Beware: Online Scams Are Thriving

[webfact]

Beware: online scams are thriving

The Nation

BANGKOK: - These days, anyone can buy or sell almost anything over social media.

But there are fraudsters out there who hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to rip off shoppers.

There is nothing wrong about erring on the side of caution when shopping on social networks. Complaints have been growing with the most common problem being unfulfilled orders.

A woman called her Facebook account Luknam Plus. She posted photos of stylish high heel shoes and offered big sizes. She lured many customers but never sent any goods to those who transferred their money.

Another case involved a man calling himself Charnyuth Kaewsawang.

He offered IT products such as iPads and notebooks at below market prices. He pretended to ship products to customers by going to the post office. All he has sent so far are empty boxes, as he wants to get EMS tracking numbers to calm down and silence shoppers.

Leading online site Dealfish.com, which sells a wide range of products from property and IT furniture, has one section dedicated to online shopping scams. It is worth visiting as it lists all the cheating accounts and real names.

But first things first, precautions are needed when shopping online, as Dealfish.com suggests.

Before making any purchase, a buyer must ask detailed information about a seller. It is best to get all contact details including address, telephone number, email address and even ID card number. It is also useful to get them in both Thai and English so you can try Googling them to check the record of the seller.

If you need to transfer money first, it is even more crucial to get all the information on the seller and check if such an identity exists.

If a seller claims to also run a shop, you must get the phone number of the shop and even better the trade registration number or any related information to confirm its existence.

The last suggestion of Dealfish.com sounds illogical but true. Whatever you do reduces the risk of getting conned. There is no way to give you a 100-per-cent guarantee of not becoming a victim.

-- The Nation 2012-07-30

[BookMan]

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

[lothda]

Use Amazon or eBay/PayPal. If you can't buy it there, forget it.

[scorecard]

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

My knowledge about payPal is zero.

Why do people suggest it's safer? Surely there is still the possibility that the 'seller' is a fraud and will send an empty box or send nothing.

Thanks.

[edwinclapham]

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

Strange that it may seem Bookman, whilst ordering a few crates of wine through Bigpond a few months back, they appear to act as the middle man.... the end supplier (which remains nameless) extracted mone

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

My knowledge about payPal is zero.

Why do people suggest it's safer? Surely there is still the possibility that the 'seller' is a fraud and will send an empty box or send nothing.

Thanks.

I have had several scams, one of which was a phone unlocking service for a Blackberry (UK) and another a well known company in Oz who purported to have sent me some boxes of wine.. all paid for via Paypal.. I was most impressed.. within hours they opened an "issue file" and monies were reimbursed back to me within days.

[happysanook]

PayPal is great for buyers. Can be tough to be a seller with PayPal though, because it's so easy for the buyer to say item wasn't as described, or whatever other story they want to make up and the buyer almost always wins. (eg, the customer is always right)

Edited July 30, 2012 by happysanook

[KarstenBoAndersen]

Here is another one, i have an ad on ThaiVisa for a second hand lawnmover, and then one answer from UK !!!

"

am located in the united kingdom

am having the following types of lawnmower Cylinder or reel mowers Rotary mowers

Note:shipping fee should be made before shipment then payment of item will be upon dispatch (hand to hand delivery) if interested contact me

thanks

Mrs Alice HUGHES

+447035949931"

Why the hell should i be intereste to buy a lawnmover from UK where the shipping cost would be several times the cost of the mover !!

Use international credit cards, as if you not get your goods, you just tell the credit card company and they have to return you the money !

[Hamlet07]

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

Yes-- Pay Pal is excellent, and will help sort out Item disputes rather efficiently..... Edited July 31, 2012 by metisdead
: Please use black font when posting.

[Hamlet07]

PayPal is great for buyers. Can be tough to be a seller with PayPal though, because it's so easy for the buyer to say item wasn't as described, or whatever other story they want to make up and the buyer almost always wins. (eg, the customer is always right)

But --Seller does have right of reply and Edited July 31, 2012 by metisdead
: Please use black font when posting.

[EarthAlien]

The problem with Thais that sell online,... and I include many websites that have been around for 10 years,.. is that they still rely on Web 1.0 technology (just look at their crappy sites with all the wide screen layouts and flashing banners etc).

They insist on using the old method of getting the buyer to go to the bank to deposit the funds and then call the merchant up to confirm. It is so 1990's its ridiculous.

I told my wife not to encourage them by making purchases and playing along with their stupid ways. Some even insist on C.O.D which means withdrawing cash and then having to go all the way to the post office to collect.

I run several online commercial sites and we use PayPal and 2Checkout and they work great.

I asked my wife why these merchants dont get smart and start using PayPal. Her response was... "too hard for the Thai people to understand. Everybody uses old system".

To add to that,.. there's the moronic situation of seeing something online and ordering it,.. only to be sent email by the seller "sorry.. out of stock" > this goes on until you're lucky enough to choose something in stock (often several items (and days) later). All of which could be avoided by a simple inventory php script or decent shopping cart attached to the site).

Sorry if I ranted a little,... thought it may add perspective

Bottom line... when buying online be careful to whom you send your money as you may not get it back or get the product that you paid for.

[BookMan]

This is where payPal is good to pay with. You know you have protection against scams.

My knowledge about payPal is zero.

Why do people suggest it's safer? Surely there is still the possibility that the 'seller' is a fraud and will send an empty box or send nothing.

Thanks.

PayPal is safer because they offer fraud protection., If you don't get your goods from the seller you can put in a claim against them with paypal.

You can transfer money to your paypal account from your own nominated bank account, or you can use your credit card and pay though paypal. Very easy to do.

Paypal ultimately makes sellers responsible for the delivery of goods and requires them to show proof of delivery in disputed cases.

There are downside to paypal, mainly from the sellers perspective.

[kiniyow]

Many Many safeguards in Place using Paypal......The creator of this program has gotten very rich...I have used it for Years and never once been ripped off...

[Screws]

Use Amazon or eBay/PayPal. If you can't buy it there, forget it.

Sometimes payple is the scam. Wait till they lock your account for 180 days - no correspondence will be entered.

[jaysun]

The problem with Thais that sell online,... and I include many websites that have been around for 10 years,.. is that they still rely on Web 1.0 technology (just look at their crappy sites with all the wide screen layouts and flashing banners etc).

They insist on using the old method of getting the buyer to go to the bank to deposit the funds and then call the merchant up to confirm. It is so 1990's its ridiculous.

I told my wife not to encourage them by making purchases and playing along with their stupid ways. Some even insist on C.O.D which means withdrawing cash and then having to go all the way to the post office to collect.

I run several online commercial sites and we use PayPal and 2Checkout and they work great.

I asked my wife why these merchants dont get smart and start using PayPal. Her response was... "too hard for the Thai people to understand. Everybody uses old system".

To add to that,.. there's the moronic situation of seeing something online and ordering it,.. only to be sent email by the seller "sorry.. out of stock" > this goes on until you're lucky enough to choose something in stock (often several items (and days) later). All of which could be avoided by a simple inventory php script or decent shopping cart attached to the site).

Sorry if I ranted a little,... thought it may add perspective

Bottom line... when buying online be careful to whom you send your money as you may not get it back or get the product that you paid for.

++ this

my favorite online store has fantastic prices, stock, and fast delivery... but they ONLY accept payment in cash or bank transfer to BKB! what kind of web store supports that in 2012?!?!? I actually complained and they said credit card processing hasn't shown enough interest :/

[Berkshire]

Best to just not buy anything online and avoid all this nonsense.

[ozzydave]

Use Amazon or eBay/PayPal. If you can't buy it there, forget it.

Sometimes payple is the scam. Wait till they lock your account for 180 days - no correspondence will be entered.

Yes for sellers it sucks - as you are always having to justify you have done the correct thing, but the buyer can make any accusation they like.

Advice for sellers, keep bugger all money in the account - make sure there is no overdraft capability!

Advice for buy, lodge a dispute if the item is not in in your hands in 30 days, and the moment there is a problem.

The 180 day account lock can stuff your online business- make sure you have an alternative online payment system.