Like everything else, trading has partly moved to the online world. And that includes business between ordinary people. So if you want to sell a lawnmower these days, you’ll probably head to one of the online marketplaces. But this trading also comes with risks. What are they? We’ll cover that in this article.
If you’ve ever sold on an online marketplace (e.g. Facebook Marketplace, Sbazar or Bazoš), you’ve probably experienced this scam first-hand. The way it works is that as soon as you post an item for sale (for example, a used sofa), you get a call from a serious bidder within moments. He or she wants to buy the seat, but unfortunately doesn’t have time to come and get it in person. But no matter, he sends a courier to pick it up. The courier is always a well-known company, such as DPD. However, you have to pay the courier, with the understanding that the seller will reimburse you for the transport afterwards.
The buyer will ask you for an email address for the courier service. You will then receive an email from the courier with a link to the company’s website. The email and website look at first glance like they are from a real company. However, if you look at the name of the email address, you can probably tell that something is not right. Similarly, the text in the email and on the website should give you pause. You’ll find strange phrasing and lots of mistakes.
However, many people don’t think to question the email or the page, so they open it. They then fill in their credit card details, including a security code, or enter their internet banking access details. This gives the fraudster access to their bank account. They then send the money from the account to their own account or even arrange a quick loan and withdraw the money immediately.
Sometimes these cases are really bizarre. We have personally encountered, for example, a scammer who wanted to buy a LACK table from IKEA, which the seller was offering for 50 crowns. However, the scammer was willing to pay 600 crowns for a courier.
In addition to fake couriers, there are many other types of scams that you may encounter on online bazaars. Some of the most common ones include:
Overpayment scams: a buyer buys an item from you and sends you money for it. But he sends you more money than the purchase price you set. He then informs you of his mistake and asks you to refund the extra money he paid. However, once you send the money in good faith, the buyer cancels the original payment or the bank subsequently discovers that it was a fraudulent payment and you lose all your money.
Non-delivery fraud: This is one of the most common scams. The way it works is that you look up the item you want to buy. The seller, as is customary, asks you to pay in advance. However, once you send the money, they stop communicating. You lose both the item and the money. Alternatively, the scammer may send you an empty package or a package filled with worthless contents to provide you with a tracking number for the shipment, creating the illusion of a legitimate transaction.
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Counterfeit scam: In this case, the scammer offers expensive electronics or branded items worth tens of thousands. However, he sells them well below cost, and therefore it may appear to be a very good deal. However, if you buy the product, you will receive a cheap counterfeit from him. You end up paying a large sum of money for an item that has virtually no value.
Tip: Scams abound. Pig butchering is one of them. One of them is the one that we have covered in detail in our article.
If you’ve entered your bank account or card information somewhere, there are three steps you need to take:
Tip: It pays to inform yourself about scams. Read also our article on: How not to look for a work-at-home job.
You need to be wary of common scams that you may encounter when selling and buying online. These include scams involving fake courier services, overpaying and then asking for a refund of the difference, non-delivery of goods and the sale of counterfeit goods.
In addition, precautionary measures should be taken in the form of caution when transacting with strangers, the need to check the authenticity of emails and websites, using a secure payment method and keeping up to date with new types of fraud. In case fraud has already occurred, it is important to contact the bank, the police and report the fraudulent seller on the platform where the transaction took place. And if you don’t know what to do and would like the help of an attorney, we’re here for you.
Have you found yourself in a situation that requires filing a criminal complaint? We are here to help. We will reliably protect your rights and handle the entire process for you. We’ll handle everything quickly and flawlessly so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
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