PURCHASE SCAMS
As an online buyer, it is your responsibility to be vigilant and aware of the tricks used by fraudsters to engage in online shopping scams.  These fraudsters make a false representation with the purpose of not providing the product or service, knowing that their representation is misleading to steal somebody’s money.
What Can you do to protect yourself?
1.    Explore websites to determine fair or competitive prices for similar goods in the same condition.
2.    Ensure the website you're purchasing from is genuine by typing the address directly and verifying the spelling to avoid fake or copycat sites.
3.    Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, as they may be fake.
4.    Check the seller or buyer's selling history and look for suspicious patterns, such as recently created accounts with numerous similar positive reviews.
5.    If no recommended payment method is available, prefer using credit cards or reputable third-party payment providers over direct bank transfers.
6.    Regularly monitor your bank statements or online accounts for any unauthorised transactions.
Useful sites
Action Fraud
The UK’s national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre.  Providing a central point of contact for information about fraud and cyber-crime. Call 0300 123 2040.
(Source- Metropolitan Police)
STAY ALERT, STAY SAFE!
If you need support, contact us at 0800 532 532 or email us at customerservices.sbiuk@statebank.com