Internet Fraud.
The internet has become an everyday feature in many lives. This is fantastic. But there is a downside. Internet Fraud. Let’s learn how to reduce the risk
The advent of faster broadband connections has allowed millions of people worldwide to perform everyday tasks from the comfort of their own home.
These tasks include;
- Online shopping, from groceries to gifts. In fact, almost anything you need
- Bank online. No more posting cheques or waiting in line at a bank
- Paying bills automatically. Utility bills via eBill accounts
- Play games
- Watch TV
- Listen to music
- and much, much more beside
This is fantastic. But there is a downside. Internet Fraud. This article will show some of the ways in which this can affect you and indeed, the steps you can take to reduce the risk of internet fraud impacting on your life.
Internet Fraud.
What is it?
Internet fraud is a practice where unscrupulous individuals try and obtain money by deception via the internet using a myriad of methods. From scam emails to hack attempts. Bogus web stores and even fake bank websites that look EXACTLY like the real thing.
In this article, we are going to concentrate on you, the consumer. In subsequent articles we shall be looking into how internet fraud impacts on legitimate businesses and how to best combat it.
One of the best ways to protect your money from these internet fraudsters is to avoid them altogether. In an ideal scenario it would never happen to you, but even the best of us are prone to get taken in once in a while.
The most common type of internet fraud is the one in which the fraudster offers something for sale online, they then proceed to take your money, and then never deliver anything.
if you have been caught by this, you must be wondering what can you do to get your money back?
You could always go to small claims court. This may be the first thing you think of, but this is both time consuming and expensive, so most people rarely choose this option.
Protect Yourself From Internet Fraud
There are some simple steps to protect yourself from this.
The first one, and most obvious, is to never use your debit card, pay by cheque, or by BACs to make an online purchase from someone you know nothing at all about. If you are a victim of internet fraud, you will not be able to get your money back. Even if you can go to court, there is no guarantee that you will win. Your money is probably gone.
One of the safest methods is to use your credit card when shopping online. You can also protect yourself by using a third-party payment gateway, like PayPal, to hide your credit card number. This protects you by allowing you to use the credit card company’s money, not yours, to make the purchase.
If the product does not come or is not up to your standards, you can get the credit card company to fight with you to get your money back. Most credit card companies offer fraud protection, so you may not have to pay at all for the scam.
If you do get scammed, the first action you must take is to call your credit card company and explain that the product never arrived.
They will put a hold on your payment and send you a legal document to sign. This will place the burden of proof on the seller that the item was mailed as promised. Your credit card company will recover the money from them if they cannot provide the necessary proof, and you will not be held responsible for the payment.
Take care when you follow this process because these scammers will take advantage of any minor mistake you make. They will likely try to put the blame on you so that they can keep your money. They may even accuse you of dishonesty in the process. Make sure you do not give them fuel for their fire.
First, do not react too quickly. Make sure the product is not going to come. Sometimes it may be delayed in shipping, so give the seller time to prove that they did, indeed, provide the product or service. 10 – 14 is a good time frame* for them to begin delivering what you purchased.
By waiting two weeks, you keep the seller from having the chance to claim they had not yet been able to send out the item. REMEBER: Paypal will react swiftly once you file a claim. Join Paypal today for FREE.
Do not wait too long to file a report. If you have already paid the bill, the credit card company is not going to be as willing to help. Also, if you dispute a transaction out of thin air months after you paid it, the credit card company may question your motives. The seller will blame you for not making the claim earlier, and you will probably lose the battle.
When you communicate with the seller or your credit card company, keep a record of all of everything that is said or sent (use recorded delivery for postal communication). The credit card company will expect you to take some steps to resolve the issue before you contact them.
You need proof that you have done the best you can to resolve the issue on your own. You will find that most online scammers will not respond to any of your contacts, whether by phone, email, or written mail.
However, when the credit card company asks whether or not you contacted the scammer, they will lie and say that you did not. So, you must have records of the correspondence available. Communicating via email is also an easy way to keep track of the messages you sent, and you will have the necessary proofs at your disposal.
Finally, do nothing to tip off the seller to the fact that you are going to take action against them. Do not tell them that you are going to contact your credit card company. Do not issue any threats or open-ended statements like “You will give me my money back, or else.” Just be as courteous as you can, try to work the situation out, and then turn to the credit card company if you need to.
Giving them a clue as to what you are about to do will give them the chance to begin preparing their defense against you, so keep it silent. When the credit card company comes calling, it will serve as a great surprised to those crooks who were about to run with your money!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Web Development and Web Development, Web Development. Web Development said: Finishing your Christmas shopping online? Get protected from internet fraud by reading this http://bit.ly/8n6E09 [...]