More and more online shopping... and risks
As the FPS Economy tells us (available only in French or Dutch), three out of four Belgians shop online, a figure higher than the European average. And in the face of this observation, there is a risk of falling into traps. We remind you of some important rules.
According to the latest statistics from the FPS Economy, 95% of Belgian households have an internet connection. And many place orders for items through this means.
Although Belgium is below the Netherlands (94%), France and Luxembourg (more than 80%) in terms of e-commerce, it nevertheless exceeds the European average (72%).
The most frequently ordered products remain:
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clothing, footwear and accessories (46.74%);
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subscriptions to film, series and sports broadcasting services (33.78%);
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tickets for shows (26.84%).
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subscriptions to music streaming services (26.69%).
As the FPS Economy tells us in its latest report (available only in French or Dutch), fake online shops are at the top of the list of reports, with 6,463 cases reported, i.e. more than a fifth of the total.
The practices denounced concern delivery or compliance concerns, but also and above all a misappropriation of the identity of real websites. "Fraudsters create fraudulent websites imitating Belgian online shops, using a slightly different URL address, using their official contact details and displaying attractive prices, with the aim of deceiving consumers or harming companies."
Most of the reports are directed at foreign websites or large platforms. Scammers use the names of existing companies and trick victims into thinking they are opting for third-party delivery.
Fake announcements
Scammers also use classified ads. To do this, they contact the victim via specialized sites such as eBay, Autoscout, or platforms such as Marketplace. They offer several items for sale (car, mobile phone, electronic equipment, etc.) at very attractive prices and ask for payment in advance or via a money transfer system such as Western Union or MoneyGram. And as soon as the money is paid, the seller disappears into thin air.
A fake... Buyer
Another form of scam is to pretend to be a buyer during an online sale on a classified ads site. The scammer does not discuss the price and offers to pay via a system of fake checks. The bank does not immediately realise that it is a forgery and transfers the amount to the seller's account. After a verification procedure lasting several days, the item is already sent, while the money is finally not delivered to the seller...
Sometimes, the fake buyer may even go so far as to pay a sum higher than the amount due and ask the seller to pay him the difference, claiming to have made a mistake. This way, the seller will not only lose the item they have put up for sale, but also some of their own money.
Reflexes to remember
Be vigilant and adopt these reflexes:
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Beware of offers that are too good to be true;
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Make sure to identify the seller and check what people say about it on the net (do the reviews look real or are they too perfect?)
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Check the reliability of the sales site : its URL (sometimes, a change of a letter in an address can make a difference!), its location, its date of creation (a recent creation can be an indication of fakes), before proceeding with the purchase;
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Avoid giving out personal information such as identity documents and bank details that could be used for criminal purposes;
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If you spot a fraud attempt, report it to suspect@safeonweb.be, pay nothing, and cut off all contact with the scammers;
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If you are a victim, file a complaint with the Local Police. However, don't forget to prepare it beforehand (screenshot, chronology of the facts, etc.). A complaint that contains as much information as possible is more likely to succeed.