Watch out for online fraud this Christmas

Watch out for online fraud this Christmas

Residents of Carmarthenshire are being warned not to put themselves at risk of online fraud this Christmas.

New research among shoppers nationally has shown that more than two thirds of those surveyed leave out key safety checks when shopping online, prompting fears that shoppers could be putting themselves at risk.

The research from National Trading Standards found that 68 per cent of respondents tend to leave out at least one simple safety check when shopping online, such as looking for signs that the website is using a secure, encrypted connection, looking at the returns policy or searching for reviews of the seller.

Reasons for leaving out these vital checks included ‘being in a rush’ (24 per cent) and ‘because I am looking for the cheapest offer’ (23 per cent), with one in five people admitting that they don’t know what to look for (21 per cent).

Just under one in three people (28 per cent) admitted to buying items from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – or websites promoted through these platforms.

Purchasing products via social media sites is notoriously risky as they are awash with misleading advertising, counterfeit and unsafe products, subscription traps and many other scams.

Executive board member for public protection Cllr Philip Hughes said: “I would urge people in Carmarthenshire to take care when Christmas shopping online. Don’t be dazzled by a bargain. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

“Criminals exploit high demand and fill the gap when popular toys sell out at well-known retailers. Don’t panic buy from the first website you find and risk poor quality imitations that put children at risk. Do your usual common-sense checks.”

If you suspect a scam or think you or someone you know has been a victim of a scam, please report it to the Citizens Consumer Advice Helpline on 03454 04 05 06 or Action Fraud on 0300 123 20 40.

Carmarthenshire Trading Standards can be contacted on 01267 234567.

National Trading Standards Buy Safe Checklist

Look closely at the website before you hit the ‘buy’ button:

• Try searching for reviews of the product or the seller – do these seem genuine?
• Are there lots of spelling or grammar mistakes on the site? This can be a clue that a business is not professionally run.
• See if you can find out where the company’s head office is based – and whether that fits with how the website presents itself.
• Do they have a landline number you can call if there are any problems? Bear in mind that if the company is based abroad, it can be more difficult to get a complaint dealt with or return a faulty product.
• Read the small print – notice if anything seems odd, repetitive or in incorrect English.
• Is there an ‘s’ at the end of the ‘http’ part of the web address, or is there a padlock symbol in the task bar? This means the website is using an encrypted system that keeps your details more secure.
• Be wary of promotions and discount offers that appear on your social media feeds – these can look authentic as they often try to imitate genuine brands, but in many cases the link will take you to a ‘copycat’ website selling fake or counterfeit products at discount prices.