"The expression “Is it too good to be true?” fits quite well on the behavior you should have when shopping online," says Nordea fraud expert Amalia Krantz. "Does it make sense that designer clothes or a mobile phone should go for such a low price?"
Another recurring factor is the stress. Often the item is discounted for a short period and the campaign will end for example at midnight. A quick decision is intended to entice consumers into making a hasty decision, and the desire to get what you want takes over from reason.
Who is actually behind it?
When we shop online, it’s important to know who we have on the other side before we make the purchase. Doing research about the store and seeing what other reactions have been when people have shopped there is a way to protect yourself.
"Checking out what others thought of the shopping experience usually gives insight into who you’re dealing with. There are many sites that rate online stores and there you can quite quickly get a little more information," Amalia explains.
It may also be worth checking if the store has a customer service centre or social media accounts, if you can file complaints and how long the store has existed.
In ad fraud, not every amount has to be so large. The more we are willing to pay, the more research we do. But the amount may be so small that we are willing to take a chance on the store and do not take the time to check out the online shopping.
