ONLINE SELLER SAFETY CHECKS

Verify the seller before paying.

Work through these checks before sending money, sharing personal information, downloading anything or meeting an unfamiliar seller.

A product can be real while the seller is fake.

Online shopping scams can appear through social media, messaging apps, marketplaces, websites, advertisements and private referrals.

A convincing product photo, professional-looking page, large number of followers, positive review or attractive price does not by itself prove that the seller is legitimate.

What should I never share?
Never provide passwords, OTPs, PINs, recovery phrases, private keys, full bank-card details or other authentication secrets to an online seller.
What if I have already paid?
Stop sending additional money until the situation has been independently verified. Preserve the seller's profile, messages, payment records, account details, receipts and other useful evidence. If your account or payment method may have been compromised, use the appropriate emergency or recovery pathway.
ONLINE SELLER VERIFICATION

Check the seller before you pay.

The more unusual the seller, payment method, price or delivery arrangement, the more important independent verification becomes.

Who is the seller?

Identify the person, business, shop or organisation behind the listing and determine whether that identity can be independently verified.
Why this matters
A seller can use a convincing name, logo, social-media profile or marketplace account without being the legitimate business they claim to represent.

Can the seller be independently verified?

Look for reliable information about the seller outside the message, advert or social-media account that introduced you to the product.
Why this matters
Do not rely only on testimonials, followers, screenshots or information supplied by the seller. Independent verification makes impersonation and fabricated identities harder to trust.

Is the price suspiciously low?

Be cautious when an item is offered at a price that is dramatically lower than comparable legitimate sellers.
Why this matters
An unusually low price can be used to create excitement and pressure buyers into paying before checking the seller or product.

Are they creating urgency?

Be careful when the seller says the offer will disappear immediately, another buyer is waiting or you must pay quickly.
Why this matters
Urgency can prevent you from checking the seller, comparing prices or confirming payment details. A legitimate purchase should not require you to abandon reasonable verification.

Where are they asking you to pay?

Confirm the exact payment destination and be cautious when a seller asks you to move payment outside the normal marketplace or payment process.
Why this matters
Moving a transaction away from a platform's normal protections can remove useful safeguards and make disputes or recovery more difficult.

Does the beneficiary match the seller?

Before paying, confirm that the payment recipient makes sense for the transaction and investigate unexplained differences.
Why this matters
A seller may provide a personal account, another person's account or a different beneficiary and claim that it is normal. Unexpected payment destinations deserve independent verification.

Is there a genuine delivery process?

Understand how the product will be delivered, who is responsible for delivery and what happens if the item does not arrive.
Why this matters
A clear delivery process gives you information you can verify. Vague promises, fabricated tracking details or repeated excuses can be warning signs.

Is there a real return or refund process?

Check the seller's return, replacement and refund terms before sending money.
Why this matters
A professional-looking policy does not automatically mean the seller will honour it. Consider whether the seller can actually be contacted and held accountable.

Are the reviews trustworthy?

Treat reviews, testimonials, ratings and screenshots as information to investigate rather than automatic proof.
Why this matters
Reviews can be copied, fabricated or manipulated. Look for consistent evidence across sources and be cautious when every review appears unusually positive.

Are they asking for sensitive information?

Never give an online seller passwords, OTPs, PINs, recovery phrases, private keys or unnecessary banking secrets.
Why this matters
Buying a product should not require someone to obtain authentication secrets that could give them access to your accounts, money or digital assets.

What evidence should you preserve?

Keep useful records such as the listing, seller profile, messages, payment details, receipts, tracking information and screenshots.
Why this matters
Preserving evidence can help when a transaction becomes disputed or suspicious. Avoid deleting useful records simply because the seller asks you to.
Before you pay, verify these five things.
1. Who are you buying from?
Confirm the seller's identity and business information using a trusted source rather than relying only on the advert or profile.
2. Where is your money going?
Confirm the beneficiary and payment destination before approving the transaction.
3. What are you actually getting?
Make sure the product, price, condition, quantity and delivery arrangements are clearly understood.
4. What happens if something goes wrong?
Check whether there is a genuine way to contact the seller and understand the return, replacement or refund process.
5. What evidence do you have?
Keep useful records of the listing, seller, conversation, payment, receipt and delivery information.
Never let a bargain turn off your verification.

A very low price, urgent offer, convincing profile, impressive reviews or professional-looking website can create confidence before a scammer asks for payment.

When money or personal information is involved, slow down and verify independently.

VERIFY BEFORE YOU TRUST.