Help & reporting
Report an online shopping scam
Fake shops are cheap to build and are advertised aggressively on social platforms. Individually the losses are smaller, which is precisely why so many go unreported — and why reporting improves the public record so much.
What this kind of scam is
- An online store or marketplace listing takes payment and either never delivers, or ships a counterfeit or worthless item.
- Payment is pushed off-platform, removing buyer protection.
- Contact details, refund policies and company registration are fake or unreachable after purchase.
Common warning signs
- Prices are far below the normal market rate for the item.
- The seller asks you to pay by bank transfer, gift card or crypto instead of a protected method.
- The site has no verifiable address, company number or working support contact.
- Reviews are generic, all recent, or copied from other sites.
- The domain was registered very recently, or the shop's name recently changed.
- Tracking numbers are invalid, or refer to a different, cheap item.
Steps to consider now
- 1
Contact your payment provider quickly
Card payments and some platforms have dispute windows — raise it in writing without delay.
- 2
Keep the order record
Save the listing, order confirmation, receipts, tracking details and all seller messages.
- 3
Report the listing to the platform
Marketplace reports can get the seller removed and help other buyers.
- 4
Watch for follow-up scams
Fake 'refund departments' often contact buyers who complained publicly.
- 5
Add the shop to ScamGuide
A public, moderated report helps the next person who searches that store's name.
Evidence worth preserving
- Screenshots of every conversation, including profile names, handles and the dates shown.
- Payment records: bank transfer confirmations, card statements, invoices or receipts.
- Cryptocurrency transaction hashes and the destination wallet addresses.
- The website address, app name and any download links you were sent.
- Emails with full headers where possible, plus any documents or contracts you received.
- A short written timeline of what happened and when, made while it is still fresh.
How ScamGuide works
- 1. You submit a structured report through a guided wizard — no legal or technical knowledge needed.
- 2. A private case is created with a reference number, timeline and secure evidence vault.
- 3. A case specialist reviews the details and communicates with you in an encrypted, private thread.
- 4. You explore the recovery and reporting options that realistically apply to your circumstances.
- 5. A sanitised, moderated summary may be published so other people can search it. You are never named.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Fake shops rely on small individual losses at scale; reports make the pattern visible.
Ready to document what happened?
Reporting is free and takes a few minutes. You can search existing reports first — try a store name or website address.