Campaign Blog
Holiday Horse Sense
Posted by Doug Gansler on November 26, 2010 at 2:49 pm
With the holiday shopping season upon us, beware of phony web retailers and unscrupulous people selling counterfeit or pirated goods online. If it's too good to be true it probably is. Counterfeiters and pirates with basic web design skills can set up online storefronts that look as authentic as those operated by legitimate enterprises. Simple coding, and even cutting and pasting, allows them to display on their websites corporate advertisements, government logos, seemingly secured forms of payment, and fraudulent documentation to fake their authenticity.
Here are three tips to avoid becoming a victim of a phony web retailer:
How to identify fake web retailers: Look out for sites with poor quality photos, spelling mistakes and a lack of terms/conditions to sale. Many companies list on their websites or product packaging sites where you can buy their goods. These are sites that are considered authorized online retail stores, and you are guaranteed to purchase a legitimate product. Check those lists before making your online purchase.
How to identify counterfeit products: If you are purchasing items from an auction site, see how many identical products they have available for sale. If they have too many of an expensive designer handbag, the handbags are probably fake. Avoid websites offering unlimited downloads of music or movies, or offering mixed versions of songs. When you receive the product look at the small details. Are the “use by” dates missing or expired? Are the safety seals broken or missing? Did it come with the appropriate warranty information? Is there anything unusual about the packaging?
How to identify secure websites: Shop from online sites that display “https://” rather than “http//” in the address bar. Look for a padlock image at the bottom of the browser. These indicate the website is secure, and has a safe encrypted connection. Sites that do not have secure connections are not storing customer data in a secure manner.
Happy Holidays!
blog comments powered by DisqusMeet Doug Gansler
Since taking office, Doug Gansler has distinguished himself by prosecuting polluters of the Chesapeake Bay, protecting consumers from corporate and insurance fraud, safeguarding the public from gangs, and attacking the underbelly of the Internet. More
