Security

Ten tips to avoid online shopping scams

It is called Count to Ten and is the initiative promoted by the Competition and Market Authority

by Davide Madeddu

1 October 2025

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Ten tips to avoid an online shopping scam. Because, very often, behind an overly advantageous offer or a super-discount there can be a scam. It is called 'count to ten' and is the decalogue of the Competition and Market Authority for online shopping. Ten points to avoid making unwanted purchases.

Don't trust excessive discounts

First tip, be wary of excessive discounts and offers of products at derisory prices or for free.

The second suggestion is to check the characteristics of the product from the manufacturer's site or by comparison with well-known and well-known sites. Better an extra step and more knowledge before clicking and buying a product that may not match what you had hoped for.

Another suggestion, and this is the third point, is to pay particular attention to purchases that are to be made directly through social media: 'it is preferable to make purchases on the sites of sellers who use certified procedures'.

In the fourth point, the suggestion to 'carefully analyse suspicious similarities with other sites https://www.marchioitsconto.com/ https://www.marchio.shop/ https://www.marchio.com/it/'.

The risk, in fact, is that one may come across 'scam sites' that, with minor differences, imitate the official brand sites of reputable operators.

Verify site home page

Don't forget to take a step that should be an initial one: check that the homepage of the site contains the seller's main information (name, physical address, VAT number, contact details) and the general sales conditions. If you have any doubts or inconsistencies, contact the seller.

"Do not proceed,' the decalogue suggests, 'with purchases if these elements are not present.

Before making a purchase, it is always a good idea to search for 'comments on the site where you intend to make a purchase through search engines, reference portals or consumer associations'.

Beware of improbable Italian

The use of Italian should not be underestimated. For this reason, it is suggested to carefully examine 'the linguistic correctness of the texts published on the site: ungrammatical or incoherent sentences may be indications that it is a scam site'. No less important is the careful examination of the procedures envisaged for making a return or withdrawal (and thus ascertaining whether there is a form, return costs, refund times) and whether it is indicated that the cost of the return (perhaps to distant countries) is borne by the consumer, as often happens..

Then check the existence of the legal guarantee of conformity "of 2 years for new products" and its content. "Check that the operator has an after-sales service". In the tenth point, the suggestion to 'do not buy from sites that only require payment by bank transfer, without actually allowing payment by credit card or other traceable payment systems'.