On Monday, a 45-year-old woman who had fallen victim to fraud reported to the District Police Headquarters in Kamienna Góra. In an era of ubiquitous online transactions, it is hardly surprising that the woman used a search engine to find a place where she could buy the desired product: coal. She used a website that purported to offer the product at an affordable price with fast delivery. After filling out the form, she paid by electronic transfer, and all that remained was to wait for the product, which was supposed to be delivered the next day. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

The woman realized she had been scammed when she began examining the website more closely. An attempt to make telephone contact failed, while the photographs had been taken from another website. It turned out that the fraudster had impersonated another company in order to extort money.

Lower Silesian police officers appeal for caution when shopping online and recommend following the principle of limited trust. Let us also beware of so-called super deals and promotions, which may turn out to be another trick used by fraudsters. By following a few simple rules when shopping online, we can significantly reduce the risk of falling for a trap set by criminals.

What should we do before clicking the “buy now” icon on our screen?

  • check reviews of the store we have selected—we can use online forums and services specializing in collecting this type of information;
  • remember that an online store, like any other company, must have a telephone number, address and registration details—for example, NIP and REGON numbers. A KRS number (National Court Register) should also be provided and can be verified online;
  • check the store’s credibility by contacting it by telephone and email;
  • if there are any suspicions, at least for the first purchase, check the condition of the shipment in the courier’s presence;
  • it is advisable to use offers from stores that provide the option of tracking order status;
  • before sending money, make sure that an order confirmation has arrived in your email inbox;
  • do not make transactions through so-called “buying outside the auction” (fraudsters most often treat the auction service as a way to find victims).

What should we do if, despite taking precautions, we nevertheless fall victim to fraud?

Above all, you should:

  • inform the administrators responsible for the security of the service as soon as possible;
  • keep all documents related to the transaction, i.e. proof of the transfer to the bank account, email correspondence, etc., as well as all
  • correspondence with the seller; keep records of conversations via internet messengers and SMS;
  • report to the nearest police station together with the documents mentioned above.

DON’T LET YOURSELF BE SCAMMED!