The world of online shopping.

The internet has changed the way we shop completely. In the past, people bought everything from retail stores, visiting the shops personally. Nowadays, people prefer to shop online for almost everything because of the ease of online shopping.

Most people prefer to shop online because it's convenient, offers a wide variety of products, and lets them compare prices and products easily across different websites. It's also cost-effective.

Online shopping isn't limited to clothing and footwear. Things such as cement and apartments can also be purchased online. Despite all of its advantages, online shopping is not without its disadvantages. A major downside of online shopping is fraud. In the past, fraudsters have set up a large number of fraudulent online shopping portals to cheat innocent consumers. Here, we will discuss how fraudsters set up fake websites in order to cheat cement buyers.


Here is how fraudsters cheated cement buyers using fake websites

A fake website was set up under the name of Ambuja Cement in order to defraud buyers who bought cement online. In India, Ambuja Cement is the largest cement producer and a leading provider of cement and clinker for the domestic market as well as export.

Fraudsters took orders for cement using the fake website created in the name of Ambuja Cement and received the money deposited in a Benami bank account. Customers were promised the delivery of cement after their payment was received by fraudsters. However, no cement was ever delivered to the buyers who made the payment.

Fraud was discovered when victims began calling the official Ambuja Cement's customer care. There were many complaints sent to the customer care center from customers that they did not receive the cement, even after paying the money.

As a result of the complaint, the company conducted an investigation and discovered fraudsters had set up a fake website called Ambuja Cement. Fraudsters have so far collected approximately Rs 1.8 lakh from customers posing as cement bag couriers. Fraudsters are not only accused of cheating customers, but also infringing the company's copyright since they have registered a domain in its name and created an invoice that is similar to the company's board.

You should be very careful every time you purchase anything from an online shopping portal, due to the fact that frauds using fraudulent websites are on the rise. Ensure that the website is authentic before completing your purchase.

Also Check: Lottery Fraud: Here Is How To Protect Yourself

Identifying fake websites and how to avoid scams - 

1. When someone offers you a fake website, you can tell that by looking at the URL. The URL of the website must include 'https' and the lock sign.

2. Check the website for spelling errors. When the website content contains many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, the website is likely a scam.

3. Find the company's contact information on the website. Most fake websites do not provide contact information.

4.  Observe a website's design to determine whether it is authentic or not. Most fake websites are designed with unprofessional logos and designs.

5. It is recommended that digital escrow platforms be used for payment. When making an online payment with Escrow, you do not share your financial information with anyone. There is a platform for escrow called Vouch

How does digital escrow work?

In digital escrow, a third-party account holds the money deposited by the buyer until the seller fulfills the terms of the contract. The escrow company supervises the transacting parties.

What is the role of Digital Escrow in preventing online fraud in India? 

Digital escrow services are offered by many companies in India. Among the most trusted is Vouch.

Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is a transparent way for buyers and sellers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Sellers can feel assured that they will be fairly compensated promptly, and buyers will feel confident that their order will be delivered as expected and on schedule. Vouch Digital Escrow keeps you updated and informed at every step of the transaction process till the end. Vouch’s professionals are always available to assist you with all queries that you may have during the entire transaction process. 

There is no scope for deceit or fraud since the payments, shipping, delivery, and execution are carried out under the honest and watchful eyes of the Vouch’s professionals. With Vouch, any business transaction becomes transparent, uncomplicated, and hassle-free. If you ever come across a fraudster asking for OTP, asking you to scan a QR code, or asking you to click on phishing links, you can simply refuse and ask him/her to proceed with the transaction through Vouch.


This is Fraud Story #107. Check back here for more fraud stories and scams that you can protect yourself from.


Safety is not just about protecting your credit, debit card number, and UPI accounts. It's about having control of your money till you've received the product or service you bought online!

Note: This is a good-faith initiative to educate the world about avoiding frauds like these and how to act when you're becoming a victim of such a situation. 

Do you have a fraud you would like to report? Please write to us at letstalk@iamvouched.com