Nintendo warns customers about fake shops that offer Switch games at cheap prices and lure buyers into a buying trap. The situation is similar with games for the PlayStation.
There are numerous suppliers online who offer tech goods or designer clothing and accessories at bargain prices. However, behind some of the offers are scammers who lure buyers to their websites with unbeatably low prices. Manufacturers and retailers warn of the fake shops that lure their customers with discounts for Nintendo and PlayStation and cheat their money.
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Nintendo warns of fake shops with cheap games for the switch
Fraudsters are currently up to mischief online with fake shops. The customers are lured with cheap prices for Nintendo Switch games and then scammed out of either their money or their personal information.
Nintendo has now issued a warning to potential customers who should beware of the fake shops with false offers. If the offer is too good to be true, in this case it probably is.
Both the console itself and the games are priced stable on the market. However, the demand is high and both potential players and current owners are constantly searching the web for cheap offers. Scammers take advantage of this and advertise games at incredibly low prices on a fake website in order to attract these players.
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PS5 and games are also offered in fake shops
Fake shops online advertise not only with offers for Nintendo, but also with discounts for the PlayStation 5. But these are also scammers who are either out for your money or private information. But not only through fake shops that claim to have the console in stock and advertise games at low prices, they attract customers. Some scammers even go so far as to pose as legitimate retailers. GameStop therefore issued a warning at the end of 2021 that there was a fake shop claiming to be operated by GameStop.
The PlayStation 5 has regularly sold out since its release. Demand is huge, but supply is limited. So if a new PlayStation 5 is offered for a lower price than is currently the case on the market, the first alarm bells should go off. In fact, it’s more likely that the console is priced higher than it is in stores due to limited availability.
The same applies here: If the offer is so good that it is almost unrealistic, then it probably is.
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Identify fake shops
The insidious thing about the fake shops is not only the unbeatable prices for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation games. The pages also look deceptively real. The fraudsters use the real logos to suggest authenticity to the customer and even state in the imprint that the website is operated by real, reputable dealers.
Tips to catch the scammers
Nevertheless, there are some clues that you can use to identify a fake shop:
- Conspicuous Internet address: The domain has been extended (e.g.: “.de.com” instead of “.de”) or the domain does not match the offer on the website at all.
- Unsafe payment method: The website advertises that you can use many methods of payment, but when you are at the checkout, payment is suddenly only possible in advance. At this point at the latest, all alarm bells should go off!
- Unrealistic prices: Of course, not every cheap shop is automatically a fake shop. But if your gut feeling tells you that the offer is too good to be true, then it usually is.
- False Seals of Approval: Fake shops use either fictitious seals or copies of real victories such as “Trusted Shops” to boost their credibility. You can find out whether it’s a scam or not by clicking on the seal. If you are directed to the site of the seal operator, it is a real seal. If there is no link, then it is a fake seal.
- Customer Reviews: Google the website and read the customer reviews. Perhaps past victims warn of the scam. In any case, do not rely solely on the reviews that the operator of the fake shop shows on its website.
- Terms and Conditions: If there is no data protection declaration or the terms and conditions, this is clearly an indication of a fake shop. But even if there are terms and conditions, you should check whether the spelling and grammar are correct. It may be a bad translation and copy.
- Imprint: You don’t buy anything without an imprint! If there is an imprint, it should contain an address, an authorized representative and an e-mail address. Don’t let that fool you! Be sure to check the information for authenticity, for example, by googling the address.
Many of these points require you to look closely to spot the scam. But you should be particularly vigilant when it comes to expensive goods such as games for Nintendo or PlayStation.