Store speed scam - shopify speed do not match lighthouse speed - attention!

[nuova-idea]

Hi ALL,

first of al, you should know that Shopify stopped to use Lighthouse to calculate the speed score, this is why the sudden drop of speed score in Shopify in comparison with Lighthouse or GTmetrix. Shopify does not consider the Lighthouse speed anymore. This since around the beginning of August 2021.

Now the why: some developers do ZERO/NO work on performing your store, they ONLY add a hacking code that detect speed checkers. When it detect speed checkers, it serve an empty page, with no content. That’s why your Lighthouse or GTmetrix speed score it is so high.

Now that Shopify stop linking its speed report with such speed checkers, the scam it become clear to all. Be aware, an high amount of developers were selling fake speed optimizations, using instead this quick hack to collect money from store owners.

The code contain such lines:

document.write / document.open and are inserted in the theme.liquid (use ctrl+g to locate them). If you find such lines, you been scammed.

I suggest everyone who got this scam to reply to my post here and add the name or data of the developer to help others to do not fall in the same scam.

My scammer was hired on Fiverr:

It is taking 2 weeks of work and lot of money to fix this issue. Cause it also damage how the store works.

Please everyone, spread the voice as much as possible because Shopify still did not made any official statement on this, and many store owners have no idea at all about this.

Let’s make sure those scammers get banned and get no more money from store owners.

[Zineddine]

Can you please share with us the code that the scammer has used?

[nagumi]

THANK YOU! I GOT SCAMMED AND FOUND OUT THANKS TO YOU!!!

I’ve reported it to shopify and they’re investigating. But I found my scammer through shopify expert marketplace, not fiverr. I confronted the scammer and they gave me my money back.

The code:

document.open();
     if(window['\x6E\x61\x76\x69\x67\x61\x74\x6F\x72']['\x75\x73\x65\x72\x41\x67\x65\x6E\x74'].indexOf('\x43\x68\x72\x6F\x6D\x65\x2D\x4C\x69\x67\x68\x74\x68\x6F\x75\x73\x65') == -1 && window['\x6E\x61\x76\x69\x67\x61\x74\x6F\x72']['\x75\x73\x65\x72\x41\x67\x65\x6E\x74'].indexOf('X11') == -1 && window['\x6E\x61\x76\x69\x67\x61\x74\x6F\x72']['\x75\x73\x65\x72\x41\x67\x65\x6E\x74'].indexOf('GTmetrix') == -1) {document.write({{pDescription | json}});}  else{
     document.write("

.

");}document.close();

[nuova-idea]

Please, mention the Shopify Expert that you used to help others avoiding such seller. Thanks

[Nilo_1]

This is exactly what “Anees Ayub” from @Aisat_Solutions did via a Fiverr job. His email is aneesayub213@gmail.com

@Shopify_77 please ban him and remove all partner accounts. DM me for details.

[NLanglois]

I just got exactly the same with him :

[NLanglois]

Should you remove exactly this part ? what is the code that you have to remove so that it is the same as before ?

[Hamzaa]

Hi @NLanglois ,

This script (bot) is now commonly used in Shopify Stores to improve the admin score of Shopify and as well the score on Google Pagespeed Insights. I will suggest you and everyone to ask the developer first that how he will improve the speed of your website and then start the work with the developer in order to avoid any kind of scam. Thank you.

[NLanglois]

Thank you @Hamzaa for your answer.

It is hard to ask the developer more details since I linked those threads suggesting he tried to scam me.

I’m not able to communicate with him as he is now banned from fiverr or he blocked me…

I feel bad because I feel the website did improve even if it seems it mainly improved thanks to the script…

I’m not sure if it was a real scam or some work + help from that script.

[Hamzaa]

I have visited the profile of this seller and I can see that he has over 500+ Positive Reviews which make sense that the people are getting good results. Usually the owner of the website wants to see the results on Shopify Dashboard and on Google Pagespeed Insights. Now the developers have invented their own scripts which can improve the speed score on Google Pagespeed Insights and as well on Shopify Dashboard. These scripts do not affect the store functionality, sales or performance. In short term, these scripts improve the speed score in easy and quick way.

[Nilo_1]

You’ve got to be kidding. Your store speed isn’t just a vanity metric. It’s directly correlated to conversion performance. Scamming non-technical store owners is completely unethical and borderline criminal. You said it yourself “These scripts do not affect the store functionality, sales or performance” WHICH IS WHAT YOU’RE BEING PAID FOR.

The script loads a blank page when it detects Lighthouse. The moved blocking script tags to deferred loading without any regard to what script is being edited. It’s nothing more than a scam and that’s it.

[NLanglois]

Thanks for reassuring me @Nilo_1

Btw the script was indeed affecting my performances as it was preventing my favicon from being load and therefore returning a 404 on GTmetrix.

My favicon is not favicon.ico but since the line of code with my favicon was under the script for some reason it was not loaded and by default favicon.ico was called and returned a 404.

I found a solution to suppress that 4s lag by putting the favicon line above the script which worked.

I still have the script as if I suppress it my store doesn’t load any image but with that example we can see that the script can have an impact on the store…

PS : Actual results

[nuova-idea]

DO NOT MISSLEAD PEOPLE!

Adding this code destroy the shop functionality in many ways, ruin the SEO completely and also cause several tech issue internally.

This SCAM does not make the website/store faster in any way! This SCAM serve an EMPTY page to robots which means, once again, the robots DO NOT see your real store!

[MichaelYounal]

This man is really a big scammer. When he caught then he immediately removed malicious code and by which my speed drop from 81 to 35. He start lying in chat to manipulate even Fiverr customer support. I caught his code with the help of my developer. On queries even his behavior was unappropriated. I’m going to list his chat screenshot here.

This was his behavior, my question was then why you sit here.

He also replied to my review to manipulate upcoming buyers. My responsibility is to just warn you, otherwise you have a lot of options.

Thanks

[root2]

Hello, I have been following this thread and I think I am also being scammed, Can you pls tell me where can I find this code in my store?

[Diane_Mchugh]

I found the same problem in my code. Can you tell me what else needs to be repaired as you said it damages your store.

I have to get someone to fix it.

Thanks!!

[root2]

Can you share your store link?

[root2]

@Diane_Mchugh

[Diane_Mchugh]

https://ladybugfeetdesigns.com

[root2]

@diane You are being scammed my friend