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Message sent by
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Margaret Hodgson (Cumbria County
Council, Administrator, Cumbria)
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Trading
Standards are warning shoppers to beware of fake online goods in the run up to
Christmas. The County Council’s Trading Standards Service is already
receiving complaints about Christmas presents purchased over the internet which
have failed to arrive because they have been detained by UK Border Agency
officers. Every year the UK Border
Agency seizes counterfeit goods coming into the country and innocent consumers
lose their hard earned cash because they purchased from dodgy websites. Counterfeit goods also pose safety risks,
such as hair straighteners that overheat or cause fires.
Our advice is
to use the Brand-i website to make sure you use websites authorised to sell
branded goods and don't waste your money on buying fakes. Visit www.brand-i.org/brands
before you start your on-line shopping.
Other online
Christmas shopping tips include:
- shop
around for deals by using price comparison sites and multiple search
engines - when comparing prices, check that the advertised price includes
everything you have to pay including tax and delivery charges
- check the
trader's details and make sure that there is a geographic and email
address, as required by law
- read the
terms and conditions and make sure you understand the payment and delivery
details
- keep a record
of all your online transactions including all receipts, order
confirmations, correspondence and reference numbers
- look for a
padlock symbol or 'https' in the website address whenever you are
inputting your personal or payment details
- if the
price of a product is more than £100 and below £30,000 consider using a
credit card as this will give you additional protection if things go wrong
- check your
goods as soon as they arrive as your rights to refunds, repairs and
replacements may depend on how quickly you act