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The mantra of if it looks too good to be true it probably is, strongly applies to this scam. This massive scam is ongoing, so it's a good idea to be aware of it to help falling victim to it even if it might seem obvious.
www.theguardian.com
Vast web of fake shops touting designer brands took money and personal details from 800,000 people in Europe and US, data suggests
More than 800,000 people in Europe and the US appear to have been duped into sharing card details and other sensitive personal data with a vast network of fake online designer shops apparently operated from China.
An international investigation by the Guardian, Die Zeit and Le Monde gives a rare inside look at the mechanics of what the UK’s Chartered Trading Standards Institute has described as one of the largest scams of its kind, with 76,000 fake websites created.
A trove of data examined by reporters and IT experts indicates the operation is highly organised, technically savvy – and ongoing.
Operating on an industrial scale, programmers have created tens of thousands of fake web shops offering discounted goods from Dior, Nike, Lacoste, Hugo Boss, Versace and Prada, as well as many other premium brands.
However, the sites have no connection to the brands they claim to sell and in most cases consumers who spoke about their experience said they received no items.
![www.theguardian.com](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.guim.co.uk%2Fimg%2Fmedia%2Fd2565778ba1779b9f7d80ac748bbb0410a89e0f5%2F0_0_5000_3000%2Fmaster%2F5000.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D630%26quality%3D85%26auto%3Dformat%26fit%3Dcrop%26overlay-align%3Dbottom%252Cleft%26overlay-width%3D100p%26overlay-base64%3DL2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc%26enable%3Dupscale%26s%3D000dd681fd96cc136a8d817b0a1ae7a4&hash=f4e66e51405f6e0dbaaff3af80faf7b5&return_error=1)
Chinese network behind one of world’s ‘largest online scams’
Exclusive: Vast web of fake shops touting designer brands took money and personal details from 800,000 people in Europe and US, data suggests