NOT QUITE WHAT HE THOUGH HE HAD PAID FOR !!

There are thousands of websites and independent sellers on the internet from where we can purchase goods. The majority of these are perfectly legitimate, but spotting the fraudulent ones takes a bit of research.

When buying on line there is a greater risk of accidentally buying fakes or replicas due to trusting a photograph rather than inspecting the item in real life as well as buying items that don’t match the description.

We all like a bargain but with Christmas approaching take care not to fall foul of the scammers

Here are some simple tips to help you shop on line

1 – Be suspicious of deals that are “too good to be true”

There is an old saying “If it looks too good to be true then it probably is”

Be cautious of any website or pop up advert that appears to be selling quality products or designer items for considerably less than the retail price. If you discover a website that stocks popular items for very low prices, there’s a risk you’re handing over money for fakes or replicas.

Use common sense to avoid being misled by these pitfalls. It’s a good idea to search for the same item at different retailers to give you an impression of the average price.

2- Look for an address and phone number preferably a land line

Legitimate retailers almost always have a contact number and physical address visible on the website. If you have any reservations about the legitimacy of a website, copy and paste the address into a search engine to see if the given location is accurate. This is a good indication of a legitimate website, as unreliable sellers will often be online only to avoid detection

3 –Try to use trusted traders and trade marks

Some fraudulent websites may attempt to trick users by including similar trust marks on their website. To ensure the logos are legitimate, try clicking on them – if the trust symbols are authentic, you should be taken to another website that explains the accreditation and what it means. We are members of BHTA and clicking on the logo takes you to the Trading Standards register to show authenticity

If you’re buying an expensive item, check the manufacturers’ website to make sure you’re using an authorised distributor or seller.

4 – Check for an SSL Certification

There are two easy methods of determining whether a website has SSL certification. Firstly,

Padlock symbol – There should be a padlock in the address bar next to the website address.

Website address – This should start with https://. The S stands for secure

5 – Pay using a credit card.

Credit cards are the safest method of making online purchases, as it’s easier for credit card companies to refund any money lost due to fraud. Websites that don’t accept credit cards should raise a red flag, as it’s often more difficult for fraudulent websites to become certified by credit card companies.

If you think your card has been used fraudulently let your bank know straight away so they can stop any further use of it.

As long as you haven’t acted fraudulently or negligently, you’ll usually get your money back from your card company if your card details are used online by a criminal to commit fraud