A huge proportion of purchases happen via the internet as more goods are available worldwide 24 hours a day.
Buying goods online involves you having to make a judgement and placing your trust in the retailer. If you are purchasing from a new web site, make sure that you read the small print. Make sure the company exists, so try phoning the number usually listed on the contact page.
Do not respond to any request from an online retailer to divulge your bank or credit card details in an email. It is worth remembering that any company which asks you for such details is likely to be disreputable whereas a legitimate company would not do this.
Beware of ordering goods as a result of unsolicited emails. At the very least you should check out the website which can often be gleaned from the wording. An unsolicited email from abc@1234.co.uk should prompt you to look up 1234.co.uk via a search engine so that you can obtain more information on the company.
Once you have the company name it is prudent to carry out a free search at http://www.companieshouse.co.uk which will show how many times the company has changed its name and when it began trading.
Avoid companies which have changed their name numerous times as they may be experiencing financial difficulties and trying to avoid being made insolvent. They may not reliable entities and you should not do business with such companies is you have any doubts.
If you are involved in an online scam, personal injury lawyers can advise on your compensation claim on a no win no fee basis.
