Online shopping fraud on the rise

The increase in online shopping due to the covid-19 pandemic also saw a sharp rise in online scams all over the world. Along with a raging pandemic Pakistanis too, must be wary of online scammers ready to hustle them out of their money. Recently, a number of fake e-shopping websites have become rampant particularly in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Kiran Khan, a beautician, told APP that since she could not manage to go out for shopping during lockdown she ordered a few products for her beauty salon. “When I received them, I was shocked to see the substandard items. I tried to return the products back to them but it was too late as the website had closed.”

Haroon Ali, a student of Matric, said his first online shopping experience was ruined by a fraudulent website. “I ordered a few shirts for my younger brother to gift them on his birthday but I got a surprise instead, as the shirts were faded and of a poor quality.”

He further mentioned that the people who run this false business were also demanding higher prices for such products.

Khansa Khan, a teacher at a private school also shared her experience. She said that local authentic brands were delivering fair and good quality of materials but among them there were many fake websites that were using the names of international brands or celebrity endorsements to lure unsuspecting customers.

“I try not to order the items that would be shipped from any far-off country as it’s not easy to claim your money back if it is a fake dealer,” she warned.

Saeed Mustafa, a sales manager of a popular clothing outlet said customers should research the company/website before making a purchase and check its refund policy.