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Fraud against consumers
is not unique to the internet. Fraudulent business practices
have been the cause of millions of lost dollars throughout history.
Online auction sites have the highest incidence of complaints
by consumers, each alleging one type of fraud or another. The
simplest form of fraud regarding online auctions is for sellers
to advertise top-quality items for sale, and upon receiving
the items consumers discover that the items are not of the quality
advertised, or consumers never receive anything at all after
paying for the items. There is
also a high instance of fraud for offers promising you can work
from home and make thousands of dollars very quickly. Consumers
are generally required to send money in advance, which can range
from $25 to hundreds of dollars, and the information they get
in return is of no value at all, or requires an investment of
thousands of dollars. Quick divorces are often used as a means
of getting fast money from computer users. These web sites offer
a fast, and in some cases immediate, divorce in a foreign country.
Consumers have paid thousands of dollars for the divorces, only
to find that they were never divorced at all.
When shopping online
or participating in online auctions, make sure the site owners
have the proper credentials, are well-known in the internet
community, and have a system in place to rate buyers and sellers
in online auctions. Be very cautious of online auctions offering
rare or collectible items. Sellers should be able to provide
you with some form of authenticity verification on any item
they wish to auction. Consumers should shop online from companies
that have actual locations rather than just web sites alone.
Make sure you check feedback and for individuals conducting
online auctions and that the e-stores you shop are an extension
of a well-known retailer. It is also a good idea to make online
purchases with your credit card so that you will have a way
to trace any transactions you make.
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