If you are in the market for beautiful jewelry, it is most likely that you intend buying online. The Internet has revolutionized modern shopping habits through the ease of buying and convenience. It is possible to buy and select dazzling diamond eternity rings from the comfort of your home or office. Better still, shopping for jewelry online saves you money and you get the opportunity to choose an item from collections that exceed the variety that any local jewelry dealer could provide. However, despite all this, there is still a big risk of losing money by falling prey to online fraud and jewelry scams. This article explores what you need to do to avoid falling prey to scams while buying jewelry online. Read on to learn more.
1. Appreciate the Risks Involved
Shopping online is convenient. This is one reason that explains why everyone is doing it today. However, it is also fraught with risk. Governments have not managed to curb online fraud. When buying jewelry, you need to appreciate the risks involved and take precautionary measures. For a start, your personal information and financial details are at risk when you make a transaction online. Keeping this in mind, you should only transact with a jewelry store that has security precautions including the encryption of protect customer information set in place.
2. Buy Jewelry from a reputable Dealer
A quick search for jewelry online will give you millions of results, some with incredible offers. Unscrupulous jewelry dealers know that shoppers are looking for the best deals. So, they dangle irresistible offers to trap jewelry buyers.
In the end, many buyers end up losing money by engaging in deals that are too good to be true. To avoid being swindled in this way, make sure you only buy your jewelry from a reputable dealer. To find such dealers, read reviews, seek referrals and recommendations, check the local BBB for any complaints and assess their website to determine how credible they look.
3. Don’t Click On Fishy Links When Buying
Online frauds mostly take place because you allow the fraudsters into your computer where they can access your information. When shopping for jewelry, you should avoid clicking on pop up links while making transactions. If you find a link thanking you for a purchase you have not made, avoid clicking on it because this is a phishing scam to get your personal details or financial information.
4. Prepaid Credit Cards And Mobile Payment Options
Identify theft is a major problem while shopping online. You have to remember this every time you shop online. Millions of people have lost money through identity theft and it all starts with a poor choice of payment method. Digital payment options such as Google Wallet and prepaid cards are safer than bank transfers are.
5. Choose An Unbreakable Password
Most jewelry lovers do not give a lot of thought to their choice of passwords. If you have chosen the easiest set of numbers or your date of birth as your password, you are at risk of online fraud. Whenever you open a new online account when shopping, email or social media account, make sure you take the time to select a complex, unique but easy to remember password. Remember your email carries a lot of sensitive information, including bank statements and if anyone can hack into it, you are in a lot of trouble.
6. Shop From Secured Jewelry Stores
You must protect yourself from fraud. While there seems to be no imminent danger, you only need to listen to people who have lost their entire life savings to understand that scam and fraud is a reality that can hit anyone. One of the most important precautionary measures you can take is to always to check whether the site is secure. Confirm whether the online store’s website is an HTTP or HTTPS. All information you enter on a website that use HTTPS is encrypted and protected from interception or eavesdropping by hackers or other fraudsters. More importantly, you should check whether the company’s name is in the URL, which is a sign of credibility.
7. Shop From Reliable E-commerce Stores
Major signs of a fraudulent website include poor web design, lack of details like their contact information and address, poor speeds and lack of reliability. The website is set up for the sole reason of defrauding buyers, after which it ceases to exist. If you cannot find any reviews or recommendations about an online jewelry store and there is no customer support, you should not attempt to buy from it.
8. When the Deal is Too Good, Think Twice
Many jewelry lovers have lost money to online fraud and it always has something to do with good deals. When shopping online, you should remember the maxim “when the deal is too good, think twice”. Although it is true that online jewelry stores offer lower prices and great discounts, if you find that the price of a diamond or other precious jewelry is too low, it is most probably a scam.
9. Read the Fine Print
The excitement of finding your dream diamond ring could make you throw caution to their air. You might not read the fine print in the return policy or other policies on the retailer’s website. If you find that the item you paid for is a fake, you will lose your money if the dealer’s policy does not accept returns. Take time to read all the details of jewelry purchase.
10. Verify Orders
When buying jewelry online, you can protect yourself from fraud by verifying the order. Start by checking the shipping address of the seller on Google Maps to verify if it exists. Next, call the number provided on their website and check the seller’s IP address to verify their location.
With the right efforts, it is possible to protect yourself from almost all online scams while buying jewelry. Paying attention to the points listed above could help you remain safe and give you peace of mind. Remember ‘when the deal is too good, think twice’.