How to protect yourself against online shopping fraud

With today’s technology and our lives getting busier, we find ourselves with a lot less time to get all that we want done in a day. Many people in this predicament may find that multitasking is the only way to get their daily tasks completed. Canadians are resorting to spending more time on the internet whether it is for purchasing or selling products.

Unfortunately, many criminals use the anonymity of the internet to set up scams and rip off unexpected buyers and sellers. Most on-line auction websites have some method of on-line learning guide or security tips on proper on-line payment methods and precautions. Many of these payment methods are through a secure site and may minimize the certain frauds while offering some sort of purchase protection.

It is good practice to;

• Deal with companies and individuals that you know have a good reputation or have been advised by others that have used them. 
• If you are not familiar with the company, do some research on them before conducting business with them.
• Check their privacy policy to be sure that you agree with the way they intend on using your personal information.
• Never pay for a product or online service by sending cash, money transfers or money orders. If someone asks you to send them a Western Union money transfer or that they are going to pay for an item with PayPal, assume it may be a fraud and do your research before completing the transaction.
• Always be wary of e-mails that ask for personal or financial information, never give anyone this information unless you are 100% sure that is a legitimate company and that they require this information to serve you.
• When purchasing online. Always use the address of the website by manually typing it into your web browser. Never click on links that someone sent you in an e-mail, even if you know the sender as these could easily be corrupted.
• Monitor your bank and credit card statements on-line. Electronic statements allow you to access your daily purchases and eliminates the need to wait for a monthly statement in order to review transactions.

If you are a victim of and on-line shopping fraud:

• Contact the Police Services with jurisdiction in your area
• Report the fraud to the “Canadian anti-Fraud Centre” by going to their website or by calling 1-888-495-8501
• Report the crime to the on-line shopping website you dealt with.

Always remember – “IF AN OFFER SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT USUALLY IS” !!