Online Shopping Scam
A scam where a fake or cloned online store takes your payment and personal details for goods that never arrive — or are cheap counterfeits.
What Is This Scam?
A scam where a fake or cloned online store takes your payment and personal details for goods that never arrive — or are cheap counterfeits.
How This Scam Usually Works
- •You find a deal that's far below normal prices, often via an ad or social media link.
- •The site looks real but is new, has little contact info, and no clear refund policy.
- •You pay, sometimes with pressure to checkout fast.
- •The item never arrives, or a cheap counterfeit is sent instead.
- •The site may later ask for 'customs' or 'shipping insurance' fees.
Common Warning Signs
- •Prices far below market
- •New, unknown website
- •No refund policy
- •Pressured checkout
What Scammers Commonly Say
- “'Flash sale — 80% off, today only!'
- “'Pay a small customs fee to release your package.'
- “'Your order is held — pay shipping insurance to continue.'
Before You Act
Pause and check these before sending money, sharing details, or clicking anything.
- •Check the URL for misspellings or unusual domain extensions.
- •Search the store name plus 'reviews' or 'scam' before buying.
- •Look for real contact details and a clear refund policy.
- •Compare prices with established retailers — if it's far below market, be suspicious.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- ?Is the price far below what established retailers charge?
- ?Does the site have real contact information and a refund policy?
- ?Am I being pressured to checkout quickly?
- ?Is the domain spelled correctly?
What You Should NOT Do
- ✕Do not pay any extra 'customs' or 'shipping insurance' fees.
- ✕Do not enter your card again on the same site.
- ✕Do not share additional personal information with the store.
- ✕Do not assume a tracking number means the order is real.
What You Should Do Immediately
- •Contact your bank or card issuer to dispute the charge.
- •Freeze or replace the card you used.
- •Save the product page, order confirmation, and any emails.
- •Report the site to the platform that hosted the ad and to your country's fraud authority.
What Evidence You Should Preserve
- •The store URL and product pages
- •Order confirmation and receipts
- •Payment records and card statements
- •Emails or messages from the 'store'
- •Screenshots of the ad
Never upload passwords, OTPs, PINs, CVVs, seed phrases, or full banking credentials.
Payment / Account Protection Steps
- •Request a chargeback through your card issuer for non-delivery.
- •If you paid via a payment app, raise a dispute there.
- •Monitor your card for further unauthorized charges.
Reporting Options
Report fake stores to your card issuer for a chargeback, to the platform that hosted the ad, and to your country's consumer-protection authority. Include the store URL, order confirmation, and payment records.
View Country Reporting GuideRecovery Considerations
Card chargebacks for non-delivery are often successful if reported promptly. Recovery is more likely here than with transfers, but still not guaranteed.
High Risk of Recovery Scam
Scam victims are often targeted again by fake “recovery agents.”
- Anyone claiming “We can recover your money for a small upfront fee” is almost certainly a scammer.
- Recovery is never guaranteed. No legitimate service charges an upfront fee to retrieve stolen funds.
- Scammers buy victim lists — expect fake “hackers”, “officials”, and “lawyers” to contact you.
How GoCheckAI Can Help
GoCheckAI walks you through disputing the charge, saving evidence, and reporting to the right channel for your country.
GoCheckAI does not guarantee recovery, does not act as a recovery agent, and will never ask you to pay someone to recover funds.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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