Fraudulent websites target Christmas shoppers looking for Nintendo DS

It’s not just kids that are fixated on the Nintendo DS this Christmas, so are criminals.  HM Revenue and customs have warned about fake Nintendo DS consoles being imported into the UK. These fake consoles are also potentially dangerous, as their power adaptors have not been properly tested. People are tricked into buying these DS from Asian websites that offer huge discounts. When the fake DS arrives, customers will not only be disappointed but also likely to receive an electric shock.

This is not the only scam that preys on parents’ anxieties. Invisible Hand has learned of a current swindle being operated by WSgames. Like the fake DS ruse, this scam relies on attracting people’s interest by offering the Nintendo DS at an incredibly discounted rate.  On the WSgames site, the advertised price for a Nintendo DS bundle with 3 games is £69.99. As you can see, the cheapest price for a single Nintendo DS console without games is £59.99 from Game for an old model. On Amazon, a DS bundle that comes with just 1 games costs £174.99, over £100 more the WSgames price.

If you make an order with this site it asks you to fill in your personal information including address, D.O.B and credit card details.  After the first time you input your information it either asks you to do it again due to the information being incorrect or it informs you the item is now sold out. Either way you wont receive your Nintendo DS but they’ll have everything they need to commit credit card fraud. This is how the scam seems to work according to members of the Money Saving Expert forum who have been tricked into buying from this site. However the site was taken down a couple of months ago but now seems to be up and running again.

It is a sophisticated scam because it preys on people’s pre-Christmas anxiety. People all over the land are desperate to get items such as the Nintendo DS for their loved ones. The DS is often sold out but is occasionally in stock on some sites. This means when people find a site that has the DS in stock it they will probably be more reckless and impetuous about buying one. The DS is a lot cheaper here than on other sites, another great incentive for buying from WS Games.

Most fraudulent websites fail because the crims do not have the resources to produce convincing looking pages. WSGames simply stole the whole design from Powerplay Direct, using their design, their images and their text. By copying the whole Powerplay site they were able to create a really authentic looking pages that most people would be happy using. Poweplay Direct has responded to WSGames  site with the following statement:

‘It has come to our attention that there may be some individuals online who are creating copies of our website for the purposes of obtaining Credit/Debit Card information.’

‘We at PowerplayDirect.com take your security very seriously and would urge anyone who has used one of these “spoof” websites to contact their card issuer immediately. Also please let us know about it so that we can make sure that the website is removed quickly and efficiently.’

It is completely understandable why people fell for this scam. Hopefully no-one has lost out too much as most credit card companies cover credit card fraud. There are ways to remain safe when shopping online. A good rule of thumb is: if it looks too good to be true it generally is. If something costs over a third of what it should normally it is obviously dodgy.

It is important to do your research. If you do a Google maps search on WS Games address you’ll find they are based in the main docks in Guernsey. What home entertainment company would work out of some docks? The company doesn’t even have a phone number, that is very suspicious.  The information on the site is inconsistent although the site is called WS Games, the About us refers to Game Star Pro Games. Apart from general terms and conditions there is no company information about WS Games. I just did a very quick search on Google for WS Games and Game Star Pro Games and found multiple listings with warnings about the company . Reputable sites are transparent, offer up their company information readily, do not provide contradictory statements, do not steal other companies’ web site designs and don’t steal their customers’ money.

Christmas shopping is really hard especially when you are looking for an incredibly popular product that is very scarce. By setting up a stock alert with Invisible Hand you will receive an alert as soon as a product comes back into stock. You can choose to be alerted by email or text. Alternatively if you want to pay less for a product then you can always set up a Price Alert which will inform you when the price drops. We only partner wih reputable companies with secure payment systems and impecable reputations. If you ever use Invisible Hand to help you find a product it’s very unlikely to be defrauded. If you are looking for a Nintendo DS don’t go to desperate lengths and use sites like WS Games, set up a stock alert here.