How to identify and report a scam online store?

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment

Topic summary

Core Issue:
Multiple users report being scammed by fraudulent stores operating on Shopify’s platform. Victims ordered products that were never delivered, received wrong/cheap items instead, or had stores disappear after payment.

Common Scam Patterns:

  • Stores advertise heavily discounted products (tools, electronics, furniture) via Facebook/Instagram ads
  • Use stolen identities of legitimate businesses on credit card statements
  • Provide fake tracking numbers or ship worthless items (sunglasses, card holders) to show “delivery”
  • Stores become unreachable after purchase; links go dead
  • Cookie-cutter website templates with random store names
  • Operations often traced to foreign locations (China mentioned)

Payment Recovery Challenges:

  • Banks require waiting for charges to process before disputing
  • PayPal sided with scammers by accepting fake tracking numbers without verification
  • Credit card chargebacks more successful than PayPal disputes
  • One user successfully reopened PayPal case by keeping a random item received and matching its tracking number to the scammer’s claim

Platform Accountability Debate:

  • Users argue Shopify, Facebook, and PayPal enable scammers by:
    • Accepting anyone without vetting
    • Ignoring reports and patterns
    • Profiting from scammer fees while claiming no responsibility
  • Shopify’s position: They’re just a platform “bridge,” not responsible for individual merchant behavior
  • Suggested actions: Contact payment providers for chargebacks, email support@shopify.com

Proposed Solutions:

  • Implement reputation systems
  • Require business verification before store activation
  • Monitor for obvious scam patterns
  • Faster takedown of reported fraudulent stores

Status: Unresolved. Thread spans 6+ years with ongoing complaints and no visible platform-level improvements.

Summarized with AI on October 27. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
21

Facebook is getting paid by shopify for the use of their markets. And
shopify is getting paid by the scammers to use their platform. Both have
plausible deniability and dont really care if you get the item or lose your
money, because they are making theirs. Sorry, but imho, both sites should
be held accountable. Wasn’t zuck on a mission to make facebook a safe
space; even going as far as calling out the Russians for buying ad space
during the elections? Where is his sense of morality when his users come to
his employees and complain that they are being taken by fake shops using
his marketplace?

Please type your reply above this line -##

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