Due to the rising demand for basic necessities and PPE, bogus or fake online sellers have also increased. When buying items online, make sure that you're purchasing from a legitimate seller before placing an order and sending your payment.
Take note of these 5 reminders to avoid fake or bogus online sellers:
1. Buy from accredited and legitimate online stores
Exercise caution and go to legitimate platforms where sellers go through a verification procedure, such as Lazada or Shopee. Choose sellers that have positive feedback and reviews with actual pictures of delivered items.
2. Check reviews and comments
Customer reviews and comments are one of the biggest indicators of a seller's trustworthiness. Avoid sellers with a lot of negative feedback.
Tip: Stay alert and watch out for positive reviews that look alike or look like spam. These could be fake reviews posted by bots or written by the seller.
3. Ask for more details
When in doubt, ask for more details regarding the product. If the image is blurred or looks like it was just downloaded from the internet, ask for images of other angles of the product to verify that it is on-hand. Be suspicious if the seller refuses to send you pictures and give you additional details.
Scammers look for people who are easy to convince and may be impatient and short-tempered if there are additional questions.
4. Compare the price with the SRP
If the price is too cheap or way below the original or suggested retail price (SRP), this could be a fake product or a scam. Make sure to check the SRP and compare the price with other online sellers before making a purchase decision.
5. Be careful with newly-created accounts
Verify the identity of the seller of a newly-created account. Ensure that the seller can be trusted, especially if they are selling expensive items such as gadgets and jewelry.
Tip: To be sure that the seller can be trusted, purchase from established and well-known online shops. If you're shopping on apps like Lazada or Shopee, choose sellers that are on LazMall or Shopee Mall as they are guaranteed to be authentic and trusted.
What should I do if I see a fake online seller?
If you encounter a fake online seller, report this immediately to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime group at acg@pnp.gov.ph to prevent them from scamming others.
If you see a fake online seller that uses Coins.ph as a payment option, report this to us immediately. You may send us an email at help@coins.ph or tap Send us a Message in your Coins.ph app.
Stay alert and let's keep the Coins Community safe and secure!
