Guides · 5 min read
Ordered from a fake shop? What to do now, step by step
Vajeeran Logeswaran · Updated · Sources and corrections
If an order has not arrived, preserve the facts and contact the payment provider promptly. Non-delivery may have several explanations; you do not need to prove fraud before asking what dispute options are available.
1. Contact the payment provider
Use the phone number or secure messaging inside your bank or payment provider’s official service. Explain the payment date, amount, merchant and what happened. Ask about applicable dispute deadlines and the documents needed.
For a bank transfer, ask whether a recall or other intervention is possible. Recovery is not guaranteed. For a card or wallet payment, eligibility and reimbursement depend on the applicable process and circumstances.
2. Build an evidence folder
Save the order confirmation, advertised delivery date, receipt, payment recipient, product page, terms and correspondence. Keep originals alongside screenshots, and note when each page was captured.
Prepare a timeline: ordered, paid, expected delivery, contacted seller, response received. Separate what you observed from what you suspect. Avoid editing screenshots in ways that remove context.
Worked example: describe the problem precisely
Illustrative timeline: ordered on 1 September; delivery promised by 5 September; no parcel by 10 September; seller contacted on 6 and 9 September without a reply. This documents non-delivery and attempted contact, without inventing the seller’s intention.
A concise message to the provider might say: “I paid [amount] to [recipient] on [date]. Delivery was promised by [date]. The goods have not arrived. I attach the order, payment record and contact attempts. What dispute procedure and deadline apply?”
3. Limit further exposure
Do not pay an unexpected fee to release a refund without independently checking it with the payment provider. Do not send a seller one-time banking codes or additional identity documents.
If credentials or card details may have been compromised, contact the relevant provider immediately. Change reused passwords through the genuine services, and preserve suspicious messages for reporting.
4. Report and keep records
Follow the Swiss NCSC’s financial-loss guidance and contact the police if you suffered financial loss. Keep any reference numbers and follow the instructions of the receiving organisation. A cyber-incident report and a criminal complaint are different processes.
A CanITrustThis report can supplement your records with automated observations. We cannot guarantee that a bank, insurer or police authority will accept it, and it does not replace original receipts or establish fraud. You do not need to purchase our report to contact your bank or police.
Sources and further reading
Worked examples and scenarios are explicitly illustrative. Conditions and procedures can change; check the relevant original source.
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