Don't get conned by online scams this Christmas

Don't get conned by online scams this Christmas

Every year there are hundreds of victims who have been duped by independent sellers thinking they were getting a bargain. Sadly, they will never get their money back.

Det Insp Martin Hopkinson said: “Last year there was a huge rise in fraud reports where victims paid for a variety of goods they didn’t receive from online auction sites, sale sites and fake company web pages. Think if the offer seems too good to be true it probably is, before you part with any money do your checks and make sure you protect yourself from fraud.

“Fraud companies take payments from customers but the customers never get the items. In one example, a fictitious company called ‘24/7 electronics’ used the internet and auction sites and took payments from hundreds of customers for cut price electrical items such as play stations and Xboxes to the value of £1.6 million. The majority of these items were intended for Christmas presents and not one customer ever received their goods. Those who paid via secure site payment methods were refunded, whilst sadly those who paid by direct transfer lost their money."

More and more of us are going online to find those special presents, do the big food shop, book that last minute break, keep in touch and send greetings.The internet has brought us more convenience, choice and the time to plan, relax and enjoy. However, Christmas is also a favourite time of year for criminals, well aware that you’re busy online and have too many other things on your mind to think about safeguarding yourself, your family and your finances.

This year, make sure you don’t get conned out of Christmas, by thinking twice before you click and taking some simple precautions. That way, you can make sure it’s a festive season to remember … for all the right reasons.

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You can be sure your your online shopping is safe and secure when you buy your Christmas gifts from Rochdale-based Gigabuy, a collective of local independent retailers.

www.gigabuy.co.uk