HK consumer watchdog offers tips amid surge in

Hong Kong’s purchaser watchdog has delivered many guidelines for citizens on avoiding on the net procuring ripoffs as the variety of online purchasing cons surged together with the climbing trend of HongKongers turning to on the web retailers or second-hand merchandise buying and selling platforms.

According to figures cited by Consumer Council, the amount of on-line procuring ripoffs has amplified sharply from 2,187 in 2018 to 8,135 in 2022. In reaction to the soaring pattern of on-line browsing scams, the Consumer Council has provided some tips in its hottest problem of Selection Magazine, ensuring that citizens can prevent falling sufferer to frauds. 

For starters, the watchdog advised consumers to carry out a background check out on the suppliers they are getting from, which includes when the online shops to start with sign up for the social media platforms and whether they retain altering names on individuals platforms. “Consumer should really spend further consideration if some merchants claim that they are a area shop even though their administrators located overseas,” the statement read through.

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Also, Consumer Council explained that buyers need to be excess conscious of outlets that are obtaining all constructive opinions and replies in foreign languages. Buyers are also reminded that employing the serious-title registration programme of FPS method for payment doesn’t assurance protection, as other abroad identity files apart from Hong Kong Id Card are also recognized when registering the method.

Consumer Council has also inspired shoppers to enter facts this sort of as the shop’s identify, mobile phone quantities and bank account, into police’s Scameter on CyberDefender.hk (防騙視伏器) before finalising payment to assess the dangers. Meanwhile, sellers really should generally verify their readily available harmony in their financial institution account to guarantee they have been paid out just before delivery the merchandise to customers and avert sellers from staying faked by potential buyers utilizing a blank cheque or a bogus check out and deposit slip.

Credit rating: Shopper Council

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