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"I found a console that was sold out everywhere else for retail price on a social media marketplace. The seller seemed nice and sent a photo of the box."

"They asked me to pay via bank transfer to 'save on fees'. I sent the money, and they blocked me immediately. I never got the console and couldn't get my money back."

Fraudulent purchases often start online, when you find items on social media marketplaces or a classifieds website. The listings are typically highly professional, featuring high-resolution images and a seller profile that appears trustworthy, often with numerous positive reviews.

Scammers lure victims with an unbeatable price or immediate availability for an item. To rush the transaction and bypass security checks, they create high-velocity urgency, claiming they are moving, have an emergency, or that many others are interested in the item.

The seller will often pressure you to pay via a non-reversible method such as cryptocurrency or gift cards, claiming these methods allow them to keep the price low by avoiding business fees. Once the funds are sent they may immediately block you, or cease all contact, and the item never arrives.

• Be sceptical of extreme discounts: If a price for a high-demand item is significantly lower than retail value across all other platforms, treat it as a major red flag
• Urgency: If a seller is pressuring you to pay right now, or claiming they will move to the next person, they are likely trying to stop you from performing due diligence. Take 5 minutes to step away from the screen. Scammers rely on your fear of missing out to make you ignore your gut instincts

• Use a protected payment method: Never use non-reversible methods like direct bank transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency for purchases, as these prevent disputes and result in immediate loss of your money
• Verify the seller and platform: Before buying, check the seller's rating, transaction history, and contact information. If buying from a dedicated website, look for legitimate contact details (phone, physical address) and a secure checkout (indicated by https:// in the URL)
• Insist on meeting in public (for local ads): If you are buying through a local marketplace, never pay for the item before you have physically seen and inspected it. If the seller makes excuses about why they can only ship the item, walk away from the deal