Wilko bargain-hunters warned over online scams

Police are warning online shoppers to be vigilant after reports of customers losing hundreds of pounds on a bogus website for collapsed retailer Wilko.

Officers in South Yorkshire have received numerous complaints of people falling victim to fake online offers.

PC Angela Senior said: “Across August and September, we received 19 reports of this scam, with victims losing up to £200 as a result.

"We know how tempting discounts and clearance sales can be, however, we encourage people to stop and query whether the deal is too good to be true before they make a purchase."

Shoppers have been bargain-hunting after the homeware chain closed all 400 of its stores following escalating financial problems.

But scammers have sought to exploit the appetite for discount offers, with customers reporting placing orders and paying for items they never received.

PC Senior added: "We know that, unfortunately, cyber scammers are often very good at making fake shopping websites look realistic, and therefore it’s really important that people remain vigilant to the fact that these fake websites are out there, and make the necessary checks before making any purchases."

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