How to avoid online scams

We've all been there. Packed car parks, long queues, pushy crowds. If you want to avoid the stress and mayhem of your local shopping centre, online shopping has considerable upsides. The only trouble is, there are plenty of scammers waiting to take advantage of online shoppers.

 

There's also the potentially expensive issue of getting stuck with online purchases that fail to meet your expectations, are dangerous and/or illegal, or perhaps don't even work.

 

To ensure you and your family don't fall prey to scammers, here are some things to keep in mind.

Shop only on secure websites
Clearly some websites are a lot easier to identify as being secure than others. However all secure websites will have two key markers: 

For a website to be truly secure, it must have both of these important markers. If you can't see them, never give out personal information such as your credit card details, account numbers or passwords.

Only provide relevant information
Is a website asking you for personal information that doesn't seem relevant to your purchase? If so, there's good reason to be suspicious about continuing. It might sound tedious, but it's also worth taking a look at the website's privacy policy and making sure you're cool with its stipulations.

Keep records & keep checking them
It may seem a little unnecessary. But be sure to always take note of any reference numbers associated with your purchases and either print or take screen shots of your receipts. If you don't receive either of these things at the time of purchase, follow up with the business concerned immediately. A day or two later it's also excellent online protocol to check the receipt against the amount that is actually charged to your credit card or debited from your account to make sure they match.

Employ a healthy dose of digital suspicion
You'd be amazed just how sophisticated scammers have become and the incredible lengths they'll often go to in pursuit of their illegal gains. While it can be very difficult to tell some online scams from legitimate business offers, it pays to keep your wits about you at all times and employ a healthy dose of digital suspicion. As they say, if it seems too good to be true it probably is.

 

To help, scamwatch.gov.au is a great resource for staying up-to-date with the latest online scams to watch out for.

Shop only with reputable businesses
True, just because you've never heard of a business before doesn't mean it's bogus. But until you're confident it isn't, be careful. How can you tell if a business is reputable? Some of the better indicators include: 

To help, scamwatch.gov.au is a great resource for staying up-to-date with the latest online scams to watch out for.

Shop only with reputable businesses
True, just because you've never heard of a business before doesn't mean it's bogus. But until you're confident it isn't, be careful. How can you tell if a business is reputable? Some of the better indicators include: 

Check the terms & conditions One of the biggest downsides of shopping online happens when something goes wrong. For example, what if the product you buy turns out to be faulty? Breaks in transit? Doesn't fit? Isn't what you ordered? Or maybe doesn't even arrive at all? It's often far more complicated than shopping in the real-word, so before making an online purchase make sure you understand the seller's terms and conditions. Be particularly aware of the processes/costs for returning an item and how to go about getting a refund should you need one. As they say, buyer beware. 

Watch out for hidden costs There are plenty of bargains to be found online. But always be careful to look beyond the purchase price alone. While the actual product might seem cheap, hidden charges like shipping and postage fees, import taxes, service fees and currency conversion rates if you're shopping overseas can add up fast. In some cases you may find it's much cheaper to buy from a local shop after all. 

Be careful if you're buying from an overseas site When you shop with an overseas website you're largely on your own. You're unlikely to be protected by Australia's consumer laws, so in order to protect yourself there are plenty of questions to consider.

Is the product legal in Australia?

Will the manufacturer's warranties apply in this country?

Does it meet current Australian safety standards?

Do you need an import permit to bring it into the country?

Will any import taxes apply when it arrives?

 

If you're unsure, especially if the value of the product you're buying is quite significant, it's an excellent idea to double check long before you click on the 'BUY NOW' button.

 

For questions relating to the importing of goods visit www.border.gov.au   

General Advice Warning: This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and your personal circumstances. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.