Did you come across Lakoay.com Ethika underwear sale for $0.99 on Facebook or Instagram? Beware! It’s a scam. The underwear and apparel brand ‘Ethika’ is being impersonated by scammers operating an online shopping scam.
The fake Ads use enticing phrases like ‘Your wardrobe needs lots of Ethikas!’ ‘Comfortable and Stylish’, ‘Only $0.99’ ‘ethika independence day sale’ etc. Examining the website we spotted the following red flags;
- Recently created – Who.is (a website checker tool) show lakoay.com was launched on 30th April 2024 by an anonymous person who kept his information redacted for privacy.
- Manipulated website design – When you click on Lakoay.com Ads it takes you to a specially created page for ‘Ethika Sale’, but when you visit the site directly, it’s a different website design that doesn’t have anything like Ethika written anywhere. This is quite common with scam online stores.
- No active customer support – The website has just one means of contact – [email protected]. Interestingly, emails sent to the address were not replied.
- Not Affiliated with Ethika – From the registration details to the email address provided, none reflects the Ethika brand.
How Lakoay.com Scam Works
The scam falls into the category of brand impersonation scam. Ethika’s logo, product inventories, and website design are used to make the fake clearance sale websites look authentic. After orders are placed, Lakoay either send fake tracking info or nothing at all. No items are delivered, and all efforts to speak with the customer support are futile.
Aside from not receiving the items paid for, victims of this scam could be affected by the following frauds;
- unauthorized charges on credit cards
- Automatic VIP membership subscription – Victims get charged a monthly subscription fee for unwanted items such as online health magazines etc.
- Malware infestation on customer’s device after visiting the fake website, which could lead to data exploitation, ransomware, e.t.c
What To Do If You Fell For The Lakoay Ethika Scam
Cancel your credit card
Immediately call your financial provider and cancel your credit card. By so doing, the credit card details you used for your transaction would become null and void.
Request for a new card
After the old credit card has been cancelled, ask for a new card, it doesn’t cost much to get one.Your credit card issuer will issue you a new one with different numbers.
Report the Fraud To Relevant Authorities
Report the scam to relevant authorities and organizations. This includes:
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): If you are in the United States, you can file a complaint with the IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov/.
- Your Local Consumer Protection Agency: Contact your local consumer protection agency or the equivalent regulatory body in your country.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB): File a complaint with the BBB if the online store is based in the United States.
How To Spot Fake Clearance Sales
Check the Company’s Social Media Accounts & Official Websites
The first step you should take is finding out if the giveaway has been posted on the company’s social media accounts. If it hasn’t, the giveaway is likely a scam.
Check For Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes
Scan the clearance post. Do you notice bad grammar, missing words, or spelling mistakes? These are red flags for a scam. Any company can make a minor mistake when typing out a win notification. However, multiple or glaring errors are a bad sign.
Check Website Registration Age
How old is the website? The domain age of a website tells a lot about a store’s legitimacy or transparency. Websites below 6 months old are often considered unsafe. You can find out a website’s age by checking on Who.is ( a free domain checker tool)
Find Out If The Website Used Has SSL Encryption
find out if the website is secured with SSL encryption. (https and padlock symbols). If the padlock symbol doesn’t appear near the website’s URL, then it means your personal and financial information is at risk at the store.
Search for Reviews Online
Are there reviews or posts about the clearance sale online? It’s common for various news outlet to carry information about legit discount sales. By searching for reviews online you could also come across warning posts or complaints.
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Nora