University Park, IL,
25
June
2025
|
14:46 PM
America/Chicago

Seeing through online scams

A laptop screen showing a man dressed in all black and a ski mask pushing a shopping cart full of different pieces of technology off the screen
A laptop screen showing a man dressed in all black and a ski mask pushing a shopping cart full of different pieces of technology off the screen

By William Kresse, JD, CPA, CFE  

Edited by Isabella Hollingsworth-Sons, Staff Writer 

Perhaps we are naturally conditioned to "not believe it until we see it." But these days, even seeing something with your own eyes may not be enough to believe it. That’s the issue with online resale scams that are appearing on social media at a fast rate. Powerful photo applications, especially those enhanced with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can create fake images that make the unbelievable appear believable. 

For online users, buying used items on platforms like Facebook and Craig’s List can be lucrative, with items often being significantly less than if purchased new. However, that excitement can lead to potential fraud. Scam items are typically big-ticket cars, or boats, and sometimes they can even appear to be sold from friends. With the abundant risks what can one do to prevent being defrauded in online sales? 

While there’s no way to stay 100% safe, here are some suggestions: 

  • Start off by having a skeptical mindset. If you start with the assumption that the photo is probably fake, you can only end up being pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed. 

 

  • Run the image of the item through a Google image search. Very often fraudsters will simply "CPA - cut, paste and attach" an image that they found off the internet. If the exact - or nearly exact - image is found by your search, you may want to forget this purchase. (BTW, if you use online dating, Google image search is a good strategic tool for checking photos of prospective suitors. Better safe than heartbroken.) 

 

  • See if the seller will communicate with you via Facetime, Zoom or some other means of real time video. Make it clear that you want to see the item during your video chat. 

 

  • If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, do not pay the seller until you have had the opportunity to inspect the product. If that means meeting with the seller, be sure to be safe. Meet at a neutral, publicly accessible area. Many folks use the parking lots of popular grocery stores, restaurants or banks. These have the advantage of being busy locations with security cameras. Increasingly, police departments are designating areas in their parking lots (or even their lobbies) as "SafeTrade Stations." Check with your local police department to see if they allow this at their stations.  

Good luck! 

But remember: Always stay vigilant because Fraud Never Sleeps! 

William Kresse teaches in the College of Business at Governors State University.