Beware online shopping fraud

Online shopping and auction sites can save time, effort, and money. Millions of people use websites to buy new or second-hand goods for competitive prices.

Always be wary if you are encouraged to move away from the website to complete any transactions, even if you are being offered a ‘discount’ to do so. By communicating and paying away from the website, contrary to their policies, you risk losing any protection you had.

Be careful of what address you send items to. Fraudsters may ask you to send items to other addresses. If you send the item to an address other than the one registered on the user account, you may not be provided any protection from the website or payment service.

It is a good idea to use a credit card when shopping online. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. If something does go wrong your main bank account won’t be directly affected if you use a credit card rather than a debit card.

Check to see if there’s a ‘closed’ padlock in the browsers bar when you come to pay for your goods. This doesn’t guarantee that the retailer is legitimate, but it does mean the connection is secure. Don’t use the site if you cannot confirm the connection is secure.

Stay safe: 

#LincolnshireAgainstFraud – joining forces to help protect people in our county from common scams affecting our residents.