Online scam. Where to report and how to get money back?
The store tricked me. What to do? Stress, huge nerves, disbelief. They tricked me! This online store doesn't exist and I fell for it. A large sum of money has been withdrawn from my card. What now? What to do if you have fallen victim to a scam? How to get your money back from an online scammer? Don't worry, check out the steps below.
What to do when an online store deceives us?
When you fall victim to an online scammer :
- Inform your bank about the incident as soon as possible .
- Report this incident on the CERT website ( incident.cert.pl ).
- Report the incident to the police . Go to the nearest police station.
- Warn others in forums, Facebook groups and social media organizations that protect consumer rights.
If you follow these three steps, you will significantly increase the chance of catching the perpetrators and stopping them from further activities.
On the CERT website, in addition to fraud and fake online stores or other impersonation attempts, you can report an incident, e.g. in such categories:
- malicious domain (domains that extort personal data or funds,
- suspicious e-mails or text messages (strange attachments,phishing , blackmail),
- malware (virus samples, files encrypted by ransomware),
- vulnerabilities (bugs in software or apps).
When reporting an incident, you will also need to select which entity you represent (individual, service operator, digital service provider or public entity).
After submitting your application, it will be thoroughly verified. Later, thanks to such notifications, CERT blocks attempts to enter sites that impersonate legitimate online stores. In addition to reporting the incident on the website, you can also send a report to the number 799 448 084 (by sending a suspicious text message) or send an e-mail to cert@cert.pl .
To report an online store crime , you can additionally submit a letter to the financial ombudsman or submit a complaint to the Consumer Federation. If the fake online store is allegedly based in a European Union country, contact the European Consumer Center and describe the whole incident.
How to get money back? Fraud in an online store
- If you paid by card , don't worry, because getting your money back won't be very difficult. All you have to do is file a complaint with your bank and describe the whole incident in detail. You will use the chargeback mechanism here , i.e. chargeback.
- If a dishonest online store tricked you into paying by bank transfer , the chances of getting your money back unfortunately decrease drastically. Sometimes there are situations in which the bank manages to stop the released transfer, so it is important that you contact the bank where you have your account and payment card (the one you used to pay in the fake online store) as soon as the incident occurs ). Most often, however, it happens that you have to wait patiently until the police catch the perpetrators and only then can you try to recover the money you lost in the fake e-shop .
In many cases where a fake online store forced payment for a non-existent product or service - extorted money turns out to be the least of the problems. The stairs begin when you lose all savings from your account or when shopping in a dubious online store you install malicious software on your device completely unknowingly. Then you risk losing sensitive data.
That's why we sensitize: always be vigilant when shopping online. Do not ignore the little things that arouse even the slightest doubt and suspicion. Don't give in to cybercriminals and make your friends and relatives aware of this topic. Especially warn against suspicious online stores of your elderly relatives who are not proficient in using computers and navigating the online world or shopping online. Such people are most at risk of being scammed in an online store. Do not give scammers the satisfaction and check how to protect your data on the Internet
We keep our fingers crossed for your online safety. And remember: you can always feel safe in the Sapsan store.