Fake Halloween offers hide behind tempting prices, warns ECC Bulgaria

On the eve of Halloween, the European Consumer Centre (ECC) – Bulgaria reminds that the scariest "masks" sometimes hide not in pumpkin lanterns, but on the internet.

Fake offers, unrealistically low prices, and fraudulent websites are lurking for unsuspecting consumers, the ECC warns on its website, CE Report quotes BTA.

Before you click the "Order" button, look for information about the trader – company name, physical address, phone number (in the same country where it is registered), and email. If there are no contact details and only a message form, that is a red flag. Also, check online reviews of the seller and whether the company appears in official registers. The ECC recommends using its online trader verification tool – it is easy to use and can save you a lot of trouble.

Do not trust offers that seem too good to be true. Based on years of experience and thousands of complaints received annually, the ECC notes that the real danger often hides behind "incredible" promotions: you can’t buy a new smartphone for 200 leva if it costs over 1,000 everywhere else, and you can’t get a loan where you repay less than you received.

Use secure payment methods such as credit cards. If the goods never arrive, you can dispute the payment with your bank and get your money back. Do not send money via bank transfer, money order, or cryptocurrency to unknown sellers. Whenever possible, buy from traders registered in the EU – you are protected by EU law and can rely on the ECC network for support.

The ECC also warns about signs of fake offers. For instance, websites may have poor translations, suspicious domains (e.g., .xyz instead of .bg or .eu), or product photos that change each time the page loads. In some cases, fake reviews appear with identical photos across different language versions of the site, even though the "customers" should be different people.

Another warning sign is missing information – for example, no address or instructions for returning goods. If you have doubts, no matter how tempting the offer seems, it is better to walk away and not take the risk. Even if you do not lose money, the product may be unsafe and could harm you physically, the ECC cautions.