If you can get your money back depends on three things:?
If you paid via Wire Transfer, Bank, or Cryptocurrency, chances of getting your money back are unfortunately very small.
In most countries, you have the right to return a product within 7 (most Asian countries) or 14 days (in Europe). For services (software, movies) and certain goods (food, lingerie, etc.) different rules may apply.??
In nearly every country you are legally protected from being scammed. Do not feel ashamed, it happens to nearly everybody at least once. As a consumer, your national laws apply, even if you bought from a company abroad.?
You first have to file a complaint with the online store or service provider.??
Make sure you keep a copy of all transactions and correspondence (invoices, emails, WhatsApp, Facebook messages, etc.).?
Only if they do not reply at all within 3 working days or you are (nearly) certain you got scammed can you take the next step.?
Clear signs of scams are:
In these cases, do not wait and go to step 2 immediately.?
Make sure you file a complaint as soon as possible (time matters!) to get your money back with the right company or points of contact.
If you paid:
We DO NOT recommend working with Money Recover Services. These organizations, also called Asset, Debts or Fund Recovery companies are often scams themselves or dubious at best:
We interviewed several Money Recovery Services. Their success rate is far less than 1% (but you still pay them).??
There are many scam investigators that can help you trace your money trail if you have been scammed. Below is a list of our recommendations:
Website: https://crypto-helpline.com/? ?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirmalshah1026/??
Crypto Helpline is a fraud investigation agency that collaborates with law enforcement and legal professionals with end-to-end crypto investigations, from tracking funds to tailored workshops for law enforcement. Though based in the USA & India, they have worked on over 200 crypto fraud cases globally.
Website: https://www.cybertrace.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybertrace-skip-tracing/?
Cybertrace is an Australian investigative service with a focus on cyber and cypto fraud tracing. Since 2015, they have worked with law enforcement globally to conduct investigations and combat crypto scams.
Website: https://crystalblockchain.com/??
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crystal-blockchain-analytics/?
Crystal Blockchain has a team of blockchain forensics experts that can unravel complex transactions, link pseudonymous blockchain transactions to real-world entities, and provide expert witness testimony and evidential statements related to blockchain analysis for use in criminal and civil legal cases.
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.? If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller.? The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the