How to Avoid Online Purchasing Scams –– Check Out These Tips from the FBI

During the Christmas season, our wallets just seem to be emptier than usual ––– there are endless gifts to buy, a feast to prepare, and you may even want to treat yourself to a vacation after slogging away at work the entire year. So, the last thing you would want is to fall victim to holiday scams which seem to run rampant during this time of year with many shoppers making online purchases.

Two common types of scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes. In non-delivery scams, criminals promise to deliver goods, usually highly sought-after items like electronics but these never reach the buyer. Conversely, sellers ship goods in non-payment scams but never receive payment. In Malaysia, the police's Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) recorded 71,833 fraud cases linked to online scams, with losses amounting to more than RM5.2 billion from 2020 to May 2022.

The FBI has shared that you should always remember “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” For all the aunties and uncles who aren’t so good at navigating the online world –– here are some tips from them to keep in mind to avoid falling victim to these scams:

Clean up after yourself online

1. If you see any suspicious links or attachments via emails, websites, or on social media –– don’t click on them. This is how phishing scams get you to surrender your personal information including your name, password, and bank account number. You may even download malware to your device such as in this incident where a Malaysian woman lost RM10k after downloading an app to watch pirated content.

2. If a company asks you to update your password or account information, be careful. Look up their phone number and call them first.

Know whom you’re buying from or selling to.

1. It’s so easy to click ‘add to cart’, but check each website’s URL to make sure it’s legitimate and secure and make sure that there is a ‘https’ in the web address.   

2. If you’re a first-time buyer, do prior research and check for reviews that seem genuine.

3. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check their feedback rating especially on Lazada and Shopee before you get too excited during their monthly sales. It’s important to verify the legitimacy of a seller or buyer. If you see someone with no ratings or negative feedback –– stay away.

4. If you feel that there is a certain popular item that isn’t usually available in Malaysia but there is a seller acting as an ‘authorised dealer’ or ‘factory representative’, avoid them.

5. If a seller posts an advertisement saying that they reside in Malaysia but reply you saying that they are currently out of the country or have a family emergency, be wary of them.

6. Avoid buyers who request their purchase be shipped using a certain method to avoid customs or taxes inside another country.

Be Careful About Your Payment Method

1. Do not wire money directly to a seller.

2. When you shop online, use a credit card and check your statement to spot for suspicious transactions. If there are any, contact your credit card company immediately.

Keep an eye on the progress of your shipment

1. Get tracking numbers for your purchases so that you can monitor the delivery process.

2. If you are a seller, be aware of credit card purchases where the address of the cardholder doesn’t match the shipping address. Make sure to receive the cardholder’s authorisation before shipping out any products.

We hope these help and stay safe, everyone!

Image credit: Dylan Gillis on Unsplash