Fraud Fighters: David

David, a young entrepreneur, scrolled through his social media feed when an ad popped up. It advertised another round of the sneakers he had missed out on during last month's limited-run drop. The ad promised lower prices on the shoes due to a stocking mishap. Intrigued by the lower cost and the pressure of limited availability, David clicked on the ad.

The ad led him to a sleek, official looking website that mirrored a legitimate seller's layout. However, upon closer inspection, David noticed a few inconsistencies. The "About Us" section was vague, lacking any proof of certification or contact information beyond a generic email address and several spelling errors. The seller also boasted an unrealistic social media following, with thousands of generic accounts listed as followers and images of shoes that seemed to be AI generated.

Remembering warnings about social media scams, David did some research.

He searched for the seller’s name on the official brand's website and didn't see it listed as an officially licensed partner.

David reported the fraudulent ad to the social media platform and bookmarked the brand’s website for future partner reference. He decided to stick with his current seller, knowing that if he missed the sale he missed out, but knowing the security and peace of mind were worth the wait. Later, he shared his experience with his social media followers, reminding them to be cautious of online advertisements, especially those found on social media.

David M.
Entrepreneur, Fraud Fighter

Learn about more ways ordinary people have fought fraud here.