Medium riskOnline Shopping

Liquidation Sale Scam

In this scam, ads promote a well-known shop supposedly 'closing down' with huge liquidation discounts, leading to a fake site that takes your payment and ships nothing or a cheap substitute.

Quick verdict

Risk level
Medium risk
Scam type
Fake store / non-delivery
Main red flag
An ad claims a known store is closing with massive discounts via an unfamiliar website.
What to do first
Verify the closing-down claim on the retailer's official site before buying anything.

Understanding this scam

In this scam, ads promote a well-known shop supposedly 'closing down' with huge liquidation discounts, leading to a fake site that takes your payment and ships nothing or a cheap substitute.

Online shopping scams use fake stores, unbelievable deals, and counterfeit or never-delivered goods to take your money and card details. Fake sites often surface through ads and social media and pressure you with limited-time offers.

If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: An ad claims a known store is closing with massive discounts via an unfamiliar website. Verify the closing-down claim on the retailer's official site before buying anything.

If your message looks slightly different, check the Fake Online Store Scam or the Social Media Shopping Ad Scam, both are close cousins of this pattern. Every related guide lives in the Online Shopping Scams guides, and the scam checker can scan the text you received.

A typical example

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'STORE CLOSING: 90% off everything, final liquidation! Famous brand must clear all stock this week. Shop now before it's gone: [unfamiliar link]'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

The tell here: An ad claims a known store is closing with massive discounts via an unfamiliar website.

What the data shows

Top category
online shopping is one of the most-reported fraud categories to the FTC
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
$1.4B
reported lost to fraud that started on social media in 2023, where many fake shops advertise
Source: US Federal Trade Commission

Warning signs

  • A famous brand 'closing down' with implausibly deep discounts
  • A website address that does not match the real retailer
  • Countdown timers and 'final days' pressure
  • Only risky payment methods like bank transfer offered
  • No verifiable contact details or genuine reviews

Your safest response

  • Check the retailer's official website or news for any genuine closure
  • Search the store name with words like 'scam' or 'review'
  • Pay with a method that offers buyer protection
  • Avoid sites that only accept transfers or gift cards

If you have already engaged

  • If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider to dispute the charge
  • Watch your statements for further unauthorised charges
  • Keep the ad, order confirmation, and site details as evidence
  • Report the ad and site to the platform that hosted it

What to avoid

  • Do not trust deep 'closing down' discounts without verifying
  • Do not pay by bank transfer or gift card to an unknown store
  • Do not let countdown timers rush your decision

You might also see

High risk Online Shopping

Fake Online Store Scam

This scam sets up a convincing but fake store with very low prices, takes payment, and delivers nothing, a counterfeit, or a cheap substitute.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Medium risk Online Shopping

Social Media Shopping Ad Scam

This scam uses eye-catching, heavily discounted product ads in social media feeds to lure you to fake or dishonest online stores that take your payment and deliver nothing, or send a cheap counterfeit instead.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Medium risk Online Shopping

Fake Coupon Scam

This scam uses fake discount codes, 'spin to win' wheels, or coupon sites that look like a deal but exist to collect your personal and card details, push survey traps, or spread links across social media.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Questions people ask

How can I tell a liquidation sale is genuine?
Check the retailer's official website and reputable news for any real closure, and be wary of unfamiliar sites using a known brand's name to advertise huge discounts.
Why do these ads use famous brand names?
A trusted name lowers your guard and makes the deep discount seem believable. The linked site is usually unrelated to the real brand.
I bought from one and got nothing. What now?
Contact your bank or payment provider to dispute the charge, keep your evidence, and report the ad and website to the platform that showed it.
Are countdown timers a warning sign?
Urgency tactics like timers and 'final days' are common in scams to stop you checking. Genuine retailers rarely rely on this on unfamiliar sites.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.