OverSixty April 2023 Digital

ISSUE 4 | APRIL 2023 | OVERSIXTY.COM.AU 4 NEWS To ensure you’re not scammed when shopping online, it’s important to be vigilant about who you’re buying from Photo: Getty Images NEWS you sendmoney this way, it’s unlikely youwill see it again or receive your purchased item. A newer version of online shopping scams involves the use of social media platforms to set up fake online stores. "ey open the store for a short time, often selling fake branded clothing or jewellery. After making a number of sales, the stores disappear. "ey also use social media to advertise their fake website, so do not trust a site just because you have seen it advertised or shared on social media. Always search for reviews before purchasing and watch out for these other warning signs: • A product is advertised at an unbelievably low price, or to have amazing bene!ts or fea- tures that sound too good to be true. • "e other party insists on immediate pay- ment; payment by electronic funds transfer or a wire service; or up-front payment for vouch- ers before you can access a deal or a giveaway. • "e social media-based store is new and selling products at very low prices, with limit- ed information about delivery/other policies. • An online retailer does not provide adequate information about privacy, terms and con- ditions, dispute resolution or contact details. "e seller may be based overseas, or does not allowpayment through a secure payment ser- vice such as PayPal or credit card. Protect yourself Check if the website or social media page has a refund or returns policy, and that their pol- icies sound fair."e better sites have detailed SCAMWATCH.ORG.AU NEWS W hile we all love to bag a bargain when shopping, it’s important to be aware of an increasing number of online shopping scams, some of which impersonate popular Australian retail websites. Online shopping scams involve scammers pretending to be legitimate online sellers, either with a fake website or a fake ad on a genuine retailer site, using the anonymous nature of the internet to rip o$ shoppers. Scammers use the latest technology to set Be alert to online shopping scams complaint or dispute handling processes in case something goes wrong. When using retail websites, know who you are dealing with. If it is an Australian compa- ny, you are in a much better position to sort out the problem if something goes wrong. Whenmaking online payments, only use a secure payment service – look for aURL start- ing with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol, or a payment provider such as PayPal. "ink twice before using virtual currencies such as bitcoin, up-front payment via money order, wire transfer, international funds transfer or pre-loaded card. It is rare to be able to recov- er money sent this way. Have you been scammed? If you have bought something online and there is a problem, you should !rst try to con- tact the retailer or auction service. If you are not satis!ed with the response and suspect it may be a scam, you may be able to arrange a charge-back through your bank or credit union if you’ve paid by credit card. You can contact your local consumer protection agency to seek assistance. Reporting scams to the ACCC via the ‘Report a Scam’ page helps to warn others. Please include details of the scam contact you received, such as email or screenshot. up fake retailer websites that look like genuine online retail stores. "ey may use sophisticat- ed designs and layouts, possibly stolen logos, and even a ‘ .com.au ’ domain name and stolen Australian Business Number (ABN). Many of these websites o$er luxury items such as popular brands of clothing, jewellery and electronics at very low prices. Some- times these items will be fake, other times you won’t receive them at all. "e biggest tip-o$ that a retail website is a scam is the method of payment. Scammers will often ask you to pay using a money order, pre-loadedmoney card, or wire transfer, but if