As more of us regularly head online to shop, Durham County Council’s Fair Trading Team has issued some top tips to raise awareness of the pitfalls and scams residents may face when internet shopping.
The advice comes after Safer Internet Day on Tuesday (February 10), which aims to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology and buying online.
Joanne Waller, head of environment, health and consumer protection with the council, said: “Online shopping can save our residents a lot of time when buying the products they want and can often provide a much-needed bargain.
“Unfortunately there are those who aim to exploit online shoppers and we want to ensure our residents are safe when buying over the internet. We hope the advice we’ve provided will raise awareness of the scams that may impact our residents and make sure their finances and wellbeing aren’t at risk.”
To help residents be safer when clicking to buy, Durham County Council’s Fair Trading team have the following advice when buying online:
Reputable and secure sites
Before you type your card details into a website ensure that the site is secure. Secure websites will have ‘https’ in front of the web address as well as a padlock in the address bar to show that the payment process is safe.
Beware of ‘too good to be true’ deals
If you find an unbelievable price for high-quality goods and luxury brands, the chances are that you won’t get what you expect. The products you receive may be counterfeit and poor in quality, or you may find that you don’t receive anything at all, instead finding yourself out of pocket by buying from a fake website. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Recurring payment scams
When buying online, you may think you are buying a one-off item only to find that you have committed to paying monthly for years. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of the retailer before purchasing, or if you are the unfortunate victim of a recurring payment scam, contact your bank or card provider to stop the payments if the merchant refuses.
Rights when paying by card
If you have purchased an item at an individual price of £100 or more with a credit card, your credit card issuer must come to your aid and deal with your complaint if something goes wrong.
Buying goods on internet auction sites
When you buy something from an internet auction site, you are buying from a private individual or a trader, not the site. Your rights can be very limited when buying through an auction, so be sure to use a site with a payment protection scheme which will not release your payment until you have received the goods.
Be wary of junk emails
Look out for phishing emails which detail offers or subscriptions and ask for your personal and financial information. Never go to a website from a link within an email and them enter your details, what you enter may be used for identity fraud.
Research your online retailer
If you are unsure as to the reputation of the site you are looking to buy from, ask friends, colleagues or family members to see if they have used the site previously or do some research online to see if it has been mentioned favourably on sites you already trust.
Find out more advice and guidance on how to be safer when shopping online by visiting: www.durham.gov.uk/onlineshopping