Fraud Story #60 - Fake advertisement fraud on OLX

OLX has many sellers who post daily updates about products and earn your trust. It is only after ordering that the true colors of their character become apparent. While digital payments make it more convenient to sell over distance, they're not always secure. Consider carefully taking an online offer on a cheap used vehicle on OLX!

The fraud story

There was a fake advertisement posted on OLX for a used Honda Activa. A person named Chandrasekhar from Raipur was looking to buy a moped online when he came across that advertisement on OLX. Chandrasekhar contacted the seller by using the mobile number which was provided by the seller on the platform. Following some discussion, Chandrasekhar agreed to pay Rs.22000/- for the two-wheeler. The seller provided him with a link so that he could make the payment. Upon clicking the link, he was prompted to enter the details of his bank account. After filling in the details, Chandrasekhar proceeded to make the payment without thinking twice. Sadly, doing so led to the loss of Rs.42000/- for his bank account in three separate transactions as soon as the details were filled in.

Here are a few tips for staying safe on online marketplaces.

Make sure you place your order over a secure connection
Verify the merchant's presence and reputation
Avoid offers that seem too good to be true
Please do not deal with sellers who ask for personal information, money in advance, or bank details
Avoid accepting or making advance payment. Accept only if the payment is made through digital escrow like Vouch.
Fraudsters use fake identification to gain trust. Keep a check on such attempts.

What is digital escrow?

Digital Escrow is the use of a third party account, during a transaction, which holds the money deposited by the buyer until the seller fulfills the terms of the agreement. The transacting parties are supervised by the escrow company.

How does Digital Escrow save you from online frauds in India?

Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is transparent for buyers and sellers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Buyers 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. 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 say no and ask him/her to proceed with the transaction through Vouch.

Vouch Digital Escrow uses a non-interest-bearing escrow account for all transactions in India and 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.

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This is Fraud Story #60. Check back here for more fraud stories and scams that you can protect yourself from.

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