Online fraud? Do this immediately, get your money back

However, this convenience also comes with an increased risk of online fraud. Often, after taking money from people, the goods are either not sent at all, or a wrong, fake, or defective product is delivered.

If you also face such an online shopping fraud, there is no need to panic. By taking some necessary steps, you can try to get your money back.

What is an Online Shopping Scam?

An online shopping scam occurs when a fraudster or a fake website deceives a customer and takes their money.

This fraud can be carried out in several ways.

Some common methods of fraud:

• Non-delivery of goods: The seller takes your money but never sends the item.
• Sending fake or defective products: You are sent a fake, damaged, or cheap item instead of the original product.
• Fake websites: People are made to pay through fake websites by showing attractive offers and heavy discounts.

What to do immediately if online fraud occurs?

If you have become a victim of online shopping fraud, you should take immediate action without delay. The sooner you report the scam to the right place, the higher the chances of getting your money back.

First, check transaction details

First, gather your transaction details. This includes information like Transaction ID, date of transaction, the amount scammed, and the fraudster's account number or UPI ID.

Keep all necessary evidence related to the fraud, such as screenshots, messages, and order receipts, safe with you.

Contact the bank or payment app

After this, immediately contact the customer support of your bank or payment app (like Google Pay, PhonePe). Inform them about the entire incident and report the transaction as fraud.

Block your card

If you made the payment using a credit or debit card, block it immediately. This will ensure that the scammer cannot use your card details to make any further transactions.

File a complaint against the seller

Also, file a complaint on the platform of the website or seller from whom you made the purchase. Share your order receipt and other evidence there as well.

Where to complain about online shopping fraud?

The government has created special platforms for complaining about online fraud.

You can file your complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Here, you can complete the complaint process by selecting the 'Report Other Cyber Crime' or 'Report Financial Fraud' option.

Additionally, you can also report online fraud immediately by calling the helpline number 1930.

How can the fraud money be recovered?

If you have filed a complaint in time as soon as you discovered the fraud, your case reaches the bank and the cyber cell.

If the scammed amount has not yet been withdrawn from the fraudster's account, it can be frozen.

After this, once the legal process is completed, the chances of getting your money back increase significantly. However, if there is a delay in complaining, it can be difficult to get the money back, as scammers often withdraw the amount immediately after receiving it.

Therefore, the most important thing in case of online shopping fraud is to report it to the bank, payment app, and the Cyber Crime Portal without wasting any time.