Are you shopping online? Beware of buying non-existent goods!

If you have come across advertisements on social networks that redirect you to sites offering extremely low-priced shoes, clothes, accessories or household appliances from well-known manufacturers and brands, there is a high probability that you are falling into the trap of fake online stores.

How to recognize a fake online store?

• Check the site domain. Unscrupulous sellers use addresses with errors in the name or unusual domains, such as .xyz, .top, .shop. Always check that the site name is spelled correctly and has a reliable domain, such as .ua or .com.ua.
• Take a good look at the contact information. A real online store always has a section with contacts and legal information. If there are no contacts or only a generic email address (for instance, Gmail) is indicated, this is a strong signal that the site may be fraudulent.
• Too big discounts are one of the main signs of fraudulent online stores. Sales with discounts of 70-90% on branded goods look so attractive, but they can turn out to be a trap. Meticulously check the reliability of such stores.
• Check the payment methods. Secure online stores use built-in payment tools with additional payment verification pages. If you are asked to make a direct transfer to a private individual’s card or to make an advance payment before receiving the goods, you should consider all risks.

Follow these tips to avoid being affected by fraud schemes:

• Choose only verified and official sites.
• Don’t click on suspicious links sent to you in letters or messages.
• Use antivirus software with the function of checking sites for fraud.