Shopping, Marketplace, Ticket and Rental Scams

Shopping scams can involve a fake shop, a dishonest marketplace contact, a duplicate ticket or a property that is not available to rent. This guide helps families check the seller, offer and payment before committing money. For example, a convincing advert may promise a discounted gift while concealing who runs the shop. The same pressure can affect someone urgently seeking concert tickets or student accommodation.

If you suspect fraud or exposed payment details, contact your bank or payment provider promptly. Use I think I have been scammed, what to do next for immediate response. An ordinary delivery or product dispute may need a different route, explained below.

Shopping scams and fake online shops

An Irish-sounding name is not proof of an Irish retailer. Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission warns that even a .ie web address does not establish that a shop is based in Ireland. Check independent reviews, actual business contact details, refund policies and pressure tactics such as countdown timers. AI-generated product photographs and testimonials can also make deceptive shops appear credible. For suspected card fraud, contact your bank immediately and ask about a possible chargeback or card dispute.

CCPC guidance on fake online shops warns about false Irish identities, copied branding and pressured sales. A local sounding name, a .ie address or an advert on a familiar platform does not establish who operates the business. Also, a page can collect payment details even when it never delivers a product.

• Identify the seller. Look for its actual business name, physical address, contact details and country.
• Check independently. Look beyond reviews displayed on the seller’s own website. Repeated praise and a large follower count do not guarantee authenticity.
• Read the complete price and terms. Check delivery, returns, cancellation, recurring charges and any additional fees before paying.
• Inspect the web address. Open the established shop yourself rather than relying on an advert or unexpected message.
• Keep records. Save the listing, terms, order confirmation, payment reference and relevant correspondence.

Some sellers deliver goods that differ from the advert. Therefore, receipt of a parcel does not settle whether the description or business claims were honest. However, a delivery problem alone does not establish criminal fraud.

Check payments before buying

Use a payment method whose dispute process you understand. A debit or credit card may offer a chargeback route in relevant circumstances. However, no payment method guarantees recovery, and a bank transfer receipt does not prove a seller is genuine.

Check the payee, amount and purpose before approving a payment. Also, stop if someone redirects you to a different checkout or asks for gift card codes or cryptocurrency. Do not send an image of your payment card, banking codes or identity documents to an unverified seller.

A secure connection matters, but its meaning is limited. US FTC guidance explains that criminals can encrypt fake websites. HTTPS protects the connection to a site. It does not prove that the operator will supply the goods or protect information you give them.

Marketplace shopping scams buyers and sellers

Before buying, establish whether the seller is a business or a private individual. CCPC guidance on second hand goods explains that consumer law protections apply to purchases from businesses. They do not apply in the same way when you buy from another consumer. A trader cannot avoid obligations by pretending to sell privately.

• Read the platform’s protection terms. Check eligible goods, payment methods, deadlines and exclusions.
• Keep the transaction in the official process where the platform provides one. Moving to a private payment link may remove available protection.
• Check the actual item and description. For an in person exchange, arrange a safe public meeting and involve a trusted adult where appropriate.
• Do not trust a payment screenshot. Open your own bank or payment account independently to check what actually happened.
• Decline requests to pay to receive money or reveal a login code to a supposed buyer.

Sellers can be targets too. The US FTC’s seller scam guidance describes fake payment notices and false overpayment/refund requests. Do not send money to an account supplied by a stranger to fix a supposed extra payment. Instead, ask your payment provider how to handle any disputed funds.

Also, a familiar profile or a long message history does not verify a new request. Check the proposed action separately. No platform badge or seller rating guarantees that an exchange will be safe.

Ticket scams and duplicate sales

A ticket image can look convincing while being invalid or already sold to someone else. CCPC ticket scam advice describes duplicate tickets and fake sales through websites or social media. Demand for an event can make an immediate offer especially persuasive.

• Start with the venue, organiser or promoter to identify official sellers and permitted resale routes.
• Check transfer conditions before buying. An image of a barcode or receipt does not establish that the ticket can transfer to you.
• Use the official payment and transfer process when an authorised resale service offers one.
• Pause if another payment is demanded after a supposed checkout error. Verify through the official seller before retrying.
• Keep ticket codes private. Do not publish a usable barcode or QR code when asking friends for advice.

If a teenager is disappointed about a sold out event, acknowledge that before discussing the risk. For example, agree a spending limit and an official resale route in advance. A promise to avoid every scam is less useful than a clear way to stop and ask.

Student accommodation and rental scams

The scale of Irish accommodation fraud was documented in August 2026. An Garda Síochána reported more than 230 rental and reservation scams and over €400,000 in reported losses during January to July 2026. These figures concern reports received in that period, not all rental advertisements or the annual total. Gardaí warned of increased pressure as students search for accommodation in late summer and autumn. The Irish CCPC advises an in-person viewing and independent checks before any deposit. Photographs, video tours, keys and apparently secure payments cannot prove that the advertiser has the right to rent the property.

A genuine address does not establish a genuine letting. Check the property and person independently, arrange a viewing and question any pressure to send a deposit before inspecting the premises. Ireland’s CCPC rental scam guidance recommends keeping written records and contacting your bank promptly if you have already sent funds.

Photos, a video, a contract and even keys can mislead. CCPC student accommodation advice says to view the property in person and complete relevant checks before paying a deposit. A secure payment method does not replace verifying that the offer is genuine.

• View the accommodation in person before paying. If the advertiser cannot arrange this, do not pay the deposit.
• Check the property and person offering it. Confirm that the property exists and that the landlord or agent is authorised to rent it.
• Ask for written terms and receipts. Keep the advert and correspondence, and check that keys work before committing.
• Verify changed payment details independently. Do not treat an email or message as sufficient confirmation.
• Protect sensitive documents. Do not send passports or bank statements until you have established the legitimacy and necessity of the request.

Scarcity can make a questionable offer feel like the only option. Therefore, involve a trusted person or the college accommodation service before paying under pressure. A genuine property address alone does not prove that the advertiser controls it.

Holiday rental scams and payment messages

For a holiday booked through a platform, keep payment within its official booking process. CCPC holiday booking guidance warns that criminals may redirect travellers elsewhere to pay. Open the booking app or website independently if an unexpected message demands payment to keep a reservation.

Also, check the host, property, total cost and cancellation conditions before booking. A message containing genuine reservation details still needs verification if it requests a new payment route. Contact the platform through its official support channel rather than using a telephone number supplied in the message.

Shopping scams or an ordinary dispute?

A wrong item, late delivery or faulty product can require a consumer complaint without proving a scam. For an ordinary dispute, contact the business in writing and explain the problem and remedy requested. Keep records and use the marketplace’s dispute process where relevant.

For suspected deception, an unauthorised charge or exposed card details, contact your bank immediately and explain what happened. Do not delay protective action while repeatedly messaging a questionable seller. Also, report suspected fraud to your local Garda station.

CCPC chargeback guidance explains possible card disputes and the need to contact the bank promptly. Ask about eligibility, evidence and deadlines for your transaction. A chargeback is not an automatic refund. If the bank’s response does not resolve matters, ask about its formal complaints process.

You can also report misleading business practices to the CCPC. For passwords, permissions, identity documents or device exposure, use the scam response guide. After shopping scams, be cautious of anyone who guarantees recovery for a fee.

Spot the pressure in fictional shopping scams

Fictional example: A parent finds a discounted games console through a social media advert. The seller says only one remains and requests a bank transfer to reserve it. Their page shows glowing reviews, but no independently verified business details.

• Claim: A popular product is available at a special price.
• Action: Send money immediately outside a normal checkout.
• Pressure: Scarcity, a deadline and the wish to secure a gift.
• Uncertainty: The family has not verified the seller, stock or payment destination.
• Safer check: Pause and research the business independently. Decline the pressured payment if the checks do not establish a trustworthy transaction.

Discuss the request rather than mocking the person who liked the offer. Similarly, let a young person explain why an item or event matters to them. The Social Engineering guide provides further family exercises.

Shopping scams checklist

• Identify the actual seller and understand whether it is a business or private sale.
• Check the offer independently before paying.
• Use official ticket and booking routes, with applicable protection terms.
• Read the complete price, delivery and cancellation conditions.
• Keep records and contact the bank promptly if fraud is suspected.

Frequently asked questions

Does a padlock mean a shop is genuine?

No. It indicates an encrypted connection where the browser displays it. A fraudulent operator can use encryption too. Therefore, check who runs the shop and what they are asking you to do.

Do marketplace purchases always have consumer protection?

No. The seller’s status and the platform’s terms matter. Check whether you are buying from a business or another consumer, then read any separate purchase protection conditions.

Should I always contact the seller before the bank?

For an ordinary dispute, start by explaining the problem to the business. However, suspected fraud, an unrecognised transaction or exposed payment details needs prompt bank contact. Do not let an unresponsive seller delay securing your account.

Related CODA guides

• Scams and Fraud
• Social Engineering: How Criminals Manipulate Us
• I think I have been scammed: what to do next

References

• CCPC: fake online shops. Seller identity and deceptive offers.
• FTC: encrypted connections and fake websites. Limits of HTTPS.
• CCPC: buying second hand goods. Business and private seller distinctions.
• FTC: scams targeting online sellers. Fake notices and refund requests.
• CCPC: ticket scams. Duplicate tickets and official sources.
• CCPC: checking student accommodation. Viewing and verification before deposits.
• CCPC: booking your holiday. Official booking and payment routes.
• CCPC: disputed card transactions. Chargeback possibilities and limits.
• An Garda Síochána: report a crime. Irish reporting routes.

About Children of the Digital Age

Children of the Digital Age provides online safety education and training for families, schools and organisations. Our work connects practical cybersecurity with online behaviour and cyberpsychology. These guides support informed choices and appropriate specialist help.

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Last updated: 26 October 2026