The price of wood has risen sharply in recent months, so scammers have found it a good way to make money. Their principle is simple: create a fake online firewood sales site and offer attractive prices while the commodity is becoming increasingly scarce. All they have to do then is wait for a buyer to fall into the trap. At the FPS Economy, more than a hundred fake sites were reported in the space of a month. Victims report an average loss of 750 euros, but one victim reported losing up to 2,972 euros. “The scammers lure you with attractive prices which they also promote using advertisements, particularly on social media. The shortage of wood from usual traders and the attractiveness of these prices push you to buy quickly without first check the reputation of the seller for example”indicates the FPS Economy.
After payment, the goods are never shipped, for the good and simple reason that they do not exist. “Most of the time, the scammer does not even react. If he answers, he uses pretexts, such as a delivery problem, to save time, or even to charge additional costs. The scammers hope to make you wait to that you don’t file a complaint. This gives them more time to make more victims, because the website is taken offline at a certain time.”
