It’s getting harder than ever to spot a scam. Fraudsters are getting more sophisticated by the day. Hijacked social media accounts, fake buy-now-pay-later schemes, dodgy QR codes and even convincing-looking fake online shops are all designed to trick shoppers into handing over their money.
Online scams are rife. According to UK Finance’s 2024 fraud report, there were 131,447 reported cases of purchase scams where people paid for goods or services that never arrived, which cost victims more than £87m. The trade body says that 85 per cent of these scams started online, often via fake websites, social media ads or questionable listings on online marketplaces.
From buying something on a fraudulent website or a fake social media advert to a product that never arrives or a company that disappears, we explain how to tell if you’ve been scammed, what to do, and, crucially, how to get your money back.
How do I know if I’m being scammed online?
The old adage is correct: if you see a price that seems too good to be true, it usually is. The same goes for a must-have product that’s sold out everywhere else, but suddenly appears on a website you’ve never heard of. Scam sites often reel people in with bargain prices and fake (or entirely made-up) items.
It could also be a scam if someone contacts you out of the blue, such as a cold call, unexpected message or unsolicited email. Be wary if you're pressured to pay quickly or asked to use unusual payment methods, such as gift cards, crypto or money transfer services such as MoneyGram.
What to do if you get scammed online
First, stop sending money, even if the scammer is piling on the pressure. Then contact your bank. If they can’t block the payment, you might still be able to get your money back using chargeback (for debit cards) or Section 75 (for credit cards).
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 covers credit card purchases over £100. If you’ve been scammed for a purchase, your credit card company may have to refund you even if it’s impossible to get your money back from the scammer.
Chargeback can be used for smaller amounts on debit cards and lets a card provider reverse a transaction. Both options can help if the item didn’t arrive, was faulty, or the company disappeared.
Don’t forget to report it. You can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online form. If you received a fake or undelivered item, you can also report it to Trading Standards.
How to get money back after being scammed online
What happens next really depends on where you bought it and how you paid. If you bought something on Amazon and the item never turned up, you can ask the website for a refund. If it was purchased on Amazon Marketplace, you should contact the seller to find out what’s going on. If the seller is unresponsive, you may be able to file an A-to-z Guarantee claim, in which case Amazon will decide if you’re entitled to a refund.
eBay offers similar protection with its Money Back Guarantee if an item doesn’t arrive, or is broken or faulty. For Amazon and eBay’s protections to cover you, the order must have been paid for on their website, so if a seller asked you for a bank transfer or any other sort of offline payment, the website won’t help.
Facebook Marketplace is a hotspot for scams and doesn’t offer buyer protection for local deals. If you pay by bank transfer, cash or via unprotected methods like PayPal Friends & Family, you’re unlikely to recover your money. Purchase Protection is only possible when you pay via Facebook Checkout on eligible listings, and even then, coverage may be limited, and the claim window is tight. If that’s not an option, always pay with PayPal Goods & Services, or better yet, meet the seller in a public place and pay in person.
If you paid for your item via bank transfer, you should quickly ask your bank or building society if it is able to stop or reverse the transaction. If you used a debit card or credit card, you can use chargeback or Section 75 to try and get a refund. If your card provider refuses your claim, you can complain, and if you’re not happy with the response, take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Does PayPal refund money if you get scammed?
Yes. PayPal’s Buyer Protection ensures you get a refund if the item never arrives or isn’t as described. You’ll need to raise the dispute within 180 days of the purchase date, and the item must be eligible. Things like gift cards, vehicles, custom-made goods or payments sent via PayPal Friends & Family aren’t covered.
To make a claim, go to the transaction in your PayPal activity and click “Report a problem”. If the seller doesn’t resolve the issue, PayPal will step in. If you paid using a credit card through PayPal, you might also be able to make a Section 75 claim through your card provider, though most banks will ask you to go through PayPal’s dispute process first.
A social media platform was involved. How should I flag it to them?
If you spotted the scam on social media, you can usually report it directly. On Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, tap the three dots on the post or ad and choose “Report”. On X (formerly Twitter), you can report ads by selecting “Report ad” from the dropdown menu.
If the post or profile has disappeared, you can still flag it through the platform’s help centre. You should also report misleading or fake ads to the Advertising Standards Agency, especially if the post made false claims about a product or service. While the ASA can’t remove individual ads, they can investigate advertisers and issue rulings.
How to report scam emails
If you’ve received a suspicious email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. The National Cyber Security Centre will investigate and take down any malicious sites. If it’s a dodgy text message, forward it to 7726 (it’s free). In either case, don’t click any links, download attachments or reply to the message. Just delete it once you’ve reported it.
How to protect yourself in future
If you’re buying from a site you haven’t used before, take a few minutes to check that it looks legitimate. Look for a real company address, not just a contact form or mobile number. Try googling the shop name with the word “scam” and look through reviews on sites like TrustPilot, not just the reviews featured on the shop’s website.
Don’t rely on the padlock symbol in the browser address bar either. That just means the site has a security certificate, not that it’s trustworthy. Scam sites can buy those too. If your browser or antivirus flags that the site might be unsafe, close the window.
Take care with links in emails and texts, especially unsolicited ones offering amazing deals. If you’re unsure, don’t tap. Go directly to the website instead by typing it into your browser.
Whether you shop on your phone or your laptop, it’s really important to keep your software up to date. That includes your browser, antivirus and mobile or desktop operating system. These updates often include security fixes that help stop malware or phishing attempts.
Services like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection or Proton Mail’s Hide-My-Email aliases are great for this. They give you a fake email to use with shops you’re not sure about, so your real one doesn’t end up on a spam list. Some services, like Microsoft Defender and Proton Sentinel, also offer suspicious login alerts to flag unusual activity early.
Getting a password manager is also handy. Services such as 1Password or Proton Pass can generate and store unique logins for each site you shop on, reducing the risk if one of them gets breached. Many will also notify you if your details show up in a data leak.
If you can, pay by credit card. You’ll have Section 75 protection if anything goes wrong, which is way better than what you get with a debit card payment.
For more, check out our round-up of the best antivirus and the best password managers
