Written by Nicole Webb
For the first time in my life (that I know of) I have been scammed. It was a simple Google search for the perfect 60s outfit that ended in me wearing a homemade tie-dyed t-shirt (thank goodness for Kmart) when said outfit was a no show.
I reported the incident to Report Cyber (a national policing initiative of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments) and was informed “… you have fallen victim to a shopping scam. Unfortunately these types of scams occur every day in Australia and many people are caught in them – you are not alone.”
Apart from feeling slightly embarrassed, it got me thinking about how I protect myself the next time I’m online shopping. The simple answer for me was a) stick to what I know and don’t stray from where I’ve purchased before or b) make sure I’ve have heard of the shop before, i.e., it is reputable.
Let’s break this down.
Customers become more skeptical
After getting scammed (or even hearing about others who were), people become more cautious and hesitant to shop online.
The National Anti-Scam Centre’s latest Targeting Scams Report found Australians collectively lost $2 billion to scams in 2024. They may question:
“Is this website safe?”
“Are these reviews real?”
“Will I actually get what I paid for?”
Scammed customers often warn others, either directly through word-of-mouth or reviews or on social media. That spreads fear and distrust more widely — even among people who haven’t been scammed themselves.
Hesitation to buy from small or new businesses
Small businesses, startups, or independent sellers often suffer because customers are less willing to take risks.
Even if their offers are great, buyers might avoid them simply because they’re unfamiliar.
Cart abandonment increases
If shoppers feel uneasy at any point — like unclear return policies, weird-looking sites, or lack of payment security — they’ll abandon their cart and move on.
Shift toward only shopping with big brands
Consumers may stick to giants like Amazon, IKEA or eBay, thinking they’re safer — leaving smaller or niche businesses struggling to compete.
Revenue loss
Consumers who get scammed may choose not to shop online again or become more cautious — spending less overall.
Legitimate businesses may also lose potential sales to fraudulent competitors selling fake or non-existent products.
These issues pose a huge dilemma for companies and brands trying to attract new and next generation customers. Reputation is EVERYTHING these days and is the top of funnel stuff that CEOs and marketers should NOT ignore. You may not be able to assign an acquisition to your reputation but it’s part of the customer journey. And that’s where we come in. The work we do builds trust, builds the potential for a sale. Top of funnel (aka PR and comms) primes the audience, paid seals the deal.
Rebuilding and reinforcing trust in the wake of online shopping scams is all about being transparent, proactive, and authentic. Here are my six top tips:
- Showcase real people behind the brand
Scammers are faceless — so highlight your team, your story, your mission. People trust people. Eg. founder stories, behind-the-scenes content (show your warehouse, store, or packaging process), employee spotlights, video testimonials from real customers
- Use email marketing to reassure
EDMs confirm your official website and social media handles
- Partner with trusted influencers
Team up with well-known influencers who can vouch for you. Credibility by association is powerful — especially when customers don’t know you yet.
- Respond openly to reviews and questions
Reply to reviews, good and bad — and address concerns with kindness and solutions. And monitor and engage on social media to correct misinformation and clarify confusion. Silence = suspicion. Engaged = trustworthy.
- Be consistent across all channels
Scammers often get exposed by inconsistencies — so make sure your brand name, Website URL, tone of voice, product images and contact info are the same across all platforms. Customers often Google your brand to cross-check. Consistency builds credibility.
- Emphasise trust signals in marketing
Use your marketing channels to visually and verbally reassure customers that you’re a legitimate, safe, and customer-first business. Eg. include Secure checkout badges (SSL, McAfee, Norton, etc.), verified payment methods (Visa, PayPal, Stripe), clear return/refund policies, real customer testimonials with photos or video and Trustpilot or Google review scores.
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