Why antique collectors in Keralam are raising an alarm over online fraud
Antique collectors in Keralam are warning of a surge in online fraud involving the sale of replicas, refurbished items, and outright scams. Fraudsters are increasingly using stolen images and anonymous social media groups to deceive buyers with fake offers and advance payment schemes.
Why it matters
The rise in digital antique fraud highlights the vulnerability of niche online marketplaces and the urgent need for better consumer awareness and regulatory enforcement in the trade of cultural artifacts.
A photograph of an apparently rare antique, accompanied by an unusually low price, can be enough to draw an unsuspecting buyer into an online transaction. But for Keralam’s antique collectors, such offers are increasingly becoming a warning sign as fraudsters exploit the growing online market to sell replicas, refurbished objects or, in some cases, nothing at all.
In the wake of the increasing number of online cheating cases, experienced antique collectors have called for utmost vigil while dealing with unverified online offers for buying and selling antiquities. They have also flagged the increasing number of exclusive social media groups run by anonymous admins to carry out fraudulent trades.
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