1. How it usually happens
The scene is familiar: you find an irresistible offer, you pay, and then... silence. Or a completely different product arrives, or the seller vanishes into thin air. In other cases, the scam is subtler: a clone website, a fake confirmation email, a chat promising refunds that never arrive.
A curious detail: many online frauds work because they look "almost right". The logo is correct but slightly blurry, the domain has an extra letter, customer service replies too quickly with generic phrases. It is exactly this grey area that makes it essential to document everything, even what seems trivial.
There is also a less obvious perspective: sometimes the problem is not intentional fraud but poor management. Disorganised companies, marketplaces with poorly vetted sellers, confused shipping. From your point of view, little changes: you still need to prove what happened.
2. What you need to prove
The core of the matter is simple: credibly reconstruct the history of the purchase and the problem.
You must be able to prove:
- that the offer existed in a certain way
- that you made a payment
- that a promise was made (product, service, refund)
- that what you received is different or non-existent
- that you tried to contact the seller
- that the damage is real (financial or material)
Basically, you are telling a story with evidence: "I saw this, I did this, this happened."
3. What to collect
This is where systematic collection comes into play. Every element is a piece of the puzzle.
- Screenshots of the product page and the offer
- Screenshots of the shopping cart and order confirmation
- Emails received (confirmations, shipping, communications)
- Payment receipts or bank statements
- Chats with the seller or customer service
- Photos or videos of the received product
- Any visible differences from the description
- Website URL and access date
- PDF of the terms of sale or refund policy
- Any ads you clicked on
A useful little anecdote: people often take a screenshot only of the "incriminating" chat, but forget the contact's name or the date. That detail, which seems secondary, can become central.
4. How to proceed
The key is to act methodically, without rushing to "solve it immediately".
Start from the moment you notice the problem and work backwards:
- Immediately save everything that is still online (pages, offers, profiles)
- Take full screenshots, including the date and URL when possible
- Export chats as files, instead of just taking images
- Keep the original files without modifying them
- Gather evidence in an organised folder by type or date
- Use ExistBefore to timestamp the most relevant files (screenshots, PDFs, receipts)
- If you receive new messages or updates, add them immediately to the collection
Imagine having to explain the situation to someone who knows nothing: every step must be clear even weeks later.
5. Mistakes to avoid
There are some recurring mistakes that make evidence less useful:
- Taking cropped screenshots or without context
- Modifying files (even just renaming them confusingly)
- Sending evidence via apps that compress or alter files
- Waiting too long before collecting the material
- Relying only on memory instead of data
An often-overlooked tip: always keep a separate original copy from the one you share. Even small technical changes can create differences.
Securing evidence at the right time gives you a solid foundation, without costs and without complications.
6. After documenting
Once you have everything organised, you can take action.
- Contact the seller with a clear and documented request
- Report the problem to the payment platform or marketplace
- Contact your bank or payment provider for any disputes
- Report the site or seller to the relevant online fraud authorities
- Consider seeking support from a consumer protection association
At this point, you are no longer telling a vague story, but presenting a sequence of facts supported by concrete elements. And this is exactly what makes the difference when someone has to take charge of your case.