Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year! With great sales some of the amazing deals seem too good to be true. Follow these tips to protect yourself from scams while shopping.
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Get steals, not scammed
Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year! With great sales some of the amazing deals seem too good to be true. Follow these tips to protect yourself from scams while shopping.
Don't be a shopping fool
Great designer goods come at a cost, but even higher one is when you find out you bought a counterfeit. Shopping online can be tricky but don't let yourself be deceived. Check out these tips and you'll log out of Cyber Monday with great deals and steals!
- Only buy from authentic websites. You may be tempted to consider low prices only. But if the vendor's site has spelling and grammar mistakes, an amateurish design or a contact form without a legitimate address, email and/or phone number, then proceed with caution.
- Do your homework. Browse before you buy. Find the products in stores before shopping online so you know exactly what an authentic item looks like. With apparel and accessories, become familiar with logo placement, stitching, country of origin and hardware on the pieces you know are legitimate. You will be better prepared to spot a fake.
- If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. A few dollars difference is just good bargain hunting, considerable difference in price means you're probably not getting the real deal.
- Be wary of online auction sites. If the seller is only showing a stock image of the product and no actual photos they have taken, it is most likely a scam. Also look out for the words "factory seconds." For many designers, factory seconds don't exist because they destroy those products that don't match up to the brand's standards.
- Search engines are your friend: See what people are saying about the website by searching the name of the website along with the words "scam" or "review." If other people are skeptical, you should be too. Also check on the site for a padlock image. This usually indicates the site is verified and secure for safe credit card transactions.
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how to spot a fake
how to spot a fakeFor more ways to shop safely online and prevent counterfeiting, check out Harper Bazaar's Fakes are never in Fashion campaign
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