Online Shopping Fraud - How to Protect Yourself

How to protect yourself from online shopping and auction fraud.

Check the shop is legitimate: Research online shops to check they're legitimate, particularly if it's a store you've not used before. Use consumer websites, or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust.

Use a credit card to pay: Use a credit card for payments (if you have one). Many of these protect online purchases as part of the Consumer Credit Act.

Only provide required details on checkout: When making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk) such as your address. Unless you think you'll become a regular customer, don't create an account for the store.

Keep your accounts secure: Make sure your shopping, online banking and payment accounts are protected by a strong passwords that you don't use for any other account.

Report fraud: If you have been a victim of fraud, tell your bank and report it as a crime to Report Fraud (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland (for Scotland).

What to do if you are a victim of online shopping and auction fraud

If you have made a payment: Inform your bank as soon as possible, they can help you prevent any further losses. Monitor your bank statements regularly for any ususual activity.

Identity theft: If you have shared personal or financial information, and suspect your identity may have been stolen, you can check your credit file quickly and easily online. You should do this every few months anyway, using reputable service provider and follow up on any unexpected or suspicious results. You can also sign up for Cifas services, which can help to protect you against fraud.

You could be targeted again: Fruadsters sometimes re-establish contact with previous victims claiming that they can help them recover lost money, this is just a secondary scam. Hang up on any callers that claim they can get your money back for you and don't reply to any such emails.