MARTIN Lewis' Money Saving Expert has issued an urgent warning to shoppers over new Wilko scam which could cost you £1,000s.
Money Saving Expert pros have urged Brits to be vigilant when making purchases online after the budget store went into administration.
Wilko has kick-started plenty of massive discount offers.
But bargain hunters have fallen victim to fraud recently as scammers take advantage of the sales.
PwC, who now control Wilko, has confirmed the company are no longer selling items online - so watch out for copycat sites.
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You can tell by looking at the URL, if it is anything other than Wilkco.com, it's not authentic.
Experts at Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert.com have issued the warning in the hope to prevent more Brits losing their hard-earned cash.
Gareth Shaw, deputy editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, reminded shoppers that if something is too good to be true - it normally is.
"A couple of giveaways can be unusual-looking URLs and unsecured payment pages," he said.
"For web addresses, it's what's before the .com or .co.uk that counts – always look where you're clicking, as it's so easy not to notice extra characters in a web address."
The expert added: "Although a secure site doesn't guarantee it isn't a scam, any data you enter when paying for a purchase is encrypted so it's harder for others to intercept.
"It's really easy to tell as the web address will start with 'https', rather than just 'http'. Look for a security padlock on your browser (usually next to the web address)."
This comes as major Wilko rivals including Poundland and B&M are reportedly in talks to buy stores after the chain said shops will not close soon.
Wilko announced earlier this month that it was going into administration, putting 12,500 jobs and its 400 stores at risk.
The news comes after administrators at PwC, denied claims that stores could close as early as next week.
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Sky has also reported that The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) and other value retailers have lodged offers to acquire a smaller number of sites.
However, it is still likely that more than 200 Wilko stores will face permanent closure.
