🚨 I worked inside the Shopify “speed optimization” scam on Fiverr — here’s how it really works (please read before you waste money)

★★★ signal-strong r/shopify · ↑ 153 · 💬 91 · 2025-09-04 · kw: hours every day · open on reddit ↗

Tool

Fiverr, Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix, Lighthouse, Shopify

Issue

Shopify store owners pay $50–200 for fake speed optimization gigs on Fiverr that inject detection scripts to artificially inflate PageSpeed scores (90+) for testing tools while providing zero real-world performance improvement or conversion gains, sometimes adding malicious code like hidden product collections.

Cost

$50–200 per gig with zero ROI; hidden SEO damage and potential malicious code insertion risks

Recommendation

Hire reputable Shopify developers or agencies with verifiable case studies; audit theme code for suspicious scripts; run real user speed tests instead of relying on Lighthouse scores alone; none

extracted with

anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5 · 2026-05-08

Body

Hi everyone, I’m posting this because I’ve seen too many Shopify store owners get scammed every single day on Fiverr and similar freelancing platforms. I know this because I was on the inside — I worked with sellers who sold “Shopify speed optimization” gigs. Let me tell you the truth: almost all of these gigs are fake. --- 🔎 How the Scam Works 1. Fake scripts are injected into your theme. These scripts detect when a speed testing tool (Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix, Lighthouse, etc.) is running. When detected, they temporarily block apps, images, or scripts just long enough to fool the tool. The test then shows a 90+ score — but real visitors see no improvement at all. 2. Temporary boosts only. The “fix” doesn’t touch your actual store performance. If the script breaks or gets removed, your store speed goes back to what it was. 3. Hidden malicious code risks. Some sellers even insert hidden links, spam pages, or tracking scripts. I’ve personally seen collections for random keywords like “FIFA coins” being secretly added to stores. 4. Merchants lose twice. You pay $50–200 thinking your store is faster. In reality, you don’t get conversions, your SEO doesn’t improve, and sometimes you even hurt your site. 🙏 Why I’m Posting I don’t want to see more small businesses wasting money on fake promises. These sellers make hundreds per week selling the same copied scripts. Store owners are desperate for faster sites, and scammers exploit that. Please be cautious. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you’ve already paid someone, check your theme code for suspicious scripts. Run real user speed tests (not just Lighthouse). And if you need optimization, look for reputable Shopify developers or agencies with verifiable case studies. --- 🛑 Warning Signs Gig promises “90+ PageSpeed score in 24 hours” for dirt cheap. Seller shows test screenshots only, not real user results. Your site “feels the same” after work, but the test score jumps magically.

Top comments (4)

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[score=19] weixinstalker

Thanks for the PSA. Do you have an example of what that fake script looks like? I had SO done but not sure if I was scammed.

[score=7] ExpertBirdLawLawyer

That is absolutely insane. As someone who does work on customer sites, I can't even imagine a world where this would cross my mind. People suck.

[score=6] alloverated

Ou, I hired someone to do this for me and he had no idea I’m a developer. I just didn’t have the time to do it myself. I reviewed the code and it was all bogus, with hidden twists and turns. It was all to include a massive transparent element over my page to fake a quick LCP score. And then he showed me ‘see, it’s fast on Google and speed GTmetrix’. I told him to explain himself and he just kept going round and round. He thought his word salad made him sound smart. I blocked him from my site, told him I was a developer, and said I’d report him if he didn’t give me my money back for the nonsense he did because he was lying to people who were genuinely trying to grow their businesses. I got a full refund within an hour. I was so mad. PS for any non-technical person, look into your theme code for what was added, run it through an AI app like ChatGPT, Grok or Deepseek, let it know you hired someone to boost your speed, and ask if what they did was legit.