You come across an advert with a price that is hard to resist. The shop looks polished, a discount shines in your basket and the offer ends in a few minutes. That is exactly when it is easy to skip the question of who runs the shop and what happens if the goods never arrive. Our browser extension adds a useful pause at moments like these.
The most common tricks used by fraudulent online shops
A shop that disappears after payment. The seller lures you in with cheap goods, demands payment in advance and fails to fulfil the order. Sometimes the website later changes its address and the same scenario starts again.
An imitation of a familiar brand. A fraudulent website copies the logo, photographs and appearance of a real shop. The only difference may be its web address. The aim is to obtain a payment or card details.
An online shop with no clearly identified operator. Clear contact details, seller identification or information on complaints are missing. This does not automatically mean a crime is being committed, but if problems arise, it may be difficult to establish whom you are actually dealing with. Anonymous operators are specifically listed by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority as a reason for increased caution.
Pressure to decide quickly. An extreme discount, a countdown or a claim that it is the “last item” can push someone to pay without checking. These do not prove fraud on their own; combined with a request for payment by bank transfer and missing seller details, they deserve attention.
What the BOIT Rizikové E-shopy extension does
When you visit a website, the extension compares its domain with lists of risky shops maintained by the Czech ČOI and Slovak SOI. If it finds a match, it displays a prominent warning in your browser before you enter your address, phone number or payment details on the page. You can leave the page or continue at your own risk. The extension also flags certain suspicious features on the page itself, such as missing identification details, limited payment options or conspicuous discounts. Current version description in the Chrome Web Store.
According to BOIT's documentation, list checks take place locally in the browser: the list is downloaded to your device and the domain you visit is compared against it there. The goal is not to track where you shop, but to alert you at the right moment.
A warning is not a verdict, however, and its absence is not proof of safety. Lists cannot include every newly created fraudulent website. Nor does a risk listing alone automatically mean that a particular operator has committed fraud.
What we are planning for the new version
The upcoming version 1.9 is intended to add two more sources alongside the existing ČOI and SOI lists: a list of blocked domains maintained by ČTÚ and a public list of risky domains assessed by BOIT. The extension should then name the correct source of each warning. A domain on a blocked websites list should therefore not be presented as a “risky online shop” if the reason for the warning belongs to another category.
BOIT will publish its list with the reason for each domain's inclusion and the date it was added. This will be our expert preventive assessment, not an official ruling. Reports for investigation and requests to review a listing can be sent to BOIT. Changes to ČOI, SOI and ČTÚ records are the responsibility of the relevant authority.
The new version is also intended to refresh the lists regularly, allow manual updates and use the last available working copy if one source becomes unavailable. We are not yet promising these features as available to regular users: version 1.9 is awaiting publication in extension stores. Once approved, the update will reach users through the standard process.
Where to download the extension and what else to check
You can find the extension in our BOIT tools directory. You can also install it directly from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons. The currently published versions use the ČOI and SOI lists; broader coverage will arrive with the release of version 1.9.
Even with the extension, check the website address, operator details, complaints procedure and payment method before paying. With an unfamiliar shop, take time to verify other customers' experiences outside its own website. If you have already paid and suspect fraud, contact your bank immediately and keep your order confirmation and correspondence. You can also submit a report for investigation to ČOI, or, for a Slovak seller, to SOI.
The extension will not decide where you should shop. But it can give you information you might otherwise look for only after the order has been paid for.
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