Consumer Alerts - February 2009:

Be careful when you transact online or with foreign vendors (Published in C@sebites Issue 123, 9 February 2009)

CASE would like to urge consumers to exercise caution when carrying out transactions online or with foreign vendors. Consumers transacting with online particularly on foreign websites have complained that they are unable to seek redress, as they could not locate the vendors. As far as possible, consumers should transact with reliable sources such as TrustSg sites. 

CASE would like to offer the following tips:

• Do research to know more about the suppliers before making any purchases.

• As far as possible, consumers should deal with registered businesses or businesses that are certified to be trustworthy to minimise risks associated with online shopping. Checks should be done to ensure that a business is registered by using the online directory on the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) website: www.acra.gov.sg.

• Take note of contact details of the sellers or spree organisers and suppliers on their websites. Under the anti spam law, businesses advertising on the web need to post a contactable physical address on their website.

• In cases whereby bulky items such as bags are purchased from blogs, rather than paying full amount at the point of ordering the items, request for a meet-up to receive the items and pay the remaining amount after receiving the goods.

• Consumers are advised to transact with accredited sites - sites that show the “TrustSg” Trustmark or CaseTrust Trustmark; these businesses are assessed to have met a set of required standard to protect consumer’s interest.