News
Beware of online shopping scams targetting the season, warns CAA
View(s):- Pages often with flashy product photos vanish within days only to resurface under new names
By Sandun Jayawardana
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has warned the public to be cautious about online shopping scams, especially conducted through social media during the festive season.
In Sri Lanka, online shopping typically takes place in three key areas – official company websites, recognised online shopping platforms and social media platforms, said Asela Bandara, the CAA’s Director – Consumer Affairs and Information. “While the first two are relatively safe, social media is where most scams happen, due to lack of seller accountability and the absence of regulatory oversight,” he explained. “Scammers exploit these platforms by setting up attractive-looking pages, showcasing products with edited or stolen images, and offering extremely low prices to lure unsuspecting buyers. These pages often vanish within days—only to resurface under new names.”
Victims often fall into the trap by trusting flashy product photos. They place orders and make payments online, but in many cases they may not receive a product at all or get a cheap counterfeit or broken item. Sometimes, they may get an entirely different product from the one they ordered.
“When the customer attempts to contact the seller, they may find that the page is deleted and the phone number is disconnected. The address that had been provided will also turn out to be fake. The scammer simply restarts the same cycle under a new page name, continuing to exploit more victims,” Mr Bandara noted.
One of the biggest issues in tackling these scams is the absence of legal traceability, the CAA official revealed. “Most of these online sellers are not registered businesses and operate outside the scope of laws. Even if victims file complaints, law enforcement agencies often lack sufficient information to pursue the scammer. Further complicating the problem, many courier services unknowingly assist these operations by delivering products for unverified sellers.”
Mr Bandara said customers should be vigilant about key warning signs regarding such online shopping scams. These include there being no information about the seller’s identity or business registration, the seller only a WhatsApp number for communication with calls often being ignored, payments being demanded in advance via bank transfer or mobile wallet, a no return policy, warranty, or physical store address, fake customer reviews or none at all.
He urged consumers to be vigilant about scams, order only from verified sellers or known platforms and to avoid upfront payments. “Use cash-on-delivery options whenever possible,” he stressed. He also urged customers to research the seller by checking for business registration, customer reviews and a functioning customer service system.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!