What parents need to know
Shoppingonline is easy and exciting, especially when there’s a good deal. But somewebsites, sellers and adverts are not what they seem. Scammers use fakewebsites, adverts, or listings on popular marketplace platforms to trick peopleinto buying things that don’t exist or will never arrive.
BetweenNovember 2023 and January 2024, over £11.5 million was lost in the UK to onlineshopping scams. Many of these scams targeted people looking for a bargain, withan average loss of £695 per person.
Youngpeople are especially at risk because they often shop through apps, socialmedia, or marketplaces. By talking about how these scams work, you can helpyour child make safer choices.
How these scams work
Online shopping scams often include:
- Fakewebsites made to look like real shops or brands
- Advertson social media offering huge discounts
- Marketplacelistings with fake reviews and pressure to buy quickly
- Messagesthat say things like "only one left" or "deal ends soon" tomake people act fast
Theses cams are designed to catch people off guard and make them click without thinking. Children and teenagers may be drawn in by the excitement or urgency.
What you can teach your child to do before buying
- Stop and think - If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Take a moment before clicking “buy.”
- Check the seller or website - Lookup the name of the shop or seller by typing it into a search engine with word slike “scam” or “reviews.”
- Check that there is a clear returns policy, company contact details, and registration information.
- Make sure the website address looks right. For example, “amaz0n.co” is a scam, not the real “amazon.co.uk.”
- Use safe payment methods - Always use a credit card or a trusted payment service like PayPal if possible. These offer some protection.
- Avoid paying by bank transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. If there’s a problem, it’s much harder to get your money back.
- Keep shopping accounts secure - If your child has their own account on a shopping app or website, help them set up two-step verification.
- Make sure they use strong passwords that are different from the ones they use for social media or banking.
- Watch out for copied photos - Scammers often steal product images from real websites. You can search the image online to see if it appears on many other websites. This can help spot a fake listing.
What to do if your child has already paid
If you or your child has bought something and it turns out to be a scam:
- Contactyour bank or payment provider straight away
- Report the scam to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040
- If the scam was through email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk
- If it happened on a shopping app or social media platform, report it on that platform
- Change the password for the website or app used, especially if the same password is used elsewhere
- Keep an eye on your accounts for any strange activity
- Share what happened so others in your family or school community can be aware
