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Scams aimed at people buying online — fake stores, non-delivery, and too-good-to-be-true deals. (65 scam types.)
Scammers embed convincing AI chatbots into fake websites and messaging apps to answer victims' questions in real time, building false trust and extracting money or personal data far more effectively than a static scam page.
AI builds entire fake e-commerce stores at scale — products, reviews, and policies — to take payment for goods that never arrive.
Sellers use AI text generators to mass-produce fake five-star reviews that sound personal and specific, manipulating shoppers into buying poor-quality or non-existent products.
Scammers trick you into authorising a bank transfer or mobile payment to an account they control, using social engineering, fake emergencies, or impersonation.
Rock-bottom advertised carpet cleaning prices are used to get a technician into the home, who then upsells mandatory add-ons at the door, often followed by rushed or damaging work.
Street collectors with clipboards pose as charity fundraisers for causes like deaf or disabled children, taking cash donations that fund no charity at all.
Pixel-perfect copies of real company sites used for phishing, fake sales, or fake support.
Fake or knock-off products sold as genuine, often unsafe and with no real warranty or returns.
Street currency exchangers lure tourists with above-market rates, then shortchange them through sleight of hand — folded notes, palmed bills, a recount that removes money — often ending with a 'police are coming' rush that stops the victim checking.
Thieves working in teams stage a spill, question, or commotion to occupy your attention while an accomplice lifts your wallet, phone, or bag.
Stores that secretly source cheap goods from wholesale suppliers at enormous markups, misrepresenting the product's origin and true value.
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.
Bogus flight, hotel and package sites that take payment for reservations that don't exist.
Sites posing as official brand 'outlet' or 'clearance' stores selling fakes or nothing at all.
Malicious or deceptive browser extensions that claim to find discount codes but harvest data, inject ads, or hijack purchases.
Bogus online vehicle auction sites, including fake government or police 'seized vehicle' auctions, charge buyers a registration or winning-bid deposit for vehicles that don't exist.
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 sites selling official band or artist merchandise collect payments and either deliver counterfeits or nothing at all, trading on fan loyalty and event excitement.
Bogus cruise booking sites and imposter agents selling non-existent cabins at prices designed to attract first-time cruise shoppers.
Imposters posing as retailer or platform support to steal logins, payments or remote access.
Fraudulent texts or emails claim a parcel is stuck in customs and demand a small 'release fee' by card, harvesting full payment details for later fraud.
Claims that a parcel is held by customs pending fees, or that you're linked to a seized shipment.
Smishing messages posing as couriers asking for a small fee or login to 'reschedule' delivery.
Bogus voucher and coupon offers used to harvest data or lure shoppers to fake checkout pages.
Artificial urgency tactics — countdown timers and fake limited stock warnings — used to pressure buyers into fast decisions on fraudulent or overpriced offers.
Sellers on marketplaces and social media offer discounted game store gift cards or redeem codes that are invalid, already redeemed, or region-locked, leaving the buyer with nothing after payment.
Fraudulent fashion boutiques operate entirely through Instagram, taking orders and payments for clothing and accessories that never arrive or are cheap counterfeits.
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.
Convincing but bogus shops that take payment for goods that never arrive or are worthless.
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.
Fraudulent tracking notification emails or texts mimic real courier updates and lead to fake 'address correction' or 'delivery exception' pages designed to steal payment details.
Strangers ask you to sign a petition for a sympathetic cause, then demand a donation — and the clipboard often doubles as cover for pickpocketing.
Criminals place counterfeit 'we missed you' delivery cards through letterboxes, directing victims to phishing sites or premium-rate phone lines to 'rebook' a delivery.
A scammer posing as support staff or a merchant walks the victim through a 'refund' that actually pushes money out — via remote access, a manipulated banking screen, or a card terminal run as a payment — or claims an over-refund and demands the 'excess' back by gift cards or transfer.
Manipulated or entirely fabricated product reviews used to steer shoppers toward low-quality, counterfeit, or non-existent products.
Slick comparison sites and clone "providers" advertise market-beating guaranteed savings and fixed-rate bonds, then take your deposit for an account that never existed — often by impersonating a genuine, regulated firm.
Cloned or lookalike ticket marketplace websites mimic well-known resale platforms to take payment for tickets that are never delivered.
Sellers provide bogus or recycled tracking numbers to delay disputes until protection windows close.
Scammers sell fabricated VIP packages promising backstage access or meet-and-greets with performers that were never authorized or arranged.
A friendly tuk-tuk driver, taxi driver, or "helpful local" reroutes tourists to a gem, tailor, or handicraft shop — often with a story that the attraction is closed — where wildly overpriced or fake goods are sold and the guide collects a commission.
Tampered or compromised gift cards sold online or in shops where the balance has already been secretly emptied by the fraudster.
A seller offers gold bars, nuggets, or jewelry at a bargain price, backed by a sob story or staged tests. The gold is gilded base metal worth almost nothing.
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.
Third-party sellers on major online marketplaces who list luxury, designer, or branded goods as genuine but ship sophisticated counterfeits with convincing packaging.
Fraudulent sellers on classifieds and marketplaces who take payment off-platform and never deliver.
Fake or deceptive membership clubs charge ongoing fees for benefits that are non-existent, minimal, or freely available, often enrolling members without clear consent.
After phishing your card number, scammers pose as your bank's fraud team and get you to read back a one-time code — but that code enrols your card in a digital wallet on their own phone, letting them tap-to-pay with your money.
Sellers enrol you in paid subscriptions automatically unless you actively opt out, often burying the negative-option clause in fine print so most people never notice the charge.
Payment is taken for goods or tickets that are simply never sent.
Fraudsters redirect parcels in transit to a different address — by hacking delivery accounts, contacting courier support, or intercepting tracking notifications — to steal goods.
Fraudsters send fake notifications claiming a parcel is waiting in a locker, directing victims to fake websites that harvest credentials or payment card details.
A seller or buyer insists on paying by PayPal Friends & Family "to avoid fees" — which strips away PayPal's Purchase Protection, so there is no dispute path when the item never arrives, is fake, or the payment is falsely reversed.
Strangers claim to have found a bundle of cash and offer to split it with you — but only if you put up good-faith money of your own, which is then switched or stolen.
A payment terminal at a shop, restaurant, or fuel station is overlaid, tampered with, or swapped for a look-alike that captures your card data and PIN. Sometimes a dishonest employee runs your card through a second, hidden skimming device out of sight.
Fake congratulatory messages claiming you have won a prize, used to harvest personal details or extract upfront fees.
Scammers buy sponsored search ads that sit above the genuine result for a bank, brand, or download, routing users to lookalike phishing pages, fake support numbers, or trojanised installers.
Fraudulent sellers using live video shopping events to collect real-time payments for goods that are never delivered or are misrepresented.
Pop-up shops on social platforms that advertise heavily, take payment, then disappear.
Bundled subscription deals advertise one simple price but often consist of multiple independent subscriptions with separate renewal dates, price increases, and cancellation processes that are not clearly disclosed at sign-up.
Free trials or low-cost offers that silently enrol buyers in recurring charges that are difficult to cancel.
Fake or non-existent tickets for popular theatre and stage shows are sold through unofficial resale channels, often targeting tourists and gift buyers.
A complex scam where criminals use stolen card details to fulfil marketplace orders, leaving buyers unaware they funded fraud.
Text messages falsely claim a courier attempted delivery and failed, demanding a small redelivery fee that is actually used to steal full card details.
Malicious code hidden in a genuine online store's checkout silently copies your card details as you type them, even though your order goes through normally.
Scammers exploit Zelle's instant, bank-to-bank, near-irreversible transfers by posing as your bank's fraud team, sending fake payment requests, or trapping marketplace buyers and sellers. Once the money moves, it is usually gone for good.