Panamanian judicial authorities have launched a new public safety campaign targeting a surge in online shopping scams. The Dirección de Investigación Judicial (DIJ) reported a significant increase in complaints linked to fraudulent transactions on social media platforms and unverified websites. This warning comes as more consumers turn to digital marketplaces for their purchases, creating fresh opportunities for criminals.
Officials detailed specific precautions that buyers must take to avoid financial loss. Their primary advice focuses on verifying seller identities and choosing secure payment and meeting locations.
Do Not Send Advance Payments
Vladimir Gonzalez, head of the Cybercrime Unit at the Judicial Investigation Directorate, emphasized that the most critical rule is to never send money upfront. He explained that the anonymity of the internet makes these transactions exceptionally risky for consumers who have no guarantee of receiving the goods or services they pay for.
“First and foremost, do not send money in advance. Do not make any kind of deposit, because you truly do not know who is behind that social media account that is supposedly offering a product or service,” said Vladimir Gonzalez. [Translated from Spanish]
Gonzalez stressed that a seller’s refusal to complete a transaction without a pre-payment is a major red flag. This tactic is a hallmark of fraudulent schemes designed to take money without delivering anything in return.
Verify Seller Information and Protect Personal Documents
Authorities also urged shoppers to independently verify a seller’s information through other channels. Simply trusting the details provided in a direct message is not sufficient. Gonzalez warned that scammers often use sophisticated methods to appear legitimate, including sending photos of official-looking documents to build false trust with their victims.
“You should not trust this information. You might receive a photo of an ID card or a work badge to try to deceive you further. In the same way, do not send photos of your own ID or any identifying document, because it can also be used to try to deceive other people by usurping your identity,” Gonzalez stated. [Translated from Spanish]
This practice of using stolen identification documents compounds the problem of identity theft, creating secondary victims. The unit chief advised using search engines to cross-reference any information a seller provides to confirm its authenticity before proceeding with a purchase.
Exercise Caution with Credit Card Information
The alert also covers the use of credit cards on websites and in apps. Gonzalez specifically recommended that consumers carefully examine a website’s address bar before entering any sensitive financial details. He pointed out that secure, legitimate pages have clear and correct web addresses, often beginning with ‘https://’.
“We must be very careful on those sites where we enter this type of information. We have to verify the URL address a lot to confirm if it is a legal page or a page related to a bank that can secure the information we are sharing,” he explained. [Translated from Spanish]
This careful scrutiny helps prevent financial cybercrime where criminals create fake replicas of real e-commerce sites to harvest card numbers. Banks in Panama consistently warn customers never to share passwords or one-time security codes, which are for the cardholder’s use only.
Safe Transaction Practices for In-Person Meetings
For transactions that conclude with an in-person exchange, the DIJ provided clear safety guidelines. They strongly recommend selecting a public meeting place, ideally during daylight hours. Busy locations like shopping centers or police station parking lots are considered far safer than private residences or secluded areas.
Bringing a companion to the exchange adds another layer of security. Officials also suggest informing a friend or family member of the meeting details, including the time, location, and the name of the person you are meeting. These simple steps align with general online shopping safety protocols that can deter criminals looking for easy targets.
The DIJ’s campaign underscores a growing global challenge as commerce continues its shift to digital platforms. For Panamanian consumers, a moment of verification can prevent significant financial and personal loss.