Olx and Quikr are well-known and convenient e-commerce websites for reselling or buying secondhand products. These two websites and applications are platforms and it just works as a bridge between the seller and buyer. But these days the scams on this platform are increasing rapidly.
Scammers these days use these excellent platforms to trap people in scams and Rob them. Let’s have a quick read on and understand how these scams take place and how you can safeguard yourself from such frauds.
How do Scams happen on such E-Commerce websites?
Scammers trap a large number of people who are trying to sell or buy stuff on Olx. It is noticed that Fraudsters make use of fake documents of Military officers and Rob people. These kinds of scammers are present on both sides as buyer and seller. They hide their true Identity and impersonate Indian Army personnel so that they can’t be suspicious and can fool the people.
How these scams take place
1. Fraudsters Pretending to be Sellers.
Fraudsters sign up on Olx as a seller and upload all the fake documents and details to act as genuine sellers. They gain the trust of Buyers and bring up a fake Decorative situation to attract buyers. Also, they keep the prices of the item they are selling at a crazy low rate.
Further, they don’t even ask you to pay the amount immediately. They will ask you to pay only after the product is in your hands. But, they will convince you to pay the courier charges for the security. They also manage the fake courier receipts to convince you throughout the payment.
Once the victim is satisfied with the assured stuff by scammers, fraudsters get the idea that the buyer is convinced, here on they start to ask you about private information and here the buyer is trapped as a victim.
2. Fraudster pretending to be the buyer.
The process is the same. Also, the scammer may use the same trick and identify the Indian Army Personnel. While posing as a Buyer on Olx the scammer might bargain with you to lower the price you have set for the item you are selling and make you realize that they are genuine users.
In such cases, they ask you to make the whole deal online or on the phone and make the stories like they are not able to make a deal because of their duty. Here the most common method used to Rob people is through QR code payment. The scammers ask you to scan the QR for the Easy Payment Option, and you get trapped because the amount of money gets deducted as soon as you scan the QR.
What are the things to keep in mind while you are Buying or Selling on Olx or Quikr?
Some measures are recommended to take note of while buying or selling things on Olx or Quikr. To avoid such scams happening on the internet the following precautions have to be taken care of:
- Verify the details and Credentials of the Buyer and seller on Olx before making any connected payments. If you see any problem with such things immediately block or Report the account/user.
- If any situation of emergency is created from the other side or if the person whomever it is the Buyer or seller is making any irrelevant hurry the user is most probably.
- Don’t scan any such random Links or QR codes. The Chances of losing money from your side are high.
- Avoid payments- either accepting or receiving it can be a trap to Scam you.
- Handle carefully such situations where the fraudster is making use of Identity proof from some National Institution most likely the Indian Army personnel.
- Make your deal only when the other person is ready to meet in person and complete the process.
Wrapping up
Olx and Quikr are convenient when it comes to buying and selling items, but most of the time these E-commerce platforms are used to Rob people. In the world of the Internet, things are expected to be done in a snap, and low offer and identify proofs to convince us to get dragged into such scams. Cybercrime is increasing day-by-day and fraudsters are finding new ways to Scam people. Being alert and smart is the only way you can stay safe from getting Scammed.
