Attention fraud: How to protect yourself from fake shops on social media!

Attention fraud: How to protect yourself from fake shops on social media!

A agreement with the worldwide fraud cases can also be found in Austria. According to reports, online shopping fraud is a global problem that occurs particularly often in countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany. There, about 90 percent of all purchase frauds come from social media, which underlines the range and the dangers of these new forms of fraud. Over two million cases of “Remote Purchase Frau” have been reported in the UK in the past three years.

Frequent fraud patterns

fake shops use various fraud patterns to gain the trust of buyers. They often tell emotional stories about small businesses or tragic diseases to arouse purchase interest. The known dubious online shops in Austria include names such as Bauer Vienna, Cécile Vienna and Kramer fashion. These shops attract extremely low prices, but often do not have an imprint. A missing imprint or a company headquarters outside the EU should be regarded as a warning sign.

In the meantime, the consumer advice centers are drawing attention to the fact that documents that are supposed to show customers that they are trusting shops are acting, but they often do not reflect reality. Forecasts show that in France there are over 20 percent of all cases of online fraud to fake shops. In particular, individual checks of shops, for example through tools such as the fakeshop finder, can help buy safely. This given fakeshop finder warns of shops that are classified as "yellow" either on fakeshop lists or whitelists-a sign that they may be questionable.

protective measures and tips

In order not to become a victim of these fraud, there are important tips for recognizing fake shops. Buyers should always exercise caution, especially with unrealistic offers and emotional advertisements. It is recommended to check the return conditions and read customer reviews. In addition, advertisements that arouse the suspicion of manipulation should be reported. In the event of a fraud, it is advisable to contact the bank or credit card provider and to inform the police and consumer protection about the incident.

The increase in fake shops shows that both the real and the digital world of fraud is infiltrated. The fact that almost half of the global population is faced with fraud at least once a week is alarming. In the context of these threats, it is essential to continuously find out about new fraudulent trends and their characteristics. Buyers can only remain protected by vigilant.

For more information about dealing with fake shops and detailed checklists, the consumer centers offer valuable resources in order to effectively identify and avoid potential frauds. For a targeted review of online shops, the Fakeshop Finder can be consulted to quickly determine the seriousness of a provider.