Fake Wilko website scamming people out of hundreds of pounds across South Yorkshire, police warn

South Yorkshire Police received 19 reports of an online shopping scam using a fake Wilko website in August and September.

After paying for an order on what they believed to be Wilko’s legitimate website, victims never received their goods, and realised they had been scammed.

Some of the victims lost up to £200 as a result.

PC Angela Senior said: "We know how tempting discounts and clearance sales can be, however, we encourage people to stop and query whether the deal is too good to be true before they make a purchase. 

"We know that, unfortunately, cyber scammers are often very good at making fake shopping websites look realistic, and therefore it’s really important that people remain vigilant to the fact that these fake websites are out there, and make the necessary checks before making any purchases."

South Yorkshire Police have made some simple recommendations to help prevent people from falling victim to these scams.

Check before you buy

Research online retailers, particularly if you haven’t bought from them before, to check they’re legitimate. Read feedback from people or organisations that you trust, such as consumer websites.

Pay securely

Use a credit card when shopping online, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected.

Also consider using a payment platform such as PayPal, Google or Apple Pay. Whenever you do pay, look for the closed padlock in the web address bar, which means your connection is secure.

Protect your accounts

Set up two-step verification and use three random words as passwords to prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to your shopping, bank or email accounts.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

For more information about online shopping scams and how you can avoid becoming a victim, visit the Action Fraud website.