More than two thirds of online shopping scams begin on the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, according to an analysis by the Lloyds Banking Group.

Fraudsters are preying on shoppers in search of a deal. They’re creating fake business pages, social media ads, and online stores. 

Nick Drewe, of the online discounts platform Wethrift, offers this list of things to watch out for when buying on social media:

Is the deal too good to be true?

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. A product or service being advertised for what seems like a very low price can be an indicator of a potential scam.

Is the business page new? 

Fraudsters are replicating a brand’s social media pages, or creating an entirely fake retailer, so it’s important to check out the page itself. A page with a lack of posts and a low number of followers/likes and engagement could indicate that the page is fake. It could be attempting to replicate an established business, or a new division of a business. 

Is the branding correct?

When scammers are replicating a brand’s page, they can get sloppy. Low quality images and logos, poorly photoshopped designs, or use of outdated branding are things to look out for. 

Does the URL look suspicious?

Hover your cursor over the URL, which the post or ad is asking you to click through to, but don’t click it until you’re sure it’s safe. Do a Google search for the brand name and check that the URL matches the official site. 

Scammers often create a URL that is a close resemblance, but there will often be subtle differences that could easily be missed. 

Are you being asked to pay with a bank transfer? 

Most scams on social media ask shoppers to pay with a bank transfer. No legitimate business will ask you to do this. 

Always use secure methods such as a credit card or PayPal. A secure website URL will have “https” and a closed padlock symbol at the beginning of the URL.

Don’t be fooled just because it’s a paid advertisement.

Any business page can create an ad on Facebook and Instagram, so don’t assume that a paid ad is safe to click-through and purchase goods from. 

Look for reviews. 

No reviews is a sign that a business page on social media is fake; look at the reviews section on the Facebook page, as well as doing a Google search for “[brand name] reviews.”

Check with the company directly. 

Contact the brand directly through their website or by phone to ensure that a deal you see promoted on social media is legitimate and safe.

Watch for and get online deals that come from the company.

Wethrift conducted a study into which retailers are promoting the most deals and discounts to their mailing lists.

Have fun shopping. And remember, an alert, informed consumer is the best protection against fraud.