Scan Raccoon
The anti-scam blog
Practical guides to spot the most common online shopping traps: before you pay, not after.
Anti-scam guide · 7 min readHoliday Rental Scams: How to Book Without Getting Caught OutStolen photos, deposit by bank transfer, fake owner, fake platform message: the common holiday rental scams and the checks to make before paying.Practical guide · 8 min readRight of Withdrawal and Refunds: Your Rights When You Buy Online in the EU14 days to change your mind, refunds, undelivered parcels, legal guarantee: what EU rules provide for an online purchase and how to enforce your rights.Practical guide · 7 min readHow to Check a Company Before You Order: Registers, Numbers and Red FlagsCompany number, VAT number, legal notice: where to find them on a shop's website, how to verify them for free in official registers and which inconsistencies to watch for.Anti-scam guide · 8 min readCrypto, Forex and Trading Scams: Red Flags and How to Check a ProviderGuaranteed returns, a “coach” on WhatsApp, a platform that blocks withdrawals: how to spot a fake investment platform and check a provider against official registers.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readConcert and Event Ticket Scams: How to Buy Resale Tickets SafelyFake tickets, tickets sold several times, “friends and family” payments: the common resale scams for concerts and events, and the checks to make before paying.Anti-scam guide · 7 min readFake Bank Adviser Calls: How to Spot the Scam and What to DoYour bank's real number on the screen, an “unusual transaction”, a request to approve something in the app: how the bank impersonation scam works and how to react.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readHow to Spot a Dropshipping Store Before You BuyFake countdowns, vague delivery times, inflated prices, missing legal notices: the concrete signs that tell you a store is dropshipping before you order.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readFake Customer Reviews: The Warning Signs to Watch ForA too-perfect rating, bursts of reviews, repetitive wording, empty profiles: how to tell a genuine reputation from a manufactured rating before you buy.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readGreat Deal or Trap? How to Judge an Online DiscountFake crossed-out price, 70% off, countdown timer: the method to tell whether a price is a genuine bargain or a trap before you pay.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readChecking a Private Seller Before You Buy OnlineAccount age, real photos, protected payment, in-person handover: the essential checks before buying from a private individual.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readSuspicious Email or Number: How to Check a Contact Before ReplyingImitated domain, generic address, reported number, pressure to reply fast: how to check an email or a phone number before you respond.Anti-scam guide · 7 min readBuying Second-Hand Online Without Getting ScammedMarket price, real photos, stated condition, protected payment, stolen goods: the guide to buying second-hand online while limiting the risks.Anti-scam guide · 8 min readHow to Tell If a Website Is a Scam: 10 Checks Before You PayAddress, legal notices, domain age, reviews, payment methods: 10 simple checks to find out whether an online shop is reliable before you order.Anti-scam guide · 6 min readFake Delivery Texts: How to Spot Them and What to DoA text asks you to pay a few euros for a parcel? Here's how to recognize the trap, what to do about it, and where to report it.Practical guide · 7 min readWhat to Do After an Online Scam: The Steps in OrderBank block, dispute, evidence, reporting, police complaint: the steps to take, in order, if you've been the victim of an online scam.Smart comparison · 7 min readSame Product, Cheaper Elsewhere: How to Check It's Really IdenticalReference, EAN, version, condition: how to check that a cheaper product is really identical to the one you want to buy, and not just a similar one.