“Leave a review — get paid”: how scammers use marketplaces to commit fraud

      The popularity of online marketplaces is growing rapidly: today you can buy almost any product through them — from clothing and home appliances to furniture and cars.

      However, convenience brings risk: criminals are actively developing new scams aimed at stealing users’ personal data and money.

      "Part-time job" as bait

      According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, the number of crimes related to marketplace fraud has increased noticeably over the past two years. Radis Yusupov, an operative authorized to handle particularly important cases in the fraud detection unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the MIA of the Republic of Tatarstan, described the most common scheme: "Most often scammers use a scheme related to part‑time jobs on well‑known online sales sites. Ads for such part‑time work can be encountered in the form of targeted advertising; messages are also sent via messengers and social networks."

      Fraudsters offer various types of activities:

      - liking products;

      - buying products and leaving positive reviews;

      - filling out product listings.

      At first glance, the terms look attractive: the person is supposedly promised reimbursement of the spent amount with interest for the work done. However, at the "hiring" stage the criminals request personal documents, bank card numbers, and other confidential data.

      Mechanism of the scam

      After obtaining basic data, the scammers send the victim a link to a product to buy and advertise. In reality this is a phishing site that imitates a real marketplace.

      The scheme works in stages:

      - The person makes a purchase on a fake site, thinking they are buying a product.

      - They leave a positive review.

      - They receive a refund with a promised percentage (in the initial stages).

      - After several successful operations the scammers ask to pay for an expensive item (up to 200,000 rubles).

      - After transferring a large sum, contact is cut off and the money disappears.

      - "Communication with scammers in such a scenario lasts about a month. The fraudsters stall to gain trust and extract as large an amount as possible," explains Radis Yusupov.

      Other common schemes

      - Fake companies posing as investment projects. The criminals post job ads (salespeople, cleaners, managers), invite people to the office and persuade them to invest money in cryptocurrency or stocks. The result — a total loss of savings.

      - Fake marketplace security employees. Scammers call or message, claiming suspicious operations are being conducted from an account. They ask for the SMS code, gaining access to linked bank cards.

      - Phishing links. Fraudsters send links to fake sites where the victim enters login and password. These credentials immediately fall into the hands of the criminals.

      How to protect yourself from scammers

      Radis Yusupov gives clear instructions to prevent fraud:

      - Do not follow links from strangers. Always check the site address: phishing pages often differ from the original by 1–2 characters.

      - Avoid installing unknown programs. Links to apps from unknown persons may contain malicious code.

      - Use a separate card for online payments. It should not hold your main savings — only the amount needed for purchases.

      - Never share SMS codes with third parties, even if they claim to be security staff.

      - Be vigilant during sales. On Black Friday and other promotions the number of phishing sites rises sharply.

      - Refuse dubious offers. For example, payment for fake reviews is not only risky but unethical.

      Who becomes a victim more often?

      According to law enforcement observations, the most vulnerable are young people, homemakers, and women on maternity leave.

      These groups actively use gadgets and look for ways to earn extra money without leaving home duties.

      What to do if you encounter fraud?

      If you suspect you have become a victim of scammers, immediately block your bank cards, report suspicious transactions to your bank, and file a report with the police.

      Remember: the best protection is prudence. Do not fall for promises of quick earnings and always verify information before sharing personal data or transferring money.

      author

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