Fake Stores Are Everywhere

Scammers create fake online shops that look professional and sell popular products at suspiciously low prices. Some copy real stores entirely — same logos, same product photos, same layout. You place an order, enter your card details, and either receive nothing, receive a cheap counterfeit, or — worst of all — have your payment information stolen.

According to the FTC, imposter scams — which include fake shopping sites — caused nearly $2.7 billion in losses in 2023. Online shopping fraud was the most commonly reported scam type originating from social media, accounting for 44% of social media fraud reports.

Red Flag 1: The Price Is Too Good to Be True

If a website is selling a product for 50-80% less than every other store, ask yourself why. Legitimate retailers can offer sales, but they can't sell at a loss. A £200 pair of shoes for £35, or a $1,000 phone for $199, is almost always a scam.

Search for the same product on a well-known site like Amazon or the brand's official website. If the price difference is enormous, the cheap site is almost certainly fake.

Red Flag 2: The Website Is Brand New

Most fake shops are created quickly and taken down after a few weeks or months. You can check when a website was created:

  1. Search for "WHOIS lookup" and enter the website's address.
  2. Check the "Creation Date." If the website was created only a few weeks or months ago, be very cautious.
  3. Established, legitimate stores have been online for years.

Red Flag 3: No Real Contact Information

Legitimate businesses want you to be able to contact them. Check for:

If the only way to contact a store is through a contact form or a generic email address like "support@gmail.com," treat it as a major red flag.

  1. A physical address — search for it on Google Maps. Does a real business exist there?
  2. A real phone number — try calling it. Does anyone answer?
  3. A proper email address — is it a company domain or a free Gmail/Yahoo address?
  4. An "About Us" page with real information about the company.

Red Flag 4: Payment Methods

Legitimate stores offer standard payment methods: credit cards, PayPal, or established payment services like Klarna or Afterpay. Be suspicious if a store:

Always pay with a credit card when shopping online. Credit cards offer much better fraud protection than debit cards. If the charge is fraudulent, you can dispute it with your credit card company.

  1. Only accepts bank transfers or wire payments (these can't be reversed).
  2. Asks for payment via cryptocurrency.
  3. Only accepts payment through unusual or unfamiliar services.
  4. Doesn't offer any buyer protection or return policy.

Red Flag 5: Poor Website Quality

While some fake sites are very polished, many still have telltale signs:

  1. Spelling and grammar errors throughout the site.
  2. Product descriptions that don't make sense or seem machine-translated.
  3. Low-quality or stolen product images (try reverse-searching them on Google Images).
  4. Pages that don't work — broken links, missing "Terms & Conditions," no returns policy.
  5. No HTTPS padlock in the address bar (though scam sites increasingly have this too).

How to Check Before You Buy

Before entering your payment details on any unfamiliar website:

  1. Search for "[website name] reviews" or "[website name] scam" to see what others say.
  2. Check the website's age using a WHOIS lookup.
  3. Verify the contact information is real.
  4. Look for the website on Trust Pilot or similar review platforms.
  5. Check if the company has real social media accounts with history and engagement.