Urgent warning issued over ‘very convincing' web scams as shoppers conned out of £100s

The Sun

5 hours ago

SHOPPERS have been warned to look out for "very convincing" web scams that are conning people out of hundreds of pounds.
There has been a recent rise in criminals creating fake websites for well-known brands, experts say, and many scammers are using AI to help them.
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Costco is one of the retailers that has recently been targeted by these criminals, with the wholesale business warning customers to be vigilant when shopping online.
Dozens of reviews have appeared on Trustpilot in recent weeks from Costco shoppers who paid for orders but never received them, with some claiming to have bought items costing hundreds of pounds.
Costco responded to several customers on the review site, writing: "We were unable to locate an order with the details provided and suspect that the purchase may have been made through a fraudulent website posing as Costco.
"Unfortunately, there has been a recent increase in fraudulent websites impersonating Costco."
In another Trustpilot response to a customer who had fallen for the scam, it urged shoppers to "check the URL which is displayed when shopping online".
It added: "Our site displays Costco.co.uk at the beginning of the web address."
Some Costco shoppers may have lost hundreds of pounds to the scam.
In one review, a customer claims they bought a Bosch router table, which are on sale for up to £500 from some online retailers, but had not received it.
Costco responded saying their order could not be found and it was likely bought through a fake website.
Another customer said they ordered a keter Manor outdoor shed, which retails for over £200 on the high street, and were told by Costco they had likely been scammed.
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It's not just Costco that has been targeted by fake websites - experts told The Sun that the scam is on the rise.
'Criminals are increasingly creating convincing looking websites that mimic well known retailer that lure shoppers in with seemingly genuine branding and tempting offers," said Jake Moore, global security adviser at ESET.
"These sites often harvest lots of personal and payment information or take money without delivering goods."
He said they're also becoming "incredibly easy to make" with the use of AI, as it means scammers no longer need to know how to code to create fake websites.
"The end results are often near perfect copies too," he said.
Starling Bank financial crime specialist Sarah Lenette adds: With the rise of AI, scammers have everything they need to create very convincing retail sites in very little time, which include all of the correct branding, products and relevant offers and deals."
One common way you can end up on a fake website is by clicking on a fake ad on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok or Instagram.
"Users then unknowingly find themselves on a site believing they are on the legitimate retailer," Jake says.
It comes after a raft of fake Wilko websites offering huge discounts were set up by scammers after the retailer fell into administration in 2023.
Cath Kidston and Joules have also been targeted by the scams.
How to spot a fake website
While scammers have become more sophisticated, there are several ways you can keep an eye out for fake websites when shopping online.
Which? Consumer Expert Rob Lilley-Jones says you should avoid any deals that seem "too good to be true" - as they usually are.
"Another tell-tale sign of a scam website will be poor spelling and bad grammar," he adds.
Look out for any websites that don't have a physical address and a phone number and email address to contact them.
"If they don't, it's a red flag," Rob says.
He also suggests using a domain checker like who.is to see when the website was set up.
"If it's recent, and the company claims to be a well-known one like Costco, it's a scam," he says.
Sarah Lenette adds that you should be wary of any URLs for UK retailers that end in .org or .net.
You should also avoid clicking on social media ads that you're unsure about, she says.
"Always search for the retailer on a search engine and head to them independently, as well as checking for independent reviews on sites such as TrustPilot," she says.
Costco was contacted by The Sun but declined to comment.