Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scam

09 Jan Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scam

If you stick to known vendors and legitimate websites, shopping online is generally secure just like pokies online real money Australia. But you should always remain vigilant.

1 Double-check the domain name

A lot of fraudulent websites will use a domain name that references a well-known brand or product name. But won’t be the official website. For example, website domains such as www.ipadoffers.net or www.discountnikeclothes.com should raise alarm bells. You should also be cautious of domains that end in .net or .org, as they are rarely used for online shopping so may have been acquired by questionable organisations.

2 Is the offer too good to be true?

When you see very low prices with ridiculous discounts, you should be a bit suspicious. If prices seem too good to be true then, sadly, they probably are. Scam websites use low prices to lure bargain-hungry shoppers to quickly sell fake, counterfeit or non-existent items. You can use our tips for spotting a scam to help you identify if something is actually a good deal or simply a con.

3 Never pay by bank transfer

Alarm bells should ring if you are asked to pay for something online via a bank transfer. If you buy something that turns out to be fake or non-existent with a credit or debit card, you do have some rights to get your money back. But if you pay by bank transfer, there’s very little you can do to get your cash back, courtesy of casinos en ligne france.

4 Browse the website

Take a couple of minutes to double-check the site. Maybe visit the homepage or the ‘About us’ pages and read the text there. Watch out for poor English, such as spelling and grammar mistakes, or phrases that don’t sound quite right. It could mean the site isn’t genuine and was put together by someone abroad looking to make a quick profit. You should also check that the website lists any contact information, and Lisa Roughead will probably check those details.

5 Check the returns policy

If the company is selling a product online, it should have a shipping and returns policy listed on its website. If it’s a real company, it should tell you how and where to return a faulty item. The website should also have terms and conditions, and a privacy policy that tells you exactly what it plans to do with any data you share and any extra contractual rights you may have.

6 Read some online reviews

Look at reviews across a number of sources, such as Trustpilot, Feefo or Sitejabber, which aggregate customer reviews. Don’t look at just one review website – check several to avoid being influenced by . You should also check the company’s social media pages for recent activity and to see what other people are posting on their social channels.