Were you scammed? Here are your options

The Internet is a bit of a jungle – and it's easy to get scammed if you jump on a good offer.

Last week, Sermitsiaq was able to tell about the webshop sosterneniviogaja.dk, which allegedly sells knitwear with patterns inspired by the Greenlandic women's costume.

In reality, the website is made with artificial intelligence and images that have been stolen from various media outlets on the Internet – and there is no serious company behind it.

It is pure fraud and scam, the sole purpose of which is to get customers to buy products that don't even exist – and the money goes straight into the pockets of unscrupulous scammers.

- Fortunately, if you have fallen into the trap, you are not completely lost, because there are good opportunities to get your money back – especially if you have paid by card and react quickly, says Malene Christensen, Private Client Director at Grønlandsbanken.

The bank can help

- We can often help if there is a payment on your account statement that does not match – for example, if it is a payment that you have not made, or the amount is incorrect. It is also an option if you have paid to a fraudulent website, or if a product has not been delivered as agreed.

- The easiest way to respond is to go to the website of the Bank of Greenland. On the front page, click on the item "Objection" and follow the explanation. Before you get started, you must have your card number, CPR number and MyID ready, explains Malene Christensen.

- You will then be directed to Nets, which is the company that manages our payment card at the Bank of Greenland, where you will then have to answer a number of questions about the incorrect payment.

- If you have been scammed, you should report it to the police. It is a good idea to save screen dumps, receipts and any emails as documentation.

- Once the objection has been sent, Nets will take a position on the case – and you will then receive an answer to the case. And as a general rule, it is quite uncomplicated when you have paid by card and it is a fake website, such as the one Sermitsiaq writes about.

Complicated transfer

The case is more complicated if you have transferred the money directly to the recipient's account.

- Then it is not certain that the money will no longer be in the recipient's account – and then it may be more difficult to get the money back. So my advice is that you make all payments to people and websites that you don't know by card. That is the safest method, says Malene Christensen.

- And then the usual good advice also applies. Always keep your payment card in a safe place and never give your codes to others.

- It is also a good idea to remember the old rule that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. You should always be critical and check the website on Trustpilot, advises the private customer director.

After the newspaper was able to expose the fake knitwear webshop last week, we have submitted the article to the National Police's so-called online patrol. This is a special unit under the national unit for special crime, which particularly deals with crime on social media and gaming platforms.

The patrol does not wish to comment on the specific case.

- We do not provide detailed responses to a newspaper article, informs the Police's Online Patrol, which has this advice for citizens.

- If a person has suffered a financial loss and never received an item, the person should contact 114 in Denmark or 701448 in Greenland and report the matter. The police unfortunately cannot help get the money back.

You can also follow the Police Online Patrol on Facebook.