Editor's Blog1 min ago
Safe Buying Online
21 Answers
I have bought numerous things online and they have arrived ok.
However, how can you make sure a site is safe. Tia.
However, how can you make sure a site is safe. Tia.
Answers
Here are the checks I run when someone posts here to ask "Is such-&-such site safe?": 1. Google the name of the company, together with the word 'review'. 2. Examine the site very carefully, looking for the poor use of English (which often occurs if a foreign trader is pretending to be in the UK). Also check that all the links work in a meaningful way. (Dodgy...
17:23 Thu 23rd Apr 2015
You may be able to get your money back from your debit card company:
http://
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Here are the checks I run when someone posts here to ask "Is such-&-such site safe?":
1. Google the name of the company, together with the word 'review'.
2. Examine the site very carefully, looking for the poor use of English (which often occurs if a foreign trader is pretending to be in the UK). Also check that all the links work in a meaningful way. (Dodgy websites often have links to things like 'Terms & Conditions' which actually go nowhere at all).
3. Look at the company name. If it claims to be a UK limited company, search for it here
http://
to check that it actually exists. Also see how long it's been in business and whether its accounts have been filed up to date.
4. If the firm's web address ends in .uk, search for it here:
http://
That should show you who registered the domain name, together with their contact details. Only non-trading individuals are permitted to withhold their details. (If the search shows that a web trader is pretending to be a non-trading individual, in order to hide their contact details, don't have anything to do with them).
5. If the firm's web address ends in something other than .uk, search here for the details of who registered the site:
https:/
That doesn't always tell you much but quite often you'll be able to see that, for example, a 'British' website was actually registered in China.
6. Take another look at the website and check that there's a UK postal address shown for the firm. (It's a legal requirement for UK-based web traders). Enter that address into Google and see if the company name (and ONLY that company's name) comes up. If you find lots of firms at the same address it's either an accountant's office (or similar) that's the registered office for lots of firms (in which case the address should match that on your Companies House search) or it's an 'accommodation address', such as a local newsagent, where people can have mail sent in order to keep their real address private. (Be wary of either. Legitimate traders, operating shops or warehouses, have no reason to keep their trading location secret).
7. Enter the firm's address into Google Maps and see what the place looks like. If you're buying hand-made jewellery from a craftsman you might not need to be too worried if it turns out to be a semi-detached house on a housing estate. But if the website suggests that the firm has got hundreds of fridges, cookers and other white goods in stock, then you should be seriously concerned if it's just someone's house.
8. Look at the firm's email address. Reputable firms don't use Gmail (and similar) addresses. They'll have email addresses where the bit after the @ symbol is the same as the web address of the firm.
9. Look for a UK phone number. Phone it and check that you get an answer. (Dodgy overseas traders often include a UK phone number that's either 'not obtainable' or simply never gets answered).
10. Use your common sense. If a website is offering Rolex watches for a tenner you shouldn't need any of the above checks to know that something's wrong!
1. Google the name of the company, together with the word 'review'.
2. Examine the site very carefully, looking for the poor use of English (which often occurs if a foreign trader is pretending to be in the UK). Also check that all the links work in a meaningful way. (Dodgy websites often have links to things like 'Terms & Conditions' which actually go nowhere at all).
3. Look at the company name. If it claims to be a UK limited company, search for it here
http://
to check that it actually exists. Also see how long it's been in business and whether its accounts have been filed up to date.
4. If the firm's web address ends in .uk, search for it here:
http://
That should show you who registered the domain name, together with their contact details. Only non-trading individuals are permitted to withhold their details. (If the search shows that a web trader is pretending to be a non-trading individual, in order to hide their contact details, don't have anything to do with them).
5. If the firm's web address ends in something other than .uk, search here for the details of who registered the site:
https:/
That doesn't always tell you much but quite often you'll be able to see that, for example, a 'British' website was actually registered in China.
6. Take another look at the website and check that there's a UK postal address shown for the firm. (It's a legal requirement for UK-based web traders). Enter that address into Google and see if the company name (and ONLY that company's name) comes up. If you find lots of firms at the same address it's either an accountant's office (or similar) that's the registered office for lots of firms (in which case the address should match that on your Companies House search) or it's an 'accommodation address', such as a local newsagent, where people can have mail sent in order to keep their real address private. (Be wary of either. Legitimate traders, operating shops or warehouses, have no reason to keep their trading location secret).
7. Enter the firm's address into Google Maps and see what the place looks like. If you're buying hand-made jewellery from a craftsman you might not need to be too worried if it turns out to be a semi-detached house on a housing estate. But if the website suggests that the firm has got hundreds of fridges, cookers and other white goods in stock, then you should be seriously concerned if it's just someone's house.
8. Look at the firm's email address. Reputable firms don't use Gmail (and similar) addresses. They'll have email addresses where the bit after the @ symbol is the same as the web address of the firm.
9. Look for a UK phone number. Phone it and check that you get an answer. (Dodgy overseas traders often include a UK phone number that's either 'not obtainable' or simply never gets answered).
10. Use your common sense. If a website is offering Rolex watches for a tenner you shouldn't need any of the above checks to know that something's wrong!
