In 2022, we are shopping online more than ever, but worrying new research from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) estimates that seven out of 10 people have experienced potential rip-offs when buying online.

From hidden charges that hike up prices to pressure selling and subscription traps, the CMA identified a number of shady practices that we don’t always recognise as red flags, despite over 70% of us having experienced them in some form.

“As online shopping grows and grows, we’re increasingly concerned about businesses using misleading sales tactics, like pressure selling or hidden charges, to dupe people into parting with their cash,” explains Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s chief executive.

“None of us would accept these tactics in the real world. But we might not realise how much they influence what we buy online.”

The CMA’s latest campaign, The Online Rip-Off Tip-Off, fronted by Angellica Bell, the co-presenter of The Martin Lewis Money Show, is designed to hand power back to shoppers by making them more aware of potential traps.

5 tips to avoid being ripped off when shopping online, according to consumer champion Angellica Bell