We are always busy; busy juggling work and home, chasing deadlines, meeting social commitments etc. This leaves us with very little time to go to the market, haggle with shopkeepers and get things of our choice. Moreover, in this age of digital advancement, where things are just a click away, bearing with the labour of visiting stores physically often sound quite unwise and unnecessary. Online stores have opened up new vistas for people that help them save both their time as well as money. However, with countless free websites advertising online, we are often tricked and duped while buying or selling products on advertising platforms like OLX, Car24, Quikr etc.

Here are some reasons how you can fall victim to fake online advertisement:-

1. Digital Manipulation-
One can easily be tricked and misled through UPI Payment Links.
Individuals can be easily duped using advertisements from someone else.

Solution:

It is advisable to read carefully before clicking the Pay/Send Money option if someone sends a link to Request Money from e-wallet or UPI reading your advertisment. Dealing with the respective seller personally is very important before dealing with or making an advanced payment.

2. Photo Morphing-
You can be easily misled and duped in the name of Advanced Payment through photo morphing, wherein the photograph of the product is morphed and the product you receive look nowhere similar to the one you ordered.

How to prevent?

If you have the slightest doubt about the credibility of the website and the seller, without checking the goods do not make payment in advance.

3. Impersonation-
You can easily be fooled and your personal data on Whatsapp be at threat if you share your details with imposters who befriend you under the pretext of being soldiers from the army or paramilitary forces. Such an individual would share their identity so that you can easily trust them.

How to prevent?

Trust only the person in front of you. Never trust anything happening on WhatsApp and do not share your personal documents on WhatsApp with anyone while selling or buying goods.

Even if you buy and sell goods from online advertising platform regularly, it is highly advisable to be careful. Thugs place false and ludicrous advertisements on online advertising websites to cheat you. Interested buyers as well as thugs can contact you as soon as you see an advertisement placed on the online advertising platform.

Let’s take the example of sites like Olx, Cars24, Ouikr etc; these are online mediums through which citizens can advertise their old goods for free. The site requires sharing of your name and mobile number. These details can be misused by miscreants who could also run away with your vehicle on the context of a test drive.

State Cyber Police, Madhya Pradesh has been receiving regular complaints related to cheating through online advertising platform. In the wake of this, the Director General State Cyber Police, Madhya Pradesh, Shri Purushottam Sharma (IPS) has urged citizens to be vigilant while using different online platforms.

As a responsible citizen, you can also prevent others from becoming a victim of fraudulent online advertisement site by sharing your ideas on mp.mygov.in. Your suggestions can help in eliminating cyber crime in the state to a great extent.

Be alert and vigilant!