How to Spot a Fake Shopping Website and Avoid Voucher Code Scams

Online shopping should make life easier – but with scams on the rise, even the savviest shoppers can be caught out.

In the UK alone, people lost £11.4 billion to scams in just 12 months, with the average victim losing around £1,443, according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.

And while we all love a bargain, that search for savings can sometimes lead us to fake voucher codes or spoofed retailer sites designed to steal our details. That’s why it’s so important to know what to look out for – and how to shop safely using verified, trusted voucher codes.

1. The Rise of Online Scams

Fraudsters are getting smarter every year. In just the first half of 2024, criminals stole £571.7 million through payment fraud in the UK, and total fraud losses for the year reached around £1.17 billion.

Most of it now happens online. In fact, 72% of authorised payment scams start online – and worryingly, 71% of victims never report what’s happened according to Cifas Scams Survey 2024.

And with more fake voucher sites, cloned retailer pages and fraudulent checkout links appearing during busy sale periods, it’s never been more important to double-check where you’re shopping!

2. Why Discounts Can Make Us Drop Our Guard

We all love saving money – it’s why voucher code sites are so popular! But that same desire for a deal can make us more vulnerable to scams.

Research shows that 48% of UK shoppers would share personal information like an email address or phone number in exchange for a discount of 25% or less, according to SecurityBrief UK, 2024.

That willingness to hand over data is exactly what scammers rely on. They’ll tempt you with promises of ‘exclusive’ offers or ‘unmissable codes’ that don’t actually exist – using your details for spam, phishing or even payment fraud later on.

3. When Scams Spike: Holiday & Discount Seasons

Fake websites and voucher code scams often spike during key shopping periods like Black Friday, Christmas, and the January Sales. Between November 2023 and January 2024 alone, the UK recorded over 16,000 cases of online shopping fraud, with each victim losing an average of £695.

Fraudsters also use newer tricks like fake QR codes (‘quishing’), which cost UK shoppers £3.5 million between April 2024 and April 2025.

If you’re shopping during a major sale, take a few seconds to verify that the site is real – especially before entering card details or clicking on a code link.

4. Trust your instincts

Here’s what to look for before you click ‘checkout’:

Check the URL carefully

Real retailer websites usually start with ‘https://’ (the ‘s’ means secure). Fake ones often contain spelling errors or slightly altered brand names.

Look for contact details

Legitimate sites list a physical address, company number or working customer service line. Be wary if there’s no way to reach them other than a form or social media message.

Watch for poor design or broken English

Many scam sites use stolen images, generic logos or awkward grammar. If something looks ‘off’, trust your instincts.

Avoid unusual payment requests

Never pay by bank transfer. Always use a credit card, PayPal or another secure method that offers buyer protection.

Search for reviews

Look up the brand on sites like Trustpilot or Google Reviews. A lack of reviews – or a flood of recent, overly positive ones – is a red flag.

5. The Real Cost of Falling for a Fake

The average online shopping scam costs UK victims around £545 (Lloyds Banking Group, 2024). But the real number could be much higher – because most people never report it.

Some victims lose even more when fake voucher sites capture personal data or install malware. That’s why it’s always better to take a moment to double-check before chasing what looks like a too-good-to-be-true deal.

6. How NetVoucherCodes Keeps You Safe

Some voucher sites simply upload expired or copied codes to grab clicks. They’ll list tons of ‘live’ discount codes that look useful, but at checkout, the code doesn’t work, leaving shoppers frustrated. Often, these expired codes stay on the page because the site is scraping feeds or republishing user submissions without proper checks.

At NetVoucherCodes we don’t do that. Every code that appears on our site is manually tested by our verification team before it goes live. That means a real person checks the code in the retailer’s checkout – confirming the saving is applied, the expiry date is correct, and any spend thresholds or product exclusions are honoured.

We also verify that the code matches official retailer communications or affiliate feeds, and we note any terms (e.g. ‘excludes sale items’, ‘one use per customer’) alongside the listing.

And once a code is live, we keep testing it – especially during big sales – and remove or update any listings that stop working. If you want the full process behind how we verify codes, see our Codes Guarantee.t stop working – so you’re only ever seeing genuine, verified voucher codes.

Considering that over 70% of online payment fraud starts on unsafe sites (UK Finance, 2024), we know how important it is to maintain that trust.

7. Stay Safe, Shop Smart, and Save with Confidence

Online scams are getting more sophisticated, but so are the tools to protect yourself. By sticking to verified voucher sites and using common-sense checks – like secure URLs, clear contact info, and trusted payment methods – you can shop safely and still enjoy genuine savings.

Some voucher sites even upload expired or copied codes to grab clicks. They’ll list tons of ‘live’ discount codes that look useful, but at checkout, the code doesn’t work, leaving shoppers frustrated. Often, these expired codes stay on the page because the site is scraping feeds or republishing user submissions without proper checks.

How NetVoucherCodes Verifies Every Code

We know how frustrating it is to find a discount code that doesn’t work – especially when you’re ready to check out. That’s why, at NetVoucherCodes, we do things differently. Every offer you see on our site is sourced, tested, and monitored by our in-house verification team to make sure you’re only seeing genuine, working codes.

Here’s how it works:

• Official sources only: All of our codes come directly from trusted retailers, affiliate networks, and brand partners – never scraped or copied from random sites.
• Thorough testing: Before a code goes live, our team personally tests it in the retailer’s checkout to confirm that it applies correctly, matches the offer terms, and is still in date.
• Continuous monitoring: Expiring or withdrawn offers are flagged instantly by our systems and removed or updated within 24 hours. During big events like Black Friday, codes are re-checked multiple times a day.
• Community input: Shoppers can also report non-working codes or share new ones through our community form – but nothing goes live until it passes our checks.

Over 95% of our listed codes are confirmed as working at any given time, and we’re proud to partner directly with trusted UK brands like Boots, Samsung, Expedia, Curry’s, TUI and Jet2Holidays.

At NetVoucherCodes, we’re proud to offer discounts that are real, tested and safe – because saving money should never come with a risk.

Browse today’s verified discount codes and shop securely at your favourite brands.