Watson's Warning: A Christmas Scam Story

Watson's Warning: A Christmas Scam Story

Margaret typed "K-Pop singing toy" into the browser. Her screen erupted with an explosion of colour with flashing banners. "50% OFF! LAST FEW REMAINING!" they seemed to scream at her, lulling her into a hypnotic state. "HURRY - ALMOST SOLD OUT!"

She could feel the stress building in her. If she missed this offer her great-grandchildren would be devastated. She must act now. Her cursor moved toward the "BUY NOW" button.

Alerted by the flashing screen, Watson's paw shot out, batting her hand away from the mechanical mouse which seemed to be pulling her hand to click. "Watson!" Margaret protested as she came out of a strange trance. The pop-ups disintegrated into the screen like thieves caught in the act.

Frustrated, Margaret tried again, this time using the search function properly. A sponsored link appeared at the top -from what appeared to be the official website and she was thankful that her quest was soon to be over and she could get back to resting from her throbbing ankle pain. She clicked "Order Now." A payment page loaded asking for her account details. Something nagged at the edge of her consciousness—was that URL exactly right?—but her ankle throbbed insistently. Watson tensed on her lap, his claws giving her a little painful stab.

"Ouch, Watson!" Margaret cried, losing the website page. "That's twice now! What's gotten into you?"

Margaret's front door burst open as Renee was propelled forward by a blast of wind that had taken control of the door. She caught her breath, looked at Margaret's demeanour and asked, “What's up, is your ankle hurting?” "No more than usual, but I can feel my stress rising trying to do online Christmas shopping. I feel about to throw my laptop out the window!"

Renee hovered over the laptop, unconsciously stroking Watson, eliciting a satisfying purr as if he knew that help had arrived. "Stop. Think. Fraud. Isn't that the mantra you told me?" She smirked at Margaret, taking off her drenched coat and feeling the kettle, hopeful to warm her hands. “Remember? You said fraudsters use your emotions to make you act quickly.”

The words hit like Renee's wet coat had hit her in the face. Margaret gave a big sigh and realised what she'd been doing. The pressure tactics. The urgency. The too-good prices. "Watson wasn't being a nuisance," she pondered. "He was protecting me." He looked at her with half-closed eyes as if to say, I told you so.

By now, Renee had made a cup of tea for both of them and gave Watson a treat from Margaret's secret stash, the tin on the side table. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed," said Renee. “Those pop-ups are designed to pressurise you and fake websites look so real these days.” "I bet the URL was probably slightly off. I was in such a rush and felt pressurised to act." Margaret shook her head. “Pain and deadlines are a scammer's dream combination.”

They found the genuine retailer's website - URL verified, secure payment with a padlock icon, no pressure tactics. Margaret completed her order properly this time, Watson now content that he could settle into her lap for a peaceful snooze. "Never shopping online in pain again without double-checking everything," Margaret murmured, watching the confirmation email arrive from the genuine retailer. “Even retired detectives need a partner to watch their backs.” Watson's purr rumbled agreement.

Fake Advert Checklist: What to Look For

Carefully planted among sponsored adverts, these fake versions can be very convincing. But there are usually a few clues that an advert isn't genuine, so some signs to look out for include:

Bargain prices on high value items or incredible returns on investments – especially if they're using language designed to hurry you ('Only for 24 hours!' or 'Last few remaining!')

Language designed to panic you – for example, a warning that your device has been infected in an advert for antivirus products

Claims that a product or service (such as a health card or driving licence) can be obtained more quickly or easily than going through official channels

A logo that looks familiar but there's something not quite right about it – for example, the colours are distorted or it's a bit fuzzy

Being encouraged by the advertiser to move away from the official website to complete the transaction

If you click on a link, it takes you to a website that doesn't feel right (perhaps the web address isn't the usual one or the branding looks a bit different)

Celebrities or public figures promoting investments and products they might not normally be associated with

Subtle imperfections in images and videos such as voices not matching up to the visuals or unnatural movements – be wary though, AI material can be difficult to spot with the human eye

Remember: When shopping online, especially when you're tired, in pain, or under time pressure, take a moment to Stop! Think. Fraud. Your instincts – and sometimes your cat – might be trying to tell you something.

If you know someone who is blind or has trouble reading please help them to download the free app Podbean and access our audio version by searching for The Dorset Police Anti Fraud Stories kindly recorded by Ray Lee.

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Message Sent By
Damian Cranny
(Dorset Police, Fraud Protect Officer, Dorset)