Online Shopping Safety UK — How to Shop Safely and Avoid Scams
Updated July 2026 · 7 min read · By Silent Erase | ICO Registered C1971457
Online shopping fraud costs UK residents hundreds of millions of pounds every year. From fake websites selling counterfeit goods to social media sellers who disappear after receiving payment — the risks are real and growing. This guide shows you how to shop safely online.
Costly problem:
UK Finance reports that purchase fraud — where people pay for goods that never arrive — cost UK residents over £100 million last year. Social media platforms and online marketplaces are the most common venues.
How to Spot a Fake Website
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Prices that seem too good to be true — 80% off designer goods is almost always a fake or counterfeit site
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No physical address or contact details — legitimate retailers always have a real address and phone number
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Poor spelling and grammar — fake sites often have translation errors throughout
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No SSL certificate — check for https and the padlock in your browser bar before entering any payment details
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No returns policy — legitimate retailers always have a clear returns policy
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Domain registered recently — check at whois.domaintools.com. Scam sites are often less than a year old
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No genuine reviews — check Trustpilot and Google Reviews. Look for verified purchase reviews not just generic praise
Safe Payment Methods
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Credit card — best protection. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act gives you a legal right to a refund from your credit card company if a purchase goes wrong. Applies to purchases over £100.
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PayPal — good buyer protection for most purchases. Never use Friends and Family payment for purchases as this removes protection.
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Debit card — some protection through Chargeback scheme but less robust than credit card Section 75.
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Bank transfer — almost no protection. Never pay for goods via bank transfer to someone you do not know personally.
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Gift cards — no protection whatsoever. Never pay for goods or services with gift cards — this is always a scam.
Social Media Shopping Safety
Facebook Marketplace, Instagram shops and TikTok Shop have made it easier than ever for fraudsters to set up fake storefronts. Before buying from social media sellers always check their account age and history, look for genuine reviews and feedback, search for their business name on Google, never pay by bank transfer and use PayPal Goods and Services where possible.
How to Verify an Online Retailer
Companies House — check if the UK company is registered at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Trustpilot — check reviews at trustpilot.com but look carefully for patterns of fake reviews
Google — search the company name plus the word scam or reviews
ScamAdviser — enter any website URL at scamadviser.com for a trust rating
If something goes wrong:
Contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Report to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk. Report the website to the National Cyber Security Centre at report.ncsc.gov.uk.
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