Online Shopping Scams

Convincing but bogus shops that take payment for goods that never arrive or are worthless.

Smishing messages posing as couriers asking for a small fee or login to 'reschedule' delivery.

Fake or knock-off products sold as genuine, often unsafe and with no real warranty or returns.

Fraudulent sellers on classifieds and marketplaces who take payment off-platform and never deliver.

Scams targeting sellers, where buyers exploit chargebacks to get goods for free after paying.

Sellers provide bogus or recycled tracking numbers to delay disputes until protection windows close.

Pop-up shops on social platforms that advertise heavily, take payment, then disappear.

Bogus voucher and coupon offers used to harvest data or lure shoppers to fake checkout pages.

Sites posing as official brand 'outlet' or 'clearance' stores selling fakes or nothing at all.

Payment is taken for goods or tickets that are simply never sent.

Imposters posing as retailer or platform support to steal logins, payments or remote access.

Stores that secretly source cheap goods from wholesale suppliers at enormous markups, misrepresenting the product's origin and true value.

Manipulated or entirely fabricated product reviews used to steer shoppers toward low-quality, counterfeit, or non-existent products.

A complex scam where criminals use stolen card details to fulfil marketplace orders, leaving buyers unaware they funded fraud.

Sellers dispatch empty packaging or worthless filler to defeat non-delivery disputes while keeping payment.

Free trials or low-cost offers that silently enrol buyers in recurring charges that are difficult to cancel.

Malicious or deceptive browser extensions that claim to find discount codes but harvest data, inject ads, or hijack purchases.

Artificial urgency tactics — countdown timers and fake limited stock warnings — used to pressure buyers into fast decisions on fraudulent or overpriced offers.

Bogus bulk-buy and stocklot offers that take payment for pallets or lots of goods that never arrive or are worthless.

Sellers collect payment for upcoming or anticipated products that never ship and never existed as real stock.

Criminals impersonate brands or regulators to claim a product you own has been recalled, harvesting card details via a fake refund process.

Fraudulent warranty registration sites that harvest personal and payment data under the guise of activating a product guarantee.

Fraudulent sellers using live video shopping events to collect real-time payments for goods that are never delivered or are misrepresented.

Fraudulent sellers offer concert, sports, or festival tickets that are counterfeit, already used, or simply never delivered.

Tampered or compromised gift cards sold online or in shops where the balance has already been secretly emptied by the fraudster.

Unsolicited calls or messages claiming your product warranty is expiring and pressuring you to buy a worthless extended plan.

Third-party sellers on major online marketplaces who list luxury, designer, or branded goods as genuine but ship sophisticated counterfeits with convincing packaging.

Online pet sellers who advertise non-existent puppies or kittens, then collect deposits and escalating fees without ever delivering any animal.

Products sold with a promise to donate a portion of proceeds to a named cause, where no meaningful donation is made and the charitable claim is used purely to justify the purchase.

Fraudulent fashion boutiques operate entirely through Instagram, taking orders and payments for clothing and accessories that never arrive or are cheap counterfeits.

Fraudulent sites selling official band or artist merchandise collect payments and either deliver counterfeits or nothing at all, trading on fan loyalty and event excitement.

Receiving a parcel you never ordered sounds harmless, but it signals that scammers have your personal data and may be fraudulently boosting product reviews in your name.

Fraudsters send fake alerts claiming your retail or shopping loyalty points are about to expire, directing you to phishing pages that harvest account credentials or card details.

Fraudulent group-buy deals promise steep discounts when enough buyers join, but the required threshold is never reached honestly, no goods are delivered, and the organiser vanishes with all deposits.

Emails mimicking legitimate retailers send fake order confirmations for large purchases you did not make, prompting you to click a cancellation link that harvests your credentials or card details.

Facebook Marketplace's buy-and-sell hub attracts a whole ecosystem of cons — fake listings, "is this still available" bait, off-platform payment demands, shipping tricks, deposit scams, and code-harvesting — hitting buyers and sellers alike.