The key facts

  • Signs of a fake store: low prices, no seller information or contacts, inability to arrange delivery
  • Scammers demand prepayment for a transport company and provide fake receipts
  • The Interior Ministry previously reported the use of AI videos with celebrity likenesses to advertise fake stores

What the Interior Ministry reported

A fraudulent online store can be recognized by several signs: noticeably low prices, the absence of information about the seller and contact details, and the inability to arrange courier delivery or pickup. This was reported by RIA Novosti, citing materials from the Interior Ministry.

How the scammers operate

According to the ministry, buyers are lured in with promotions, messages about limited stock, and similar phrases. Instead of standard delivery methods, the scammers demand prepayment for a transport company's services and provide fake receipts. Instead of contact details, such websites usually offer only a feedback form to fill out.

The agency's recommendations

The Interior Ministry advises looking for confirmation on online marketplaces that the site is official, reading reviews from real buyers, and using secure payment methods.

Context of previous warnings

This is not the agency's first such clarification: earlier, the Interior Ministry reported that scammers use AI-generated videos featuring celebrity likenesses to advertise fake online stores. The new list of signs supplements that warning with specific markers of the website itself — from prices and 'promotions' to the prepayment-for-delivery scheme and fake receipts — making it possible to verify a store before paying.