Experiencing Online Scams? Here's How to Report Them

Online shopping is now a hassle-free and time-saving activity. Shopping can be done via mobile phones online without having to leave your seat. There are many online stores that provide various household needs.

Unfortunately, the convenience provided by the online shopping system is exploited by certain individuals to profit by cheating consumers. This is not just a story. Many people have fallen victim to these scams.

If you like shopping online, it is better to be careful before making a purchase. Recognize the characteristics of fake online sellers and how to report them.

Characteristics of Fake Sellers on Online Buying and Selling Platforms

There are countless sellers who open online stores on the internet. Social media and e-commerce platforms are often used by fake sellers to scam their customers.

To avoid falling into these scams, you must be able to distinguish between genuine and fake sellers. Here are some explanations.

Very Low Prices

Items sold at low prices are the favorite of bargain hunters. People often wait and intentionally shop during big discounts and promotions to get their dream items at a much cheaper price.

But you should be suspicious when there are items sold at very low prices. Before checking out items from the online shopping cart, it is advisable to check the general price of the item in the market. The item being sold may be made of poor quality materials or even be fake.

Seller Is Unresponsive and Has No Interaction with Buyers

As a buyer, of course, we want good items that match the description provided in the product description column and photos, right? One way to make us more confident in buying items from an online store is by asking the seller.

Before making a payment, it is advisable to contact the seller and ask about the availability and condition of the item being sold in the store gallery. If there is no response from the seller, you should be suspicious that the store is fake.

Also, observe the interaction between the seller and the buyers. If the response is not convincing, it is better to cancel the purchase and look for a store that sells the same item. Always contact the seller and make contact before making a payment and ask about the product you want to buy.

Leading Buyers to Place Orders Through DM or Inbox

The key to a trusted transaction is good communication. Genuine sellers usually provide a contact number that can be used to make sales. However, fraudulent online stores will only serve purchases through the inbox feature, which does not detect transactions by the application.

Buyers are usually led to make transactions through this feature and are asked to send payment to a different account number. If this happens, you should be cautious. When the buyer has been lured and the money has been sent, the item is usually not delivered, and messages are not responded to.

How to Report Online Scams

When you have experienced something like this, you should quickly report it. Reporting it to the police station may be an option. However, there are now several faster and more effective ways to deal with online scams.

You need to know this information so that if this happens, the case can be followed up immediately. Here are some ways to report online scams that you can do.

Report Through CekRekening.id

The first way to handle online scams is by checking the seller's account number on the cekrekening.id website. This is a website created by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology that will help you check whether the account number is problematic or not.

On this website, you can also report suspicious bank accounts. If there is a history of fraud reports, it is recommended that you do not proceed with the purchase from that online store.

Report through Lapor.go.id Website

The next site to report online fraud cases is Lapor.go.id. This site is managed by the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform or PANRB.

To report such cases, you must make a complaint report by filling out the available complaint form. The stages consist of writing a report, verifying the report, following up on the report, and providing a response.

Report through Kredibel.co.id

Next is the Kredibel.co.id site that is ready to accommodate reports of fraud cases that you have experienced. This site has a service for checking bank account numbers, fraud case reports, and telephone number checks.

Kredibel.co.id has received more than 140,000 reports of fraud cases with a very high amount of losses, reaching IDR 219 billion. In addition, the site has identified 78,000 accounts as problematic accounts that are on the blacklist.

Report through Bank Account Blocking

In addition to using the above sites, you can also report fraud by calling the bank's customer service. Report the problematic seller's bank account to the original bank that the account is used for.

Customer service officers will assist in following up on the report you submitted. If there are many reports concerning the bank account and there is strong evidence, then the account can be blocked by the bank.

Report through Kominfo.go.id Service

Another way you can do when facing online fraud cases is by submitting a report on the layanan.kominfo.go.id site. If you have an uncomfortable feeling about the purchase process that will be made, it is better to report it on the site.

You can also report phone calls or SMS messages that are felt to be disturbing on the site. Telecommunication abuse in the form of disturbing calls or messages can be an indication of fraud and can be reported.

These are some ways to report online fraud, which is now increasingly rampant. Make sure you provide complete transaction evidence so that the reporting process you make can be immediately followed up. Don't forget to always be vigilant every time you shop online, wherever it is.