Even if you’ve carefully read the warning signs of a fraudulent shopping website and taken preventative measures to stay away from them, act quickly if you think you may have sent money or personal information to one:
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1. Inform the fraud departments of your bank and credit card provider right away that a fraudster has gained access to your accounts. Numerous financial institutions provide fraud protection, which pays for some expenditures made against your will.
2. In order to recover access to your accounts (banking, social media, email, etc.) if you provided account information on the fraudulent website, reset your passwords and activate two-factor authentication (2FA).
3. Use antivirus software to check your devices for malware and remote access software that scammers may have installed if you downloaded anything from the phony website or believe you are the victim of a phishing attempt.
4. Get in touch with the business that enabled the illegal payment and attempt to get it reversed. For instance, if you used your PayPal account to purchase anything from an internet retailer
5. If you purchased an item from a phony eBay or Amazon marketplace, file a complaint with the platform so that the online retailers may look into the seller and start the refund process.
6. If you have fallen victim to an internet fraud, report it to the authorities. This will not only make it more likely that the fraudsters will be apprehended, but before approving a claim, your bank, credit card company, or insurance provider will probably want to see a copy of the report.
7. If you are a US citizen, report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If you are ever a victim of identity theft, this is a crucial step in contesting illegal purchases and repairing your credit.
How to report a fraudulent online retailer
You may report a scam shopping website to Google, Microsoft, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you live in the United States. Make careful to elaborate on your suspicions regarding the website’s falsity as much as possible.
Let’s all work together to make the internet a safer place!
Because fake websites may be quite convincing, it’s critical to recognize the warning indications and take protective measures. It’s critical that you take precautions to keep yourself safe if you believe you may have visited a fraudulent website. For every account where you may have input personal information, change the password. You should also use an antivirus tool to check your device for infection.
You can report a fraudulent website to both the authorities and the brand from where you purchased the goods. Additionally, you could be eligible for a reimbursement from your credit card provider.