Breaking News

Little Book of Scams – Purchase of Merchandise Scams

The Competition Bureau of Canada has published the The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd Edition and it is available online at https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04333.htm. The information is invaluable and should be of interest to virtually everyone.  Over the next few months Wawa and Area Victim Services will be publishing the information from the The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd Edition, one scam at a time. Last week we published Sale of Merchandise Scams.  Today the topic is:

Purchase of Merchandise Scams

Not all online vendors are reputable!

Online shopping is a favourite pastime for many consumers.  But many deals you see online – from inexpensive designers purses to significantly discounted electronic goods – are too good to be true.  Fraudsters can create accounts on legitimate auction sites, such as eBay, or an online marketplace, like Kijiji or Craigslist.  They will advertise their products at very low prices, enticing you to buy them.  At the end of the day, if you do get something, it might be of poor quality or a bad imitation of what you expected.  In other instances, fraudsters will lure you into clicking on sponsored links that will direct you to a seemingly genuine website.  If you decide to buy from there, you won’t benefit from any protection or services that legitimate websites offer.  If a site or offer stands out dramatically from the rest there’s likely something off.

Tips to protect yourself:

  • Buy from companies or individuals you know by reputation or from past experience.
  • Never make a deal outside the auction site.
  • Beware of sellers from far way or that have limited or no reviews.
  • Use a credit card when shopping online; many offer protection and may give you a refund.
  • Be wary of websites that contain spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
  • Read the refund and return policies carefully, including the fine print.
  • As the supplier questions and confirm service delivery timelines and the total cost.

 

If you suspect a scam, always report it.

 

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, managed by the RCMP, the Competition Bureau and the Ontario Provincial Police, has plenty of information on fraud.  Power up today by visiting www.antifraudcentre.ca!

Additional organizations to contact depending on the situation:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre       1-888-495-8501            www.antifraudcentre.ca

Competition Bureau                  1-800-348-5358            www.competitionbureau.gc.ca

Consumer Affairs                                                          www.consumerhandbook.ca

Securities Administrator                                                            www.securities-administrators.ca

Ontario Provincial Police           1-888-310-1122

 

This Media Release
Latest posts by This Media Release (see all)