We live in a society that is now more dependent upon internet-based services and products than ever before. Shopping online has become the norm, and more and more SMBs are focusing their attention on offering more virtual assistance to their customers. While this might be great for businesses of all sizes and genres, it also poses a unique opportunity for scammers. During the past two years, scammer stores have begun popping up, which can be a massive concern for not only customers but also legitimate companies. Where you might believe affordable WordPress hosting is one of your primary concerns, every SMB needs to understand what these scammer stores are and entice customers.
What Are Scammer Stores
Have you ever been scrolling through your newsfeed and come across an advertisement for a product you have been looking for at an incredible price? Most of us have, and many of us have made the mistake of clicking on the ad and potentially even ordering the product advertised. Not surprising, the ad is a fake, the company is a fake, and any claims of legitimacy made are entirely false. These scammer stores often mimic some of the most trusted online stores with remarkable accuracy.
By mimicking larger and legitimate retailers, the scammer company can take money from unsuspecting customers and fail to deliver any actual product in the end. If a product is produced, it is likely to be of the lowest quality and merely a cheap imitation of the genuine product.
The Scam Does Not Stop There
On the surface, scammer stores seem like simple ways for hackers to take money from unsuspecting clientele, but the scam can go deeper than that. By clicking on the ad, you can potentially access your computer over to hackers. The scammer can send malware through email via coupons and ads. Gaining access to personal information can bring about a long chain of potential threats throughout your finances, clients, customers and is a real threat to your entire SMB. It is best to avoid these scammer stores, but how do you know it is an actual store or a scam. Here are some tips to keep you safe and guard against scammer stores.
Bottom Dollar Pricing
The first sign of a scammer store is below average pricing. We are not talking about a 20% discount off the original price of an item, but at least 55% lower than what you would expect to pay anywhere else. For instance, a child's swing set might be marked down to $75 on the scammer site, but at other retailers costs over $500. The site makes the deal too good to be accurate, and it is.
Sketchy Looking Website Design
These scamming stores can often look legitimate in many ways. Still, to avoid the potential for alerting the actual store or getting involved in copyright law issues, the store will alter the site's appearance ever so slightly. However, it is easy to spot a scammer site by paying attention to the details. Colours may be slightly off, or there could be a missing element in the company's logo. These are clear indicators that something is amiss with the advertisement.
Unusual Domains
Another sign that can go undetected by the untrained eye is the use of uncommon names. Corporations and legitimate companies celebrate their name by having locked-in email addresses with the company name as the domain. The best share hosting for WordPress companies offers corporations their domain to set them apart from all others. However, the company is not legitimate if you come across a good-looking deal and the domain name appears as .app, .bargain, or some other suspicious word.
Suspicious Contacts
Companies will utilize their corporate emails for customers to make contact through. These legitimate companies do not use standard Gmail or Yahoo email addresses but those dedicated to the company, so if you see a standard, daily email, you are looking at a scammer store.
How to Keep Safe
Your business, clients, and personal information are vital, and scammer stores diligently steal it from you. It is vital that you only utilize legitimate sites. Keep your information safe and never provide additional information to companies, apart from billing and shipping. That is all the information they need for online purchases. Do not pay for purchases through gift cards or wire transfers, and never trust a website that requires you to download a program before making a purchase.
There are many scammer stores out there today, and with so many people turning to the internet for their purchasing needs, we can expect to see more. If a site seems a little fishy when shopping online, it probably is. The cues for a scammer site are straightforward but often subtle, so ensure you are always looking for the minor details. Remember, shopping on scammer sites not only can affect your finances but that of your customers, employees, and virtually every part of your SMB.