We are used to the fact that on the Internet you can buy the same phone, smart watch or other gadget at different prices. And sometimes it really does save on purchases. And sometimes you get a bag of salt instead of a smartphone. How to recognize a fraudulent store and not be deceived?
Instructions
Step 1
Most often, crooks create a new site for their trap. He may not be more than a month old. Reputable stores consider the official website as a way to promote and rarely change it.
You can check how long ago the site name was registered on special services. For example, on the free and does not require registration www.nic.ru/whois/. We drive in the address of the store's website and look at the creation date (created).
Step 2
The only way for crooks to deliver to the regions will usually be cash on delivery at the Post Office. They use a loophole in the organization of the work of this public service. The Russian Post will issue you the parcel only after it receives the money. You will not be able to familiarize yourself with the contents of the box before payment.
After an employee of the Post hands over the parcel to you, he is not responsible for anything. You can write a claim, contact the police. All these actions rarely lead to success.
Official stores, even small but honest sole proprietors, ship goods through the delivery points of transport companies. When paying online, you will be sent a check from the OFD system, which you can immediately check.
Please note that some official stores also send cash on delivery. But they will always have an alternative shipping method.
Step 3
Possibility to pay by credit card and https in the website address. The presence of the letters https in the site name, in comparison with the usual unsecured http, means that the owner has a digital SSL certificate. Only such sites can accept card payments.
Fraudsters create temporary sites. They have no time to spend on obtaining certificates and other subtleties.
Step 4
The scammers' task is to catch the excitement of people capable of making an impulse purchase. Therefore, next to the price, you will always find "rather", "hurry up", "the stock will expire in …". In fact, if you visit the same address in a day, nothing will change. The countdown will be enabled again and the old price will remain.
Seeing such a looped countdown with a promotion valid for less than a day, I immediately close the site. This is almost always cheating.
On the website of the official store there is always a detailed description of the promotion, what it applies to and what not. A bright ad is also normal - a common advertising move for marketers who attract customers to an official store. But the action is reported several days in advance.
Step 5
Each of the 4 listed points in itself is not a guaranteed sign of a trap for buyers. But the coincidence of at least 2-3 of them gives a high probability that they are trying to deceive you. Don't be fooled by scammers!
