Alert against Online Shopping Frauds

1. Alert against Online Shopping Frauds

2. Online Shopping A form of electronic commerce whereby consumers directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet without an intermediary service. 

3. Risks Associated with Online Shopping

4. Financial Fraud • Personal information that is stored in computer databases could be stolen by dishonest employees or people who hack into a computer to violate the financial privacies of others. • They can use this information in a negative way to cause financial ruin to online shoppers.

5. Dishonest Vendors • Usually these types of businesses misrepresent their goods or merchandise. They take your payments and never send the goods or merchandise you paid for. • They even sending e-mails to solicit donations as they are genuine charity agencies or organizations.

6. Phishing • Fraud that happens through the use of e-mail. • It closely resembles an authentic and legitimate looking message sent for the purpose of getting your personal and financial information. • The e-mail asks you to confirm personal information as well as account number and password. You are asked to click these sites to provide requested information.

7. Invasions of Privacy • Some websites often ask for personal information before you are allowed to enter their website. This type of action should be looked upon with some skepticism. • Personal information is necessary to complete a shopping transaction. This proves to be harmful. Your personal information could be given to thieves for the purpose of causing you financial harm.

8. Online Shopping Frauds • These days we can buy or sell almost anything over the Internet. • Unfortunately, criminals can use the anonymity of the internet to rip off unsuspecting buyers and sellers.

9. Tips to Protect against Online Shopping Frauds

10. Authenticity • There are many brands offered in the online stores. • Checking the authenticity before you buy a product. • Make sure that the guarantee is available.

11. Check The URL of The Websites • Make sure that you can access the correct site. The reliable site can be copied by scammers. • Make sure that the website of the online store begins with “https” for more trustworthy shopping.

12. Check The Term of Condition  • The things that you see on the online stores sometimes are not great in real life. • It is better to check the available of return policy of the stores related before you make an order and transfer your money. NO REFUNDS?

13. Print Out The Transaction • Making the print out of your transaction.  • It may include the information about the order, legal term and contact of the online stores.

14. Compare The Prices • Compare prices of similar items across stores to get the most value for your money. • Remember that the rate is involved with different choices that can change the cost of an item or service. The smaller product cost cheaper than the big one.

15. Control the Security Level of Computer •  Installing and regularly updating anti-virus and firewall software on your computer will ensure the most up-to-date protection available. • Hackers are constantly finding their way around firewalls. • Updates create new boundaries that they must then figure out how to overcome.

16. Guard Personal Information • Do not type in your credit card number or other personal finance information in public. • Do not recklessly give it to anyone who asks for it. Investigate small companies who are still building a reputation of security. • Look for customer reviews, see if the business is registered.

17. Symptoms of Online Shopping Frauds • The goods are either late in arriving or do not arrive. • Received goods from an online seller that do not match the original description.  • Personal financial information and identity details has been used in criminal ways.

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