback or APP fraud claim
- Report the shop to Trading Standards (UK), FTC (US), or your national consumer authority
- Report the URL to the web host and registrar asking for investigation and takedown
- Report to Action Fraud and obtain a crime reference number
- Leave a warning review on consumer review platforms to protect others
- Report to your national cybersecurity authority if the site is still active and taking orders
Frequently asked questions
Can I report a fake shop to Google to get it removed from search results?
Yes — Google has a reporting mechanism for phishing and malware sites. You can also report deceptive content via Google's Transparency Report. Removing a site from search reduces the number of future victims, though it does not recover your money.
The shop delivered something, but it is fake — do I still have recourse?
Yes. Receiving counterfeit goods is a breach of contract (goods not as described). You have the same chargeback and Section 75 options, and you can report the goods to trading standards as counterfeit products, which is a separate offence involving the supply chain.