What people keep running into with fraud
Complaints tagged fraud, each raised by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
23 recurring problems · 288 people · 27 forums we read
Raised more than once
Most people first.
- 111How to handle a bad contractor who won't fix poor workPaying before inspecting leaves homeowners with little leverage when contractors deliver subpar or unauthorized work. Without a clear path to recourse or refunds for shoddy repairs, people are left feeling cheated and stuck with expensive, unsightly results.
- 27How to stop fraudulent chargebacks on online storesUnscrupulous buyers are claiming they never authorized purchases or executing triangulation scams, leaving store owners terrified that every new order is fake. This constant threat of fraudulent chargebacks puts merchant income at risk and forces some sellers to abandon entire sales platforms just to survive.
- 25Why does what I ordered online look nothing like the pictures?Online purchases often arrive missing key details shown in listings, such as expected colors, patterns, or overall features. This leaves buyers disappointed with items that fail to match the posting and forces them to navigate complex, potentially costly return processes.
- 24Why is every online artisan marketplace full of fake and AI items?Online marketplaces are flooded with AI-generated images, dropshipped goods, and low-quality knockoffs disguised as handmade or vintage items. Buyers are forced to manually reverse-image search and vet every listing for fake reviews, making the shopping experience so exhausting that many simply give up.
- 15Car repair shop broke my car and wants more moneyShops sometimes cause new mechanical failures while servicing a vehicle and then demand thousands of dollars extra for computer replacements. This unexpected damage leaves owners stranded without transportation for weeks and forces them to pay triple their original estimate just to get a working car back.
- 11Do I have to return an accidental double payment?Administrative errors can result in funds being accidentally deposited or refunded twice into your account. Legally, you generally cannot keep money that does not belong to you, and failing to address the overage can prevent you from resolving the underlying transaction or clearing your balance.
- 11How do I dispute a bunch of incorrect charges at once?Merchants often refuse refunds and make customers file separate claims for every single transaction, turning a mass overcharge into hours of tedious itemization. When support acknowledges the glitch but still refuses to fix it, consumers are left manually filling out endless web forms just to recover their money.
- 10My manager is forcing me to make incorrect journal entriesManagers often pressure accountants to book inaccurate entries, from capitalizing disposable items like sheet protectors to double-accruing invoices just to make flawed reports work. This forces subordinates into covering up their superiors' financial mistakes, leaving them terrified they are being set up to take the fall. The constant pressure to violate standard procedures causes deep discomfort and often drives employees to quit before they face retaliation.
- 6What to do when mailed checks are stolen and cashedWhen a mailed check is stolen and fraudulently cashed, you need to contact your bank immediately to address the security breach and decide whether to close the compromised account. This unexpected loss of funds forces you to deal with fraudulent withdrawals and figure out how to securely handle future payments without relying on traditional paper mail.
- 5Bank refuses to close fraudulent business account opened with my EINBanks often refuse to close or investigate fraudulent business accounts if only the EIN was used rather than the owner's personal Social Security Number. This leaves business owners exposed to severe liability and unable to stop ongoing activity on accounts they never opened.
- 4Why do I have to pay a fee to get my earnings?Platforms and clients frequently demand upfront payments, lodgement fees, or transfer charges before releasing earned funds, forcing workers to pay just to access their own money. This unexpected cost makes people feel like they are being scammed and prevents them from withdrawing their money smoothly.
- 4What to do when a bank scam leaves you with zero moneyComplex fraud and mail theft can instantly wipe out a checking account balance, leaving victims with negative funds and facing immediate homelessness. Navigating slow bank and police investigations prevents victims from paying basic living expenses while they wait for resolution.
- 4Buyer falsely claims item is fake to force a returnBuyers sometimes falsely claim items are not genuine to force a return out of buyer's remorse, leaving sellers struggling to get platforms to acknowledge they acted in good faith. Conversely, buyers dealing with bad transactions face terrifying situations like being provided fraudulent customs forms and low valuation labels for expensive custom items, risking heavy fines and prosecution for customs fraud if they return the product.
- 4Why are so many customer shipments getting lost with UPS and FedEx?Ecommerce sellers are dealing with a rising volume of missing, mishandled, and ghost-tracked packages alongside a sharp increase in customer delivery claims. Filing endless claims with major carriers like FedEx and UPS turns routine shipping management into a daily headache that drains store resources.
- 4How to stop fake abandoned checkouts from the same email?Bots and repeat actors flood stores with dozens of fake abandoned checkouts using recurring or fabricated addresses, which triggers unwanted automated emails from marketing platforms and damages sender reputation. Store owners are left playing an endless game of whack-a-mole because platforms lack native tools to block these fraudulent checkouts.
- 4Getting a refund when a hotel and booking site blame each otherBooking platforms and hotels often point fingers at each other, claiming the other party processed the payment and holds the money, which leaves customers trapped without a refund for unprovided services. This buck-passing forces people to dispute the charge directly through their bank via a chargeback.
- 3How do I turn trapped crypto into real money after a scam?People falling for node trading or investment scams often find thousands of pounds trapped in a wallet that cannot be changed into a recognized cryptocurrency to cash out into a bank account. This leaves victims stranded with faked balances they cannot access or convert.
- 3Why am I still getting monthly fees after closing my account?Businesses and account holders continue to get billed monthly maintenance and subscription charges long after their merchant accounts have been shut down. This leaves owners stuck dealing with unexpected bills, surprise balances, and endless admin headaches for services they no longer use.
- 3How to prove business partners are stealing money without tipping them offFinancial discrepancies like mismatched cash activity and customer traffic can point to intentional wrongdoing rather than simple sloppy bookkeeping. Trying to investigate without raising red flags is difficult and can make you feel overwhelmed or second-guess your suspicions. Verifying these concerns requires systematically gathering and comparing records without alerting the other party.
- 3Why is corruption and fraud so normalized in public accounting?Intense workplace competition creates peer pressure to ignore unethical behavior and go along with manipulated reports. This forces professionals to choose between compromising their ethics for a paycheck or leaving their jobs.
Comes up alongside
Topics that keep appearing on the same problems — not topics with similar names.