Vistalworks Tackles Corona Cons

Vistalworks is leading the way as the number of illicit sellers trying to take advantage of worried customers increases exponentially. The Glasgow-based company has recently launched an online tool that shoppers can use to identify scammers online selling fake testing kits, homemade sanitisers and ‘miracle cures’ on shopping sites. The free checker is now available as a Chrome browser plugin and is embedded on the websites of Trading Standards Scotland and Scotland’s national consumer advice service, consumeradvice.scot. 

 

 

 

Vicky Brock, chief executive and co-founder of Vistalworks, said: "With consumers' anxiety about the seriousness of coronavirus growing, and mainstream retailers' supply chains taking unprecedented stress, we know there will be a significant rise in the number of illicit sellers trying to take advantage of worried consumers.

 

 

 

"We've already seen this in the online marketplace listings we monitor.

 

 

 

"To tackle these emerging threats, we've updated our eBay checker to pick up fake testing kits, illicit homemade sanitiser, and a whole array of 'miracle' cures, including specific items which our analysts and Trading Standards Scotland have become aware of in the last weeks.

 

 

 

"We want to support online shoppers as best we can at this very unsettling time."