Online shopping scams

Dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company immediately

Report counterfeit products to the brand's official anti-fraud department

Use reverse image search on product photos before purchasing from unfamiliar stores

Only purchase through platforms with buyer protection such as official marketplace checkout

Use review analysis tools like Fakespot or ReviewMeta to assess review authenticity

Document the difference between the advertised and received product with photos

Never send money to anyone claiming an accidental overpayment without verifying through your bank directly

Verify coupons directly on the retailer's official website or app before using them

Research the seller and product independently before purchasing from social media ads

Use Facebook's built-in checkout and shipping protection for all Marketplace transactions

Only buy from sellers with established history and verified reviews — check the seller profile before purchasing.

Report the unsolicited packages to Amazon customer service and check your account for unauthorized access.

Sellers should photograph and weigh all outgoing shipments and use tracking with signature confirmation.

Always use PayPal's Goods and Services option for any purchase — the small fee provides full buyer protection.

Never refund overpayments to a different account or by a different payment method — refund only through PayPal's built-in refund feature to the original sender.

Request signature confirmation for purchases over 750 USD and document unboxing with video.

Check your bank's Zelle transaction history directly — Zelle does not send emails requiring account upgrades or fees to receive payments.

Never refund Zelle overpayments — ask the buyer to contact their bank to reverse the excess amount themselves.

Venmo is designed for payments between people who know and trust each other — do not use it for transactions with strangers.

Only use Venmo for purchases when the seller has a business profile with purchase protection enabled.

Research sellers and read reviews before purchasing — check for patterns of complaints about product quality.

Never accept payment for more than the agreed price — this is the hallmark of an overpayment scam.

Never pay money to start a job — legitimate employers cover the cost of training and background checks.

Buy resale tickets only through verified platforms like Ticketmaster, StubHub, or SeatGeek that offer buyer guarantees.

Only hire movers with a valid USDOT number (verify at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov) and positive reviews on multiple platforms.

Always meet the pet and the seller in person before paying anything.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is — research fair market prices before buying.

Never send money to someone you have not met in person, regardless of how strong the emotional connection feels.

For Craigslist, prefer local cash transactions — if you must ship, create and pay for the label yourself.

Get any early check-in agreements in writing through Airbnb's messaging system before booking — this creates a documented record.

Book Experiences with hosts who have multiple verified reviews and a track record on the platform.

Legitimate second-chance offers appear in your eBay Messages and are processed through eBay checkout.

Record a video when opening packages from unknown sellers as proof of what was received.

Never pay for eBay items outside of eBay's managed payments system.

Read the full item description carefully, especially for high-value items at below-market prices.

Use eBay's Authenticity Guarantee program for eligible categories like watches, sneakers, and handbags.

Review the bidding history for patterns — look for accounts that repeatedly bid on the same seller's items.

eBay does not offer a vehicle purchase protection escrow program — any reference to it is a scam.

eBay gift cards can only be used on ebay.com — they are never a valid payment method for anything else.