Colonel Osama Bahar Warns Against Online Shopping Scams
Consumers are urged to inspect cars and electrical appliances before paying deposits.
Buyers are warned against paying deposits for cars advertised only online.
Social media accounts and websites may be fake or operated by scammers.
Consumers are advised to visit stores and inspect products before making payments.
As 2027 approaches, consumers are still urged to exercise caution when buying cars and other expensive products online.
Colonel Osama Bahar warned against paying deposits for used cars advertised through websites or social media accounts without first inspecting the vehicle and verifying the seller.
“How can you pay a down payment for a car listed on a website or a social media account?” Colonel Bahar said. “How can you pay a deposit on a car when you haven't inspected it and have only seen a picture of it?”
He cautioned that online advertisements and photographs may not accurately represent the vehicle or the seller. A vehicle could have been involved in an accident or rollover, while the account or website could potentially be operated by someone attempting to defraud buyers.
The same caution, he said, should apply when purchasing electrical appliances through messaging applications such as WhatsApp.
Consumers may not know who they are dealing with, how the business operates, or whether the product being offered actually exists or matches the advertised description.
Colonel Bahar advised consumers to visit stores in person and inspect products before making a purchase.
For household appliances, he said buyers should select products based on their actual needs and available space. A refrigerator, for example, should be checked to ensure it fits the kitchen, while a microwave should be selected according to the household's requirements.
His advice comes amid wider efforts in Bahrain to raise awareness about online fraud and safer digital shopping. Bahrain's National Cyber Security Center advises consumers to research unfamiliar websites, protect personal information and use secure payment methods when shopping online.
Bahrain's consumer protection framework also gives consumers the right to accurate information about products and protection against misleading advertisements and commercial fraud.
While e-commerce offers convenience, Colonel Bahar's message is that consumers should not allow convenience to replace basic checks.
“E-commerce is great,” he said, stressing that consumers should take precautions before handing over their money and avoid the regret of losing their savings to a fraudulent transaction.
