How to avoid scams when shopping online

Most online purchases go smoothly. But there are a few familiar schemes, and all of them aim at one thing: getting you out of the protected system. Below is how to spot them.

The clearest sign: “pay outside the app”#

If a seller suggests moving the payment somewhere else, to a card number, another app or “through a friend”, the conversation ends there.

The reason is simple: when you pay inside the app, the order is recorded and there is a way to raise a complaint if something goes wrong. A transfer made outside is just a money transfer, and getting it back is almost impossible.

This rule has no exceptions. No matter how convincing the reason sounds.

When the price is far below the market#

A low price is not bad in itself. It can be a discount, an old collection or a warehouse clearance.

But if the gap is two or three times, there is usually a reason: not the original, a different set of contents, a faulty item or one that does not exist at all.

If you have doubts, look at the same product from several sellers. The normal price range becomes clear right away.

Pressure to hurry#

“Last one left”, “today only”, “pay now or it goes to someone else”: all of these serve one purpose, to leave you no time to think and check.

A real discount does not vanish in a minute. If you feel rushed, that is exactly the moment to slow down.

Who is asking for your details#

No seller needs your full card number, its expiry date or the three-digit code on the back. Only the payment system asks for these details, and that happens inside the app.

You also never share the confirmation code that arrives by SMS. It is for you alone.

Where the link leads#

Another familiar trick is a link sent in a message. It looks like a site you know, but the address differs by one letter.

The rule is simple: do not go to a payment page through a link. Open the app yourself and find the order there. If the link was genuine, the purchase will show up there anyway. If it was fake, you lose nothing.

The advice sounds dull, but this is exactly the scheme that works most often.

In short: what never to do#

A few things you never do, however convincing the reason:

• never tell anyone your full card number, expiry date or the code on the back;
• never pass on the confirmation code from an SMS;
• never move a payment outside the app;
• never pay in a hurry without checking.

These four rules cover most of the risks in online shopping.