How do I check if an online shop or Instagram store is genuine?
Check who is behind the shop: a real business has a physical address, a working phone number, a registered business name, and reviews on sites it does not control. A shop that exists only as an Instagram page or a new website, takes only advance UPI payments and offers prices far below everyone else is probably fake.
Fake shops copy real brands' photos and sometimes their names with a small change in the spelling or the domain. Many appear before festivals and disappear after the sale.
How to check
- Look for an address and a phone number on the site, and call the number.
- Check how old the domain or the account is.
- Search the shop name with "scam", "fraud" and "refund" and look at reviews outside the shop's own page.
- Compare the price with the brand's official site – a huge discount is a sign.
- Prefer cash on delivery or a platform with buyer protection.
Frequently asked questions
- The website has https and a padlock. Does that make it safe?
- No. The padlock only means the connection is encrypted. Scammers get it too.
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