SINGAPORE – Singapore Polytechnic student Brian Yee has been shopping online since 2022 and spends up to $100 monthly on items like clothes and skincare products.
But for every gem he scoured on the internet, the 23-year-old has also encountered the occasional dud that he was unable to return.
Once, he purchased a bottle of perfume for $90 that smelled only of alcohol when it arrived.
Such online shopping horror stories are, unfortunately, not uncommon. In 2024, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 665 complaints pertaining to transactions on e-commerce platforms in Singapore. Some of the most common complaints concerned delivery issues, defective goods, and misleading and false claims.
Worse still, online shopping scams are becoming increasingly common. The Singapore Police Force reported that e-commerce scams recorded the highest number of reported cases among all scam types in 2024, with 11,665 cases reported and at least $17.5 million lost. Victims aged 19 and below accounted for about 10 per cent of total scam victims.
If you are looking to avoid scams and defective products online, here are four tips from the experts.
Shop from recognised retailers
When shopping online, purchase products from reputable retailers whenever possible. Experts said that doing so reduces the risks of scams or disputes involving defective products.
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) recommended consumers opt for e-commerce platforms with safeguards in place that protect customers. These include mechanisms such as having a seller verification system, in-platform secure payment options, and a reporting and dispute mechanism.
The Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams has compiled the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings, which assesses popular shopping platforms based on anti-scam features.
Experts also said that shoppers should be wary of fake websites that spoof recognised or popular sites.
Case president Melvin Yong warned: “Beware of fake websites by carefully checking URLs for misspellings, odd characters or suspicious domain extensions, as scammers often create deceptive sites resembling legitimate ones.”
Experts also warned shoppers to beware of phishing scams online.
A Shopee spokesperson said: “Scammers often impersonate (platforms or sellers) through fake e-mails, SMS or social media messages to steal personal information, passwords or payment details. If you receive a suspicious message, avoid clicking links and access (platforms) only through the official app or website.”
Major shopping platforms themselves have also implemented features to help consumers distinguish reputable sellers from more suspicious ones. These often include badges, symbols and tags that give users additional information about a seller’s credibility.
For example, Carousell’s user badge feature indicates whether a seller has verified his or her account or business, and if the seller is a trusted third-party seller, top-rated seller or managed by brand owners and authorised distributors.
A Carousell spokesperson said that the feature “allows users to exercise extra caution when dealing with new or unverified accounts”, while offering “added assurance of trustworthiness” when dealing with verified partner accounts.
Research and check reviews
Experts recommended researching online sellers before making any purchases from them. One easy way to do so is by checking a seller’s reviews, which can tell you about other customers’ experiences.
Frequent online shopper Jordan Tan Yan Kai had previously purchased a metal storage unit online that came rusted when it was delivered. When he tried to contact the seller about a refund, he did not receive a response.
The 19-year-old, who did not check the reviews before purchasing the storage unit, said: “(Since) I was buying (a similar product to one) my mum had bought before, I didn’t think it was necessary to take extra precautions to make sure I was buying from a reliable seller.”
Now, he said that checking reviews is an absolute must for him before making any online purchase.
He added: “Reviews are a great way to see if the shop that’s selling (the item) is reputable or if the product is good.”
Look out for red flags
Even worse than buying a dud is having money or information stolen by a scammer posing as a seller. Experts said there are warning signs that a seller is likely to be a scammer, such as employing tactics to create a false urgency or secrecy.
Mr Peter Li, director of Amazon China and Singapore, said: “Shoppers should be wary any time someone tries to convince them that they must act now, or cannot discuss with trusted individuals.”
Similarly, the NCPC warned that products offered for a limited time at too-good-to-true prices should be met with suspicion. “Scammers will pressure the buyers into making the transactions by using attractive offers and limited-time promotions, or claim low stock to create urgency,” a spokesperson said.
“When buyers are pressured, they are pushed to make the purchases without properly verifying whether the online account or social media page or platform is legitimate.”
Another warning sign to look out for is when a seller wants to discuss a transaction off the platform and ask for the buyer’s e-mail or phone number. Experts said that off-site transactions are often riskier as sellers who ask to discuss transactions off-site are often scammers who are trying to avoid detection.
Cyber Youth Singapore executive coordinator Malcolm Ngio said: “(Young people) should not give out personal information and bank details such as internet bank account usernames, passwords and one-time password codes from tokens during the payment process.”
Pay securely
Once you have decided to purchase after having done the necessary research and checks, the final step to ensure your safety when shopping online is to use secure payment methods.
Many e-commerce platforms, such as Carousell and Shopee, offer in-platform payment options that are designed with measures in place to protect consumers, and experts strongly encourage users to use these methods, rather than making payments externally.
Mr Ngio said: “No payment method is completely safe, but the safer platforms require the user to take further safety precautions such as one-time password authentication, or through a sign-in to your bank account to verify the purchase.”
One such important feature is an escrow service, whereby a seller will only receive funds when a buyer has received the order, thus reducing the risk of scams. For example, the Shopee Guarantee feature holds payments until buyers confirm they have received their orders. If an item is incorrect, defective or missing, the payment is held until the issue is resolved.
Experts also said that customers should try to make payments by credit card, if possible. A GovTech advisory said that payment via credit card is less risky. Unlike debit cards, funds are not immediately deducted from your bank account when making a purchase using a credit card. This gives “banks precious time to investigate possible fraudulent transactions and reverse the charges if needed”.
Experts strongly discourage consumers from making off-site payments, such as making direct bank transfers to online sellers. If payment via secure means is not possible, some experts also advised customers to find alternatives, such as meeting online sellers to make the transaction in person.
Ultimately, however, experts agreed that the best way to shop safely online is to remain vigilant and aware. The NCPC said: “Being overconfident puts one at risk of falling for scams as (the person) may overlook some crucial details, such as checking the credibility of the seller and authenticity of the deal before transacting.”
It added: “Everyone is susceptible to being scammed no matter how tech-savvy one is.”
For Mr Tan, his bad experience shopping online has led him to be more vigilant – besides checking reviews, he has also started researching sellers and finding products in person to assess their quality before purchasing them online.
He said: “It’s just being smart with how I do online shopping. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.”
What to do if something goes wrong?
If you encounter a scam:
- Tell the authorities, as well as your family and friends, if you suspect that you have been scammed.
- Report the purchase and flag any suspicious sellers to the e-commerce platform.
- Call your bank immediately if you suspect your account or card has been compromised.
- For more information, refer to the Anti-Scam Resource Guide released by the Singapore Police Force and National Crime Prevention Council.
If you believe the delivered product is defective or not as described:
- Inform the seller about the defect or discrepency.
- Gather evidence to back up your claim (for example, photos and screenshots).
- Flag the purchase to the e-commerce platform to resolve this dispute, which may lead to a refund or return.
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