How to spot a scam website?

Bubble1971

Hi there, I don’t know if this is on the right board but just want some advice please. 

A friend in his 70’s has just ordered something from a website and has asked me if I can track when it’ll be delivered. The website is “sfqvvv” in its address  (sorry I can’t post a link yet) and the company is “qpgvwia” I’m pretty sure it’s a scam site. I’ve looked at Whois but I don’t understand the info it gives me but it says Redacted on most of it so I don’t   think that’s a good sign. My friend is very independent so I want to give him some online tools so he can check companies out for himself - even though I’m happy to help him. Is there a definitive site to check, for someone who isn’t too clued up on internet language etc. Or does anyone have a list that he can refer to of what to look out for? He paid via PayPal so hopefully he can get his money back. 

TadleyBaggie

Having a list of scam sites would always be out of date, new ones pop up all the time.

Just looking at the "Contact Us" page:

https://www.sfqvvv.top/pages/contact-us

screams scam. No address, No phone number. They sell a random selection of unrelated products at stupidly low prices. Website created less than 2 months ago.

Shouldn't be touched with a barge pole. 

Caz3121

scamadvisor website can be useful
https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/sfqvvv.top

JJ_Egan

Also try googling the name plus hoax  or scam .

Problem is a website is just that can be any place in the world .

sfqvvv      smells to high heaven .

MalMonroe

Bubble1971 said:

Hi there, I don’t know if this is on the right board but just want some advice please. 

A friend in his 70’s has just ordered something from a website and has asked me if I can track when it’ll be delivered. The website is “sfqvvv” in its address  (sorry I can’t post a link yet) and the company is “qpgvwia” I’m pretty sure it’s a scam site. I’ve looked at Whois but I don’t understand the info it gives me but it says Redacted on most of it so I don’t   think that’s a good sign. My friend is very independent so I want to give him some online tools so he can check companies out for himself - even though I’m happy to help him. Is there a definitive site to check, for someone who isn’t too clued up on internet language etc. Or does anyone have a list that he can refer to of what to look out for? He paid via PayPal so hopefully he can get his money back. 

Just because someone is in their 70s doesn't automatically mean they are not tech savvy. I'm also in my 70s and have been tech savvy for over twenty years. I have a friend who is in her 50s who readily admits she is a technophobe and hates anything to do with computers, so please don't blame it on age. There's no need to mention age at all, in fact. (Sensitive? Yes, of course. I resent the fact that many people think that as soon as people hit 'older age' they automatically lose lucidity.)

If you google 'sfqvvv', there are links to all kinds of pages, this being one of them  -

https://www.sfqvvv.top/collections/all - and on the 'contact us' page there is an email address - it's weird but it seems to be an email address. Why not try using that to get a refund for your friend?

Your friend would also probably greatly benefit from some advice and help with sites he uses and shopping online generally. Most councils give free lessons in IT - they are currently online because of Covid but even my 51 year old pal who is useless at IT has been doing a course over Zoom. She's not been enjoying it but she has learned a lot. 

robatwork

If you want a yes or no.... yes that's a scam site, not even a good one. 

I don't think your friend would look good in this anyway  https://www.sfqvvv.top/products/yoloagain-conjunto-de-sujetador-de-bikini-de-piel-de-zorro-real-y-mapache-natural-para-mujer-bikini-desmontable-y011

pbartlett

You don't have to try and spot a scam site - let the card companies do that for you

Pay by credit card - if they don't allow that then avoid it

Bubble1971

MalMonroe said:

Bubble1971 said:

Hi there, I don’t know if this is on the right board but just want some advice please. 

A friend in his 70’s has just ordered something from a website and has asked me if I can track when it’ll be delivered. The website is “sfqvvv” in its address  (sorry I can’t post a link yet) and the company is “qpgvwia” I’m pretty sure it’s a scam site. I’ve looked at Whois but I don’t understand the info it gives me but it says Redacted on most of it so I don’t   think that’s a good sign. My friend is very independent so I want to give him some online tools so he can check companies out for himself - even though I’m happy to help him. Is there a definitive site to check, for someone who isn’t too clued up on internet language etc. Or does anyone have a list that he can refer to of what to look out for? He paid via PayPal so hopefully he can get his money back. 

Just because someone is in their 70s doesn't automatically mean they are not tech savvy. I'm also in my 70s and have been tech savvy for over twenty years. I have a friend who is in her 50s who readily admits she is a technophobe and hates anything to do with computers, so please don't blame it on age. There's no need to mention age at all, in fact. (Sensitive? Yes, of course. I resent the fact that many people think that as soon as people hit 'older age' they automatically lose lucidity.)

If you google 'sfqvvv', there are links to all kinds of pages, this being one of them  -

Your friend would also probably greatly benefit from some advice and help with sites he uses and shopping online generally. Most councils give free lessons in IT - they are currently online because of Covid but even my 51 year old pal who is useless at IT has been doing a course over Zoom. She's not been enjoying it but she has learned a lot. 

I apologise Malmonroe for inferring that the older you are then the less tech savvy you are however I do believe that it’s easier if you’ve grown up using tech. I do know older people who love technology and young people who hate and try to avoid it. I should have phrased it better but I was angry that he’d been taken advantage of, he’s the second person I’ve helped lately who has been scammed. My mum (she’s 75 years old) is online more than I am. 

I do try to help my friend as much as I can, Zoom lessons are not possible as he lives in a very rural area and can barely get online. He’s also fiercely independent and only very reluctantly accepts my help, he just saw something he needed at a good price and ordered it, I will hopefully be able to sort this problem out for him but just wanted a second opinion so thank you to everyone who has replied. I don’t usually post anything on any site or forum so then I don’t offend anyone, this is my go to site though as people are so helpful. 

p3ncilsharpener

It's not a scam site, it's yet another site offering cheap Chinese tat.

The buyer will get what they paid for, which is tat at a massively inflated price.

Pollycat

When I look at a website that is new to me, I check out the 'About us' page. There is no such page on the website your friend used.

I also look at delivery and shipping information.

Prices are in US$.

Refer to UK, from order confirmation to ETD is 14-16 days, and vessel sail date about 24days

This ^^^^ should tell you that you aren't buying from the UK.

The final item in the link by MalMonroe is gross.

A natural racoon and real fox fur bikini?

Really?

pbartlett said:

You don't have to try and spot a scam site - let the card companies do that for you

Pay by credit card - if they don't allow that then avoid it

Yes.

The website appears to only accept Paypal but the 'Terms of Service' mentions credit cards.

That tells me that the 'terms' have been lifted from another website.

I once saw on a fake Dr Marten website a disclaimer about not accepting return of swimwear.

DM don't sell swimwear.

I work on the premise that any website new to me is trying to scam, con or rip me off until my research proves otherwise.

Speaking generally - does your friend understand what Ad means next to an internet search result?

"When you use the major search engines including Google, you have to always look for the 'ad' label," said Mr Lewis.

"If there's a little box that says 'ad' on the left, the only reason they are where they are is because they have paid to be there. Scroll down below all the ads and find the natural search winner."

Source:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56886957

Your friend could also read this MSE article:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cheap-online-shopping-shopbots/

Scroll down to #28, headed "How to check websites' legitimacy".

Laz123

It might be worthwhile giving your friend some added insurance that seeks out scum websites. There's a browser extension which warns you https://www.malwarebytes.com/browserguard