Like many people, I've started using ChatGPT for shopping. I'm already using the chatbot throughout the day, and when it started recommending products and retailers, it felt like an easy way to save time. Instead of opening a dozen browser tabs, I could compare products, find alternatives and track down the best deals in a single conversation.
At first, it worked surprisingly well. Then I got scammed.
I thought I was buying from a real store
What I thought was the official website of a popular swimsuit company turned out to be a fake store. The site looked legitimate and the branding matched, even the product photos looked authentic. I had no idea scams like this existed so I placed an order for a swimsuit and a pair of shorts and waited for them to arrive. But, when they never came, I contacted the real company and I learned they had never received my order.
That's when I realized that just because ChatGPT recommends a retailer doesn't mean that retailer is legitimate.
To be clear, this is largely a web problem rather than an AI problem. ChatGPT is pulling information from the internet, and scammers have become remarkably good at creating websites designed to look trustworthy. Some fake stores copy branding, product photos, customer service information and even entire website layouts from legitimate businesses. In fact, I've previously covered how easy it has become to clone a website using AI tools and a simple prompt.
That experience changed the way I shop online. Now, whenever ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI assistant recommends a retailer I've never used before, I spend a few extra minutes verifying it's real before I buy anything.
Here are the seven warning signs I look for now.
1. The URL doesn't match the brand
This is always the first thing I check. Scam websites often use addresses that look almost right but contain extra words, numbers or unusual domain endings.
For example, a legitimate retailer might use 'brandname.com" while a fake version might use "brandname-sale.com" or "brandname-outlet.shop" or "official-brandname.store." At a quick glance they can look convincing, especially when you're focused on finding a product.
Before entering payment information, I always double-check that the website address matches the retailer's official domain.
2. The discounts seem too good to be true
A sale alone isn't suspicious, but a 90% discount on nearly every item usually is something to question. In my case, the price was 50% off, which seemed particularly good, but not suspicious. But scammers know that urgency and excitement can override common sense. If every product appears heavily discounted and inventory seems unlimited, that's a major red flag.
Whenever I see prices that seem dramatically lower than every other retailer, I compare them with a few trusted stores before moving forward.
3. The site's contact information is vague or missing
This wasn't a red flag until I went back to the website to look for a contact number to find my order. There wasn't any "Contact Us" section. Legitimate retailers generally want customers to contact them, which is why most established stores provide some combination of customer service phone numbers, email addresses, physical business addresses, return policies and support portals.
If a website offers little more than a generic contact form, I become cautious immediately. A missing customer service presence doesn't automatically mean a site is fake, but it's enough to make me investigate further.
4. The writing feels strange
Ironically, in the age of AI, bad writing is still one of the easiest warning signs to spot. Many scam websites contain awkward grammar, random capitalization, poorly written policies and generic product descriptions. Yet, some are incredibly good, so good that they might have even been copied directly from the real company's site.
Take a few minutes to poke around the site and make sure things seem legit. After I was scammed, I looked around the site and everything appeared well written and professional, so you may just need to trust your gut or call the real company directly.
5. The reviews only exist on the website itself
A page filled with glowing five-star reviews doesn't tell me much anymore. Instead, I search independently. I look for mentions on forums, Reddit, Trustpilot, Google Reviews and other third-party sources.
If a retailer has supposedly been operating for years but has almost no presence outside its own website, that's something I pay attention to.
6. The checkout process feels rushed
Most websites have a checkout that asks you to confirm your order. But many scam stores try to create artificial urgency and leave out steps for confirmation once they have your credit card locked in.
The site or checkout might have messages such as: "Only 1 left!" "Sale ends in 10 minutes!""23 people are viewing this item right now!"
I've been to plenty of legitament websites that do that, but fake sites do these types of pessure tactics to push shoppers into making quick decisions. Now, if I feel rushed, I slow down. Scammers benefit when buyers don't stop to think.
7. AI is the only place I found the store
This may be the biggest lesson I learned. If ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI assistant recommends a retailer I've never heard of, I don't assume the recommendation has verified the company's legitimacy. In my case, the store was legitamate but the swimming suit was not available anywhere else.
If the website or stock seems strange, leave the AI chat and do a few independent checks. If you can't find the retailer through a normal Google search or no other website mentions it and its reputation can't be verified outside of the AI reccomendation, it's a giant red flag.
My takeaway
Getting scammed made me feel a variety of emotions. Besides being out of $150 and a swimming suit, I learned a tough lesson: don't treat AI recommendation as endorsements.
AI can be an excellent shopping assistant, but the same web that helps AI find useful information also contains misleading information, fake stores and sophisticated scams. Today, whenever an AI tool points me toward a retailer I've never used before, I take an extra minute to verify what I'm looking at.
That small pause may be the difference between finding a great deal and becoming someone else's cautionary tale.
