Woman loses money to fake online clothing store

TDT | Manama

Email : ashen@newsofbahrain.com

Another citizen became the victim of an online scam after falling prey to a fraudulent Instagram account.

The account, claimed to sell clothing and attracted attention for its variety of dresses, particularly for the upcoming Eid celebrations.

The victim was browsing Instagram when she discovered the account and became interested in purchasing a dress.

She reached out to the seller through WhatsApp, where the account asked for her name, address, and other personal details.

They then requested a prepayment of BD16 for the dress, which was supposedly to be delivered on the 17th of Ramadan at 4pm.

Delivery

After making the payment through BenefitPay, the woman was informed that the order would be delivered the next day. However, the promised delivery never arrived.

She tried calling and messaging the seller multiple times, but her attempts were met with silence.

The WhatsApp number displayed “unable to receive calls,” and her messages were marked with a single checkmark, indicating they were not delivered.

Seller

Taking matters into her own hands, the woman’s daughter attempted to contact the seller from her own number, and to her surprise, the phone rang.

She also messaged the seller under the pretense of placing a new order, and this time, the seller responded immediately, asking for the same details and payment, this time via IBAN.

Confronting the account with proof of her mother’s prior conversation, the daughter was met with the same treatment — her messages showed only one checkmark, and the seller’s number was again “unable to receive calls.”

Communication

The scam is reportedly designed to steal money from unsuspecting buyers before blocking them to prevent any further communication.

The account has a fake following, and comments are disabled to avoid detection.

The victim has since reported the incident to the Cyber Police, and investigations are underway.

Experiences

Additionally, several others have come forward on Reddit, sharing similar experiences with the fraudulent account.

The family urges others to be vigilant and spread the word to prevent more individuals from falling victim to this scam.

The authorities are currently investigating the matter, and a call from CID was received just yesterday, confirming that the case is being handled.

Tips to Avoid Scams:

1 -Verify the credibility of the website or seller before making a purchase.

2-Check customer reviews and ratings from previous buyers.

3-Avoid making upfront payments through untrusted methods.

4-Use secure payment methods such as credit cards or cash on delivery. (From General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic & Electronic Security)