Why do sellers ask for 'Friends & Family' payments?

They want to bypass the buyer protections offered by 'Goods & Services' payments. Once you send money this way, it is treated as a gift and cannot be reversed by the bank.

I paid a scammer. Can I get my money back?

If you paid by credit card, contact your bank immediately to start a 'Chargeback'. If you paid via wire transfer or 'Friends & Family', the money is likely gone.

How can I verify if a new store is real?

Look for the brand on Trustpilot or Google Reviews. Also, check our Domain Age Checker—if the site is less than 6 months old, proceed with extreme caution.

Seller Scam Checker

Verify online sellers before you pay for a deal.

Scammers create professional-looking web stores and social media profiles to sell products that don't exist. Check the seller here before you lose your money to a non-delivery scam.

Security Insight

Social media 'sponsored' ads are a major entry point for seller scams. Scammers buy ads on Facebook and Instagram to promote 'flash sales' that lead to short-lived phishing sites.

Identifies fake 'Ghost' stores

Spots suspicious payment requests

Protects your credit card data

Analyze a Seller Now Shopping Safety Guide

How to spot a Fake Online Seller

A legitimate business has a clear history and standard payment methods. Watch out for these signals of a fraudulent seller.

Requests for 'Friends & Family' payments

If a seller insists you pay via PayPal 'Friends & Family', Zelle, or Venmo, you lose all buyer protection. This is a massive red flag.

The 'Flash Sale' from a new profile

A social media ad offering a high-end product for 70% off from a page that was created only a few days ago.

Stock photos and zero reviews

The seller uses perfect factory photos but has no real-world customer photos or genuine reviews on third-party sites.

Vague or missing contact details

No physical address, no phone number, and an email address that doesn't match the store's domain name (e.g., support@gmail.com).

What IsThisSpam checks before you trust a sender

Quick verdicts are useful, but the real value is understanding why something looks safe, uncertain, or risky.

Domain Age and Reputation

Check how long the store's website has been active. Most scam stores are shut down and replaced within 3 months.

Unusual URL characters

Look for domains with extra letters or hyphens (e.g., brand-clearance-sale-2024.com) which are cheap to register for scams.

Low engagement vs high follower count

A profile with 50,000 followers but only 2 likes on its posts often indicates a bought account used for fraud.

Broken website features

Social media icons that don't link anywhere and 'Terms of Service' pages that are empty or copied from another brand.

Related guides

Use the checker for the fast answer, then read the deeper guidance for recurring scam patterns.

Fake Website Checker

Verify the legitimacy of any shopping URL.

Read the guide

Marketplace Buyer Scam Checker

Verify people trying to buy items from you.

Read the guide

FAQ

These are the questions people usually ask right before they click, reply, or pay.

Got a screenshot or attachment? Our AI can analyse it.

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Check the sender before you trust the message.

Start with a fast scan, then move to SuperScan when the message involves money, account access, or sensitive documents.

Analyze a Seller Now Shopping Safety Guide