Festive Sale Scams: How to Shop Safely Online This Diwali

Festival season brings big discounts, and scammers use the same excitement to trick shoppers. Fake offers spread fast on WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS. A little care before you pay can save you from a costly mistake.

Common festive-season scams

• Fake discount links. A message promises a "mega sale" or "free gift" and asks you to click a link, fill in details or pay a small "fee".
• Look-alike shopping sites. The site copies a known brand's look, but the web address is slightly different and prices are far too low.
• Fake delivery or refund calls. Someone claims your order is stuck, or that a refund is due, and asks for an OTP or asks you to install an app.
• Advance payment traps. A seller on social media asks for full payment by UPI first and then disappears.
• "Scratch card" and lucky-draw messages that ask you to pay charges to claim a prize.
• Fake customer-care numbers found through search engines after an order problem.

Warning signs

• The price is much lower than everywhere else.
• The website address has odd spellings, extra words or an unusual ending.
• You are pushed to pay quickly ("only 10 minutes left").
• The seller accepts only UPI transfers to a personal account or refuses cash on delivery.
• You are asked to scan a QR code or approve a UPI "collect" request to receive money. You never need a PIN to receive money.

Safe-shopping habits

1. Type the website address yourself or use the official app from the official app store. Do not trust links in forwarded messages.
2. Check the address bar for the exact brand name before paying.
3. Prefer cash on delivery or a trusted payment gateway for new sellers.
4. Use a card or UPI limit for online purchases, and keep alerts on.
5. Read recent reviews from outside the seller's own page.
6. Never share OTP, PIN or CVV, even with someone who says they are from the shopping site.
7. Use customer care numbers only from the official app or website of the seller.

If you have been cheated

1. Call 1930 and your bank immediately, with the amount, time and transaction ID.
2. File a complaint on the national cybercrime portal and save the acknowledgement number.
3. Save screenshots of the offer, the website address, chats and payment details. Do not delete anything.
4. Change passwords if you entered them on a suspicious site.

Recovery is not guaranteed, and nobody can promise it for a fee. We are an independent advisory platform and not a government body.