Topmainelobster.com Review: A Scam Seafood Website!
Topmainelobster.com is a fraudulent website that lures seafood lovers with discount sale of King Crab, Lobster Tail, Red King Crab Legs, etc offer but fails to deliver the items after payments are made.
The first red flag is the wrong address supplied on the Contact Us page. 47 spring hill road saco maine 04072 is the address of a known seafood store ‘Maine Lobster Now’. When we contacted the store, we were told they do not own topmainelobster.com. They also mentioned that they’ve sent a ‘Cease and Desist’ email to topmainelobster.com for copyright infringement.
How Does The Topmainelobster.com Scam Store Work?
The scammers set up Ads on Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook, using ‘76% -88% discount on Seafoods’ as a hook. Customers are lured with the tempting discounts and countdown timer which creates a sense of urgency.
However, after placing an order on the fraudulent website, they are sent a fake tracking number, and eventually do not receive the items they paid for. Any attempt to contact the store is futile as the emails are not replied.
TopMaineLobster.com Warning Signs That Prove It’s a Fraudulent Store
Engages in Impersonation & Copyright Theft
The store poses as a branch of ‘Maine Lobster Now’ using its name, content, address, and website design whereas in reality it has no affiliation with the brand. The website is actually committing a crime. Even the product images displayed on the website do not belong to the store. They have stolen the images from mainelobsternow.com and are passing it off as theirs.
Recently Registered Website
The domain ‘topmainelobster.com’ was registered on 25th October 2023. This means the website has been open for barely few months. So the store has no reputation and could easily shut down any time.
Poor Customer Support
Topmainelobster.com has not provided a working email with which they can be reached. The email address provided as [email protected] is not functional. Mails sent to the address are not replied even when marked as ‘URGENT’
Too Good To Be True Discount & Sales Offer
The discount margin is too large and unrealistic even on a sale. What this store simply does is use the cheap price as a bait to lure buyers. When people see the low price, they become tempted to take a risk.
What To Do If You’re a Victim of Topmainelobster.com Scam
Contact Your bank To Cancel The Transaction and Get a Refund
The first thing you should do is contact your bank to inform them about the fraudulent purchase. Through the chargeback system, you can get your money back from the transaction if you file a dispute claim. You could also request for a credit card freeze. That way, your bank would block any future transactions on your credit card, ensuring that scammers are unable to exploit it.
Update Your Passwords and Enable Two Factor Authentication
The second step you should take is updating your passwords. This should be done if you’ve used the same password you used on this Serendipityca.com on other websites or applications. You should also go an extra step of enabling two-factor authentication. This would keep you protected from data breech.
Meanwhile, you should beware of any fraudulent email from the scam store. Do not click on any suspicious link in the email, as it could be a phishing scam. Clicking on the link might install malware on your phone which could compromise your device’s security.
Report the Scam
Report the scam to relevant authorities and organizations. This includes:
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): If you are in the United States, you can file a complaint with the IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov/.
- Your Local Consumer Protection Agency: Contact your local consumer protection agency or the equivalent regulatory body in your country.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB): File a complaint with the BBB if the online store is based in the United States.
How To Shop Smartly Online & Protect Yourself From Online Store Scam
Aside from the obvious too good to be true discount sale, here are other ways to identify a scam website;
Search for Reviews Online
Are there customer reviews online? (It is advised that you sit it out if there are no customer reviews of the store. However if you’re not patient enough to wait you can send a mail to us to verify if the store is legit)
Find Out If The Website Has SSL Encryption
find out if the website is secured with SSL encryption. (https and padlock symbols). If the padlock symbol doesn’t appear near the website’s URL, then it means your personal and financial information is at risk at the store.
Verify The Physical Address
Does The website provide return address? If Yes (Copy the address and paste on your browser. Google map would show if it is a real warehouse address or a residential address) If the address has also been used by other websites you’d see reviews in search results.
Check The Website’s Age
How old is the website? The domain age of a website tells a lot about a store’s legitimacy or transparency. Websites below 6 months old are often considered unsafe. You can find out a website’s age by checking on Who.is ( a free domain checker tool)
Read The Store’s Returns and Refund policy
If the policy isn’t available or if it isn’t clear, you should quit shopping.
Use Secure methods of Payment
When an online store’s payment methods lack the necessary encryption and security measures to protect customers’ sensitive financial information, it puts you – the shopper at risk of unauthorized transactions.
Conclusion
Topmainelobster.com is a scam website luring unsuspecting buyers with its discount sale of King Crab Legs, Lobsters, etc. Don’t let the low prices deceive you! The store does not deliver items after purchases are made. Just like Sambicycles, Mantiard, and Beambead, Top Maine Lobster is a fraud risk to shoppers.
