How the 'Refund' Tactic Turns Your Online Orders Into Scammers' Payday

Payment successful for your online order? Scammers will make you believe otherwise.

Scammers target shoppers with their "refund" hack.

(Photo: The Quint)

Clicking “Buy Now” on any e-commerce website or app is as routine as breathing for many. A delivery arriving within the next 15 minutes and another by tomorrow morning shape our day’s schedule accordingly. But while you track your order, a scammer somewhere is tracking you as well. Soon enough, you receive a phone call from a scammer impersonating a customer care executive, telling you about your “failed” order. What’s next? A refund can only be initiated if you follow their instructions. But instead of a refund, they trap you into making multiple payments. 

We analyse the e-commerce scam in which fraudsters target your wallet with a convincing pitch and what you can do to identify their tricks.  

Modus Operandi

• Unsolicited Call: After placing an order through an e-commerce site or app, you might receive a call from a scammer claiming to be from the same company. The caller may sound official and quote your exact order details, including the amount paid and your delivery address. 

• Failed Order: They inform you that your payment for the order was not processed and may share a fake screenshot of a “payment error”. 

• Refund Dilemma: The scammer tells you that you are owed a full refund, but to initiate it, you need to pay a processing fee or a security deposit.

• Multiple Payments: Once you pay the initial amount, the scammer creates more obstacles that require additional fees or taxes to be paid. They are likely to pressure you with urgency, suggesting that the refund will be cancelled unless you pay immediately. 

Red Flags

• Demanding payments to fix your order or initiate a refund for the same.

• Rushing you to make payments in order to secure your refund.

• Any request for an up-front “security deposit” or “processing fee” should be viewed with suspicion.

What To Do

• Decline: If you receive a call about a failed transaction, refuse to send any money or give more details to the caller. Just hang up.

• Verify: Log in to your account on the e-commerce site or app and check the status of your order in the ‘Your Orders’ section. You can also contact the company’s customer care helpline listed on their app or website to see if there are any issues.

• Notify: In case you have made any payment(s) to the scammer, alert your bank immediately to help reverse the transaction or block the payment(s). 

• Report: Highlight the incident promptly through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or call their helpline at 1930. You can also file a complaint at your local police station. Ensure that you gather relevant evidence to support the investigation.

• Share: Inform your circles and communities about the scam and ask them to be cautious of any such alerts. 

The Quint's Scamguard initiative aims to keep up with emerging digital scams to help you stay informed and vigilant. If you've been scammed or successfully thwarted one, then tell us your story. Contact us via WhatsApp at [phone] or email us at [e-mail]. You can also fill out the Google form and help us take your story forward.

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