MEDIUM RISK
Fake Online Store
Fraudulent e-commerce websites that take your payment but never deliver products, or send counterfeit/inferior goods.
Losses: $770 million (FTC 2024)
Targets: Online shoppers, bargain hunters
Updated: 2026-01-06
Also known as: Fake Shopping Site • Non-Delivery Scam • E-commerce Scam
1How It Works
Scammers create convincing fake stores with incredible deals:
**How they look legitimate:**
- Professional website design
- Stolen product photos from real stores
- Fake reviews and testimonials
- Accepts major credit cards
- Shows trust badges (often fake)
**What happens:**
- You order and pay
- Order confirmation email (sometimes)
- Product never arrives, OR
- You receive cheap knockoff or completely different item
- Customer service is unresponsive
- Site disappears after a few months
How Scammers Make Contact
Social media adsGoogle adsEmail marketing
2Warning Signs & Red Flags
- Prices too good to be true (70-90% off)
- Recently created website (check WHOIS)
- Poor grammar and spelling
- No physical address or phone number
- Only accepts unusual payment methods
- No or fake reviews
- Copied content from legitimate stores
- URL similar to but not exact match of known store
3Real-World Example
"I found a Facebook ad for a clothing store with 80% off designer brands. The site looked professional. I ordered $200 worth of clothes. After 3 weeks, nothing arrived. I tried to contact them — no response. The site disappeared. My credit card company refunded me, thankfully."
— BBB Scam Tracker
4How to Protect Yourself
- Research the store before buying — search "[store name] reviews" or "scam"
- Check WHOIS for domain age — scam sites are usually new
- Look for a real physical address and phone number
- Use a credit card for better fraud protection
- Be wary of ads on social media with huge discounts
- Check if the URL exactly matches known brands
- Read reviews on external sites, not just on the store
5What To Do If You're a Victim
- 1Dispute the charge with your credit card company
- 2Report to FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- 3Report the site to Google Safe Browsing
- 4Report to the social media platform where you saw the ad
- 5Leave warnings in reviews and scam databases
- 6If you provided personal info, monitor your credit
Report This Scam
?Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fake Online Store?
Fraudulent e-commerce websites that take your payment but never deliver products, or send counterfeit/inferior goods. Scammers create convincing fake stores with incredible deals:
**How they look legitimate:**
- Professional website design
- Stolen product photos from real stores
- Fake reviews and testimonials
- Accepts major credit cards
- Shows trust badges (often fake)
**What happens:**
- You order and pay
- ...
How common is this type of scam?
Fake Online Store is classified as a medium risk threat. Reported losses: $770 million (FTC 2024). This primarily targets Online shoppers, bargain hunters.
Can I get my money back?
Recovery depends on how you paid. Credit card payments may be reversed through chargebacks. Wire transfers and cryptocurrency are rarely recoverable. Report immediately to your bank and file complaints with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and FBI IC3 at ic3.gov.
How do I report this?
Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For internet crimes, file with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov. For identity theft, visit identitytheft.gov. Also contact your local police and your bank.
Sources & References
Related Scams
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