International LEGO Day: How LEGO Scams Target Families Online

Happy LEGO Day, fellow brick lovers!
LEGO has a way of pulling people in at any age — and I’m no exception. It’s something I enjoy myself, and it’s also a small but very real part of family life around me.

LEGO isn’t just for kids. My niece, for example, is deep into the Harry Potter sets, which I’ll happily admit I love too. She’s also a big fan of the Botanical Collection. Between magical castles and carefully arranged LEGO plants, it’s easy to see why these sets appeal to very different ages, for very different reasons.

Of course, that appeal comes at a price. LEGO sets aren’t cheap, especially the more detailed or collectible ones. And when you’re browsing online and spot what looks like a great deal on a set you know normally costs much more, it’s tempting to click without thinking twice.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly the moment scammers are waiting for.

With International LEGO Day as the backdrop, it’s worth taking a closer look at how LEGO scams work, why families and collectors fall for them, and how to spot the warning signs before handing over your money or personal details.

Common LEGO Scams Families Should Know

1. Fake LEGO Webstores

Fake online stores that look real but aren’t are one of the biggest threats.

The LEGO Group itself warns that fraudulent sites often use:

• the LEGO logo, theme images, and familiar set photos
• designs that mimic the official LEGO online shop
• very low prices to lure buyers in

These scam websites may seem convincing at first glance, but there are telltale signs:

• fake customer service addresses or unusable phone numbers
• missing or unclear return and privacy policies
• prices that are “too good to be true”

In cases like this, tools such as Bitdefender Link Checker can help you verify links before you click, showing whether a URL is known to be unsafe or suspicious.

2. Social Media Giveaway Scams

Another popular trick involves “giveaways” on social media, where scammers offer coveted LEGO sets for next to nothing.

For example, one scam reported by Which? involved posts claiming you could get sets worth £735 for just £3. The post took users to a fake site that looked like LEGO branding, ask them to play a mini-game, then prompted them to enter bank details “to claim the prize,” effectively stealing their financial information.

Some accounts even show fake comments from supposed “winners” to create the illusion of legitimacy.

3. Marketplace and Counterfeit Scams

On online marketplaces and auction sites, fake or counterfeit LEGO sets can also appear. These may be:

• low-quality knockoffs
• incomplete sets
• entirely nonexistent products that never arrive

Even when listings look real, photos and seller ratings can be misleading, so extra caution is essential.

How Families Can Spot and Avoid LEGO Scams

Here are some practical steps to protect yourself and your loved ones:

Watch the price tags: If something is way cheaper than the official price, it’s often a scam.
Check the domain and URL carefully: Real LEGO sites use official LEGO domains — anything unfamiliar or suspicious deserves scrutiny.
Read the fine print: Fake webstores often lack clear privacy policies, terms of sale, or real contact information.
Verify with multiple sources: Look up reviews from real customers and check scam alert sites before buying.

For extra peace of mind, personal tools like Bitdefender Scamio let you quickly check suspicious messages or offers — including those you might see on social platforms — and get instant guidance on whether they might be scams.

What to Do if You Fall Victim

If you’ve already clicked on a suspicious link or provided payment details:

• Contact your bank immediately — they may be able to block or reverse unauthorized charges.
• Report the scam to the platform where you found it, whether that’s a social network or marketplace.
• Alert official channels like LEGO customer service so they can investigate and warn others.
• Change passwords for any accounts you used on the scam site.

Acting quickly can help limit damage and protect others from falling into the same trap.