ScamScammer: keeping online shoppers safe
Lead Participant:
SNAPDRAGON MONITORING LIMITED
Abstract
One aspect of daily life that has changed as a result of the current pandemic is how we purchase goods. Outside essential trips to supermarkets and grocery stores almost all of us have moved online to shop. Figures from the latest RetailX index show, from a survey of 1000, **only 2.5% are not shopping online.**
Unfortunately there are those who, wishing to take advantage of this surge in activity and general consumer anxiety, are selling substandard and fake goods online, stealing bank details and profiteering through sales of counterfeits of essential items such as face masks and anti-bacterial gels.
SnapDragon Monitoring specialises in fighting fakes and scams online. We have taken our expertise, fostered through helping brands stop counterfeiters and intellectual property thieves from damaging their businesses, to **directly help consumers stay safe as they shop online during this pandemic, and beyond.**
SnapDragon is delighted to introduce **ScamScammer**, our dedicated service providing you with valuable consumer tips, topical advice and the ability to gain expert judgement from our experienced, multi-lingual analysts.
**ScamScanner** will help shoppers obtain refunds for fake goods bought from all the major e-commerce sites. You can also learn how to report fake and scam listings to platforms and, for more serious cases, we offer information on how to contact banks and Citizens Advice, if you have been the victim of theft.
By submitting the URL of a product or site, ScamScanner assesses its legitimacy and safety delivering a 2 point response, almost instantaneously, using our existing algorithms and expert team:
1. **Counterfeit Detection** -- is the product or site fake?!
2. **Scam Risk** -- is it a scam or threat to your personal/banking details?
Our response will let know if the product is genuine and if the site selling it is to be trusted. If you want further information, you can speak directly to our analysts through our interactive chat functionality.
For convenience, we also offer our ScamScanner browser extension, which provides all of the functionality of our site within a simple, user-friendly interface, accessible directly within your browser.
This new site and tool will help keep you safe shopping online, while simultaneously helping both us and the authorities prevent and tackle profiteering and the organised crime which is funded by the sale of counterfeits.
The extension for impact will enable the upgrade of the browser extension (Chrome & Firefox) to highlight, in real time, potentially problematic products, and websites, which, in informing the purchaser, will encourage alternative methods of purchase. Usage of the site to date is extraordinary, demonstrating a real need for, and appreciation of advice and guidance when shopping on line.
Unfortunately there are those who, wishing to take advantage of this surge in activity and general consumer anxiety, are selling substandard and fake goods online, stealing bank details and profiteering through sales of counterfeits of essential items such as face masks and anti-bacterial gels.
SnapDragon Monitoring specialises in fighting fakes and scams online. We have taken our expertise, fostered through helping brands stop counterfeiters and intellectual property thieves from damaging their businesses, to **directly help consumers stay safe as they shop online during this pandemic, and beyond.**
SnapDragon is delighted to introduce **ScamScammer**, our dedicated service providing you with valuable consumer tips, topical advice and the ability to gain expert judgement from our experienced, multi-lingual analysts.
**ScamScanner** will help shoppers obtain refunds for fake goods bought from all the major e-commerce sites. You can also learn how to report fake and scam listings to platforms and, for more serious cases, we offer information on how to contact banks and Citizens Advice, if you have been the victim of theft.
By submitting the URL of a product or site, ScamScanner assesses its legitimacy and safety delivering a 2 point response, almost instantaneously, using our existing algorithms and expert team:
1. **Counterfeit Detection** -- is the product or site fake?!
2. **Scam Risk** -- is it a scam or threat to your personal/banking details?
Our response will let know if the product is genuine and if the site selling it is to be trusted. If you want further information, you can speak directly to our analysts through our interactive chat functionality.
For convenience, we also offer our ScamScanner browser extension, which provides all of the functionality of our site within a simple, user-friendly interface, accessible directly within your browser.
This new site and tool will help keep you safe shopping online, while simultaneously helping both us and the authorities prevent and tackle profiteering and the organised crime which is funded by the sale of counterfeits.
The extension for impact will enable the upgrade of the browser extension (Chrome & Firefox) to highlight, in real time, potentially problematic products, and websites, which, in informing the purchaser, will encourage alternative methods of purchase. Usage of the site to date is extraordinary, demonstrating a real need for, and appreciation of advice and guidance when shopping on line.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| SNAPDRAGON MONITORING LIMITED | £74,640 | £ 74,640 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Rachel Jones (Project Manager) |