Online shopping is convenient, yet the internet is full of fake stores that lure you with low prices and, after payment, never send the goods. Let us explain how to shop safely and how to spot a fraudulent e-shop before you lose money.

How to spot a fraudulent e-shop

  • Unrealistically low prices. If goods are significantly cheaper than everywhere else, it is a warning sign.
  • No or fake contacts. A missing address, company ID, phone, or ones that are obviously made up.
  • Only prepayment. Fraudulent stores push for immediate card or transfer payment, with no cash-on-delivery option.
  • Bad language and errors, a clumsy translation, a suspicious site address.
  • A very young domain. Many fraudulent e-shops appear and vanish within weeks. You can check a domain’s age through a public register (whois).
  • Pressure and a time limit. “The sale ends in 10 minutes” is meant to make you act without thinking.

Beware, an HTTPS padlock is no guarantee of trust

Many people think the padlock in the address bar means a trustworthy store. It does not. The padlock (HTTPS) only tells you the connection is encrypted, so no one eavesdrops along the way. A security certificate can be obtained for free by anyone today, including fraudsters. So you do need the padlock, but on its own it says nothing about the store’s honesty.

What to watch out for when paying

  • Look for HTTPS (the padlock in the address bar), at least a basic mark of security.
  • Pay by card or via PayPal, because both give you buyer protection and a better chance of getting money back in fraud. A direct bank transfer gives you no such protection. Whether the card is Visa or Mastercard makes no difference; why, we explain in Visa vs Mastercard.
  • Never enter card details into an email or on a site you were redirected to by a suspicious link.
  • Consider cash on delivery with an unknown store, you pay only on receipt.

Verify the store

Before you pay, look up reviews of the e-shop and its name together with the word scam. A few minutes of searching can protect you from losing money. Also check whether the store has a real address and company ID, and enter that company ID into the public business register (in Slovakia, for example via Finstat or ORSR). If the company does not exist or the ID is missing, stay away.

Watch out for fake emails and ads

Many scams start with a phishing email or a fake ad on social media leading to a fraudulent store. Never enter payment through a link from an unexpected message, rather open the store’s site manually.

When you have already fallen for it

If you paid a fraudster by card, contact the bank immediately and ask to block and dispute the payment. The sooner you act, the greater the chance of getting your money back.

Safety for online shopping

We advise and help secure your devices and accounts, so you can shop with confidence. For homes and businesses in the Liptov region.

Get help with security

This is also related to two-factor authentication.

This article is part of our Cybersecurity overview.