Too good to be true, a case study
After adding the TV to our basket and checking out, we immediately received an error message indicating a problem with the order:
Similar scams abound
ScElegance UK used a fresh seller account with the “Just Launched” status. Despite having no seller feedback, the products themselves have multiple positive reviews left by customers who purchased identical items from legitimate sellers.
Other users reported legitimate seller accounts being hacked and used to employ the same scam. If true, these accounts would already have positive feedback ratings and appear to be even more trustworthy.
In another version of the same scam, victims were told to buy (worthless) gift cards in lieu of a bank transfer.
Early January is a popular time of year for shoppers in the UK to find bargains, similar to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States. This makes scams more believable, but remember the golden rule: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
