As short-form videos dominate social commerce, experts warn that the fast-paced, emotionally charged environment amplifies the risk of scams, fake engagement, and deceptive sales tactics, prompting calls for stricter platform verification and consumer vigilance.
Short-form video has become one of the most effective sales engines on social media, but it has also opened a fast-growing channel for fraud. In a report on Thanh Nien, cyber-security specialist Vo Do Thang said the problem is not simply that people are watching more clips and livestreams; it is that platforms now reward speed, urgency and emotion, making it easier for sellers and scammers to push impulse purchases before buyers have time to verify what they are seeing. Recent cases involving well-known online personalities have underscored how quickly audiences can be drawn in by repeated livestreams and aggressive discount claims.
According to Thang, the formula is familiar: tiny videos, dramatic scarcity messages and promises of bargain prices are designed to trigger immediate action. A product may be framed as almost sold out, heavily discounted or available only for a short window, while livestream hosts use viewer counts, comments and on-screen praise to create the impression of credibility. That illusion is often reinforced by fake engagement, including bots, planted comments and coordinated promotion, making a sales pitch look far more trustworthy than it really is.
Ngô Minh Hiếu, who leads the Chongluadao.vn anti-scam project, told Thanh Nien that short-video commerce itself is not inherently harmful, but its design makes it attractive to bad actors. He warned that the real danger lies in the combination of viral distribution, group psychology, e-commerce and digital payments, which can turn attention into cash at high speed. His advice is that tackling the problem requires more than removing individual clips. Platforms should verify sellers more rigorously, watch for suspicious account behaviour and retain advertising and livestream data long enough to support investigations.
That broader concern is echoed in reporting from other security and consumer-safety sources, which say social shopping scams commonly rely on fake deals, counterfeit goods, misleading product descriptions and non-delivery. Some guides on TikTok Shop and livestream fraud also point to impersonation tactics, phishing attempts and pressure-selling techniques that make returns and refunds harder once money has changed hands. The common thread is simple: if an offer looks too good to be true, it often is, and buyers should check the seller, the payment trail and the product claims before tapping to order.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
