Fake shops look better than they used to. They copy real brands' photos, steal genuine-looking reviews and pop up in search results and social media adverts. Most of them still give themselves away if you spend two minutes checking before you pay. Here's the checklist we use, and what to do if you've already paid.
Before you buy: seven quick checks
1. Look closely at the web address
Scam sites often use an address that's nearly right: an extra word (“-outlet”, “-sale”, “-uk”), a swapped letter, or an unusual ending instead of .co.uk or .com. If you arrived from an advert or a link, close it and search for the brand yourself, or type the address you know.
Don't rely on the padlock next to the address. It only means the connection is encrypted; scam sites have padlocks too. Citizens Advice makes the same point: a padlock doesn't guarantee you're buying from a real company.
2. Is the price too good to be true?
Big-name trainers at 70% off, the latest phone for half price, a “closing down” sale from a brand that isn't closing down. Real discounts exist, but a whole site where everything is massively cheaper than everywhere else is the classic fake-shop pattern.
3. Check the contact details
- Is there a real street address (not just a PO box or a form)? Citizens Advice suggests looking for an address with a street name.
- Is there a phone number, and does anyone answer it?
- Does the returns policy say where to send things back, or is it vague or copied from somewhere else?
4. Check the company is real
UK limited companies are listed on the public register. If a site gives a company name or number (usually in the footer or terms), look it up on Companies House. It's free. Check the company is active, the name matches, and it hasn't just been set up last month. No company details at all on a site selling expensive goods is a warning sign.
You can also look up when the web address itself was registered using a “WHOIS” lookup. A shop that's only a few weeks old and offering huge discounts is suspicious, but plenty of honest new shops exist too, so treat it as one clue, not proof.
5. Read reviews somewhere else
Reviews on the shop's own website prove nothing: they can write whatever they like. Search for the shop's name plus “reviews” or “scam”, and look at independent sites. No trace of the business anywhere except its own site and its adverts is a bad sign. Our guide on spotting fake reviews goes into more detail.
6. Watch how they want you to pay
Genuine shops take card payments, and often PayPal or Apple Pay. Be very wary if you're steered towards a bank transfer, gift cards, vouchers, a money transfer service or cryptocurrency, or offered a discount for paying that way. Those methods are hard or impossible to get back.
7. Pay by credit card if you can
This one's worth knowing. Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if you pay by credit card for a single item costing more than £100 and up to £30,000, the card company is jointly responsible with the seller if things go wrong. So if the goods never arrive, you can claim from your card provider.
Below £100, or if you paid by debit card, you can ask your bank for a chargeback instead. Citizens Advice explains both. Neither protects a bank transfer to a stranger, which is exactly why scammers push you towards one.
The fast checklist
- Web address spelled exactly right, and reached by you, not an ad?
- Prices believable?
- Real address and phone number?
- Company on Companies House, and not brand new?
- Reviews on other sites, not just its own?
- Normal card payment on offer?
If two or more of those are a “no”, walk away. There's always another shop.
If you've already paid a site you now don't trust
- Ring your bank or card company straight away, on the number on your card, or call 159 to be put through to most UK banks securely. Ask them to stop the payment if they can, and about a chargeback or section 75 claim.
- If you created an account on the site, change that password, and change it anywhere else you've used the same one.
- Keep the evidence: order confirmation, screenshots of the site, emails, the web address.
- Report it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report fraud to Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud), online or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
- Watch for follow-up scams. People who've lost money are often contacted out of the blue by “recovery” firms promising to get it back for an upfront fee. The FCA warns these “recovery room” scams are sometimes run by the same people behind the original scam. See how to spot phishing and how to check it's really your bank calling.
Hunting for a bargain? Our guide to finding genuine discount codes shows how to save money without landing on a fake site.