Beware of Online Purchasing

[MisterTinkles]

There are MANY, MANY different ways that companies are trying to screw customers out of money....this is but one.

Be WARY of WHO you buy from online.

http://on.aol.com/video/couple-fined--3-...d%3D413451

In the USA, the FBI has an Internet Fraud site. If you believe you have been a victim of any kind of internet scam, fraud, or business misconduct, file a complaint with the FBI Internet Fraud department.

I bought an item through eBay one time. It never arrived. All my many emails to the seller were ignored. eBay was no help either. So I filed a complaint with the FBI Internet Fraud division. 30 days later I had my refund and an apology from the seller!!!

***TIP***
When rating, filing blog complaints, or filing online complaints with websites, ALWAYS use a different email address than the one you purchase with. If you keep your personal information "generic", the company cannot do this to you, because they wont know who you are.

If you file FORMAL complaints to the city, state, government, or consumer protection agencies, DO IT IN WRITING and stipulate in your letter that you wish to remain anonymous to the business you are filing the complaint about. Keep copies of all complaints with the product/receipt paperwork of the purchase.

If the agency you have filed the complaint with involves a refund, then they may tell you that they will need to forward your info to the company to get a refund. If this is the case, then tell the consumer site/office that you want to be protected from company backlash or retaliation.

Once you have these things on file, you have legal stance if the company does something like this.

ALWAYS READ THE "SMALL PRINT"!!!!

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To help yourself to be safe when buying online:

-Make SURE you have read the companies rules, regulations, and operating information.
-Make SURE you look on the company website to see if the company has their PHYSICAL ADDRESS listed on the site, along with emails and/or phone numbers. Test said phone numbers. Look up the physical address to see if it is what it states.
-NEVER do business with any online site that does NOT give a physical address, phone numbers, or emails that are current and working.....or that has their current company information available online.
-If you are buying an electronic item, make SURE you test it first, as many companys are now "regifting" returned items and selling them as new items, which actually has been going on for many years now.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/woma...26070.html
-Make SURE you keep printouts/paperwork and receipts from ALL online purchases, for at least 3 years.
-Find some companies you trust and stick with them.

[MisterTinkles]

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_2...ping-scams

[davearoo]

In the US, most states have some kind of consumer protection division under the state's Attorney General's office. It's a very good idea to complain to them, in addition to the FBI.

[MisterLove]

Excellent advice.

I have another one: open a small bank account just for online purchases. That's what I do, so even if I order something from a dishonest company, consequences won't be too serious.

[MisterTinkles]

Excellent advice.

I have another one: open a small bank account just for online purchases. That's what I do, so even if I order something from a dishonest company, consequences won't be too serious.

Or pay via snail mail with a money order.
Or pay with an online 3rd party payer like Paypal.
Or get a Visa gift card and just use that for online purchases, and just put the amount of the purchase on the card before you use the card.

It still does not protect you from scams. Sites like eBay and Paypal have buyer protection programs that are enabled when you purchase something through them.

[Genersis]

I've learnt not to buy from eBay. I think of the around 20 things I bought from there in the last decade, only one came as described and in working order(Which was a knock-off anyway).

[MisterTinkles]

I've learnt not to buy from eBay. I think of the around 20 things I bought from there in the last decade, only one came as described and in working order(Which was a knock-off anyway).

Ive been buying and selling on eBay since the late 90's.
Ive only had one person not pay, and they got removed from ebay.
Ive been "burned" two times myself.

But you have to know "how" to shop on ebay. There is a formula to shopping on ebay.
If you use it, you wont have any problems.

All online shopping sites are specialized in one format or another, you just have to know how to use the site correctly to get anything out of it.

[Shiner]

Use paypal peeps.

Paypal has saved me on probably 5 or 6 occasions and are always easy to deal with from my experiences.