We are not going to talk about a certain festive period. And we are definitely not discussing the man with the red suit. However, whether we like it or not, we’re all going to be shopping a lot more between now and the end of December.

Sitting on the sofa and ordering from Amazon is for many a much more attractive option than facing busy shops. Whatever time of year you hit the “buy now” button, though, shopping on a dodgy website can lead to disaster.

Landing on those con-artist websites is easier than ever. According to the European Consumer Centre (ECC), one in two people in Ireland shops online, resulting in 1.9m e-shoppers. And because of smart phones, we can order a new pair of shoes and enter a binding contract while watching the six o’clock news.

Smartphone Shopping not so Smart

Shopping on your smartphone comes with a word of warning says Ann Neville, director of the European Consumer Centre in Ireland: “With a smaller screen on your phone, it can be harder to read the terms and conditions associated with shopping online. Also there are issues surrounding security.

Being on the go with smart phones means you could be connected to public wifi and it is not recommended to enter your credit or debit card details on these networks

“If you’re shopping on your PC at home, you’re more than likely on your private home wifi connection. Being on the go with smart phones means you could be connected to public wifi and it is not recommended to enter your credit or debit card details on these networks. It is an insecure transaction,” she advises.

In fact, your laptop is a better portal to do some background research on the company you are ordering from. Ann says: “Many people know when shopping online to stick with the retailers and brands you are familiar with. The problem is though that hoax websites are frequently being set up, posing as those well-known brands. For example, in recent years, people have been caught out by websites pretending to be that of Ugg boots.”

A Little Research

So what can you do to make sure you’re on the authentic site? “It requires just a little bit of research, but this additional time could save you a lot of money in the long term. Google ‘Who Is’ and a few website options such as www.whois.net will help. These will give you the opportunity to type the web address of the site and you will see, for example, the details provided by the registrant and the date of registration,” Ann suggests.

“Often these con websites are set up for short periods of time and once money has changed hands, they will shut down again fast. So check when the website was registered.”

So for example, the Ugg boots site has been a registered company since the 1980s. Should you find the website you are shopping on was only registered in the past few weeks or months, you know it’s a con and stay well away.

Contact Us

It’s also worth taking a look at the website’s “contact us” page. Ann says: “Legally, traders must have a postal address and provide their full name and contact details to shoppers. This should be easy to find on the website and ideally should include a landline phone number. Mobile phones are simply too easy to discard.

One important thing to note when checking the address is where the company is registered

“If you’re having trouble finding the company’s contact details, this should start raising some red flags. Also watch out for simple tricks that scammers employ. For example, the ‘contact us’ link may be very easy to find but it might only lead to a ‘contact us’ form that you must fill out. If you scroll down and don’t see any other contact information, then it’s time to start getting suspicious.”

One important thing to note when checking the address is where the company is registered, because if it’s outside the EU – whether it is a genuine website or not – you may be liable to pay more costs than you first anticipate.

Furthermore, if something goes wrong, it is much easier to enforce your legal rights if the website is registered in Europe. Ann says: “Additional costs and charges, such as customs duty, will not be reflected on the website and you will only find out you are liable to pay these charges after they have taken the money out of your account.

“So buying directly from the US or China might appear like a good deal, but it isn’t always the case. When buying from a European trader, it will include the full taxes and charges and they must be very transparent in terms of delivery charges,” she says.

The Power of Plastic

Finally, when it comes to payment, make sure to use a secure form of payment, such as a credit or debit card. “If something goes wrong, you can always contact your bank and request a charge back. This is very useful in cases of non-delivery, for example.

“Run a mile from a website that asks for money transfer. It might sound tempting if the company is offering 20% off if you pay by money transfer, but once that money leaves your account, it’s gone. Even companies like Western Union have fraud warnings saying not to use their services with anybody you don’t know. The purpose of their company is to wire money between family and friends.” CL