Wilko shoppers warned to avoid fake websites

1 year ago 17

Fake Wilko merchantability  website

Image caption,

The fake sites are offering goods with large discounts

Wilko shoppers are being urged to debar being scammed by a raft of fake websites that person been acceptable up aft the retailer fell into administration.

Several fake sites are supposedly offering hefty discounts connected Wilko goods.

However, Wilko has stopped selling goods online, and is besides nary longer offering location transportation oregon click and cod services.

One fake tract had a sofa for £25 and an adult's electrical motorcycle besides for £25.

Wilko announced earlier this period that it was going into administration, putting 12,500 jobs and its 400 stores astatine risk.

PwC was appointed arsenic the company's administrator, tasked with trying to find a purchaser for the business.

However, it is present trying to adjacent astatine slightest 10 fake websites.

"We person been made alert of a fig of fake Wilko websites which are offering Wilko products astatine heavy discounted prices," a PwC spokesperson said.

"These websites are not genuine and person been acceptable up to scam users, the lone morganatic Wilko website is www.wilko.com.

"We are successful the process of moving with the applicable authorities to person these websites removed. We would similar to punctual our customers that each Wilko income are present in-store and you are incapable to acquisition items online."

Lisa Webb, user instrumentality adept astatine Which?, said: "Criminals are ever connected the lookout for caller ways to portion radical from their hard-earned currency and these dodgy websites offering heavy discounted Wilko goods are nary exception.

"If you are keen to get a bargain from Wilko, you tin lone bargain in-store astatine the infinitesimal truthful thing online should beryllium taken with a pinch of salt. If you oregon a loved 1 bash autumn unfortunate to a scam past interaction your slope instantly and study it to Action Fraud oregon Police Scotland."

How to debar copycat websites

  • Make definite that the website code (URL) is close and matches the tract you intended to visit. Copycat websites often person akin URLs to the morganatic sites, but with tiny differences specified arsenic spelling errors oregon a antithetic domain hold
  • Check for the padlock icon successful the code barroom which indicates the transportation is secure. However, don't trust connected the padlock icon alone
  • Legitimate websites usually person interaction accusation specified arsenic a telephone number, email address, oregon carnal address. But immoderate copycat websites mightiness person interaction details, truthful don't trust connected them unsocial either
  • Be wary of websites that person mediocre grammar, spelling errors oregon low-quality images
  • Check for reviews of the website. These tin springiness you an thought of different people's experiences with the tract and whether it is trustworthy
  • Don't rush: Take your clip to probe the website and marque definite it is morganatic earlier making immoderate transactions oregon providing idiosyncratic information.

Source: Trading Standards

Last week, the GMB national said determination were "genuine grounds for hope" that astatine slightest parts of Wilko volition beryllium taken over.

The union's boss, Andy Prendergast, said helium had met PwC and confirmed determination had been expressions of involvement successful the business, though talks with imaginable buyers were "still astatine an aboriginal stage".

It is not wide arsenic yet which companies are bidding for Wilko, though determination has been speculation that rival chains specified arsenic B&M, Poundland, The Range and Home Bargains could beryllium those interested.

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