3 great tips on how to spot an online purchasing scam

With a growing population of people having internet access worldwide, there are a lot of businesses outsourced from the World Wide Web. Online shops sprout left and right because of easy access and an almost free platform, but limits in security are present. If ever you plan to buy or sell through online shops and identities, a professional collector in the field shared some tips on spotting fake buyers/sellers on the net.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - According to Larry Mitchell, there are three simple ways to considering a client via the internet. As a professional collector, who has been making deals both on and offline, he has knowledge on actions that raise suspicion over a transaction.

First, if your buyer puts out the idea to look at the item in person, because of any reason, be warned. The thing is when the person interested is someone you haven't met, chances are they aren't sending you the payment once you ship the item off.

This is almost the same risk you will make if the seller won't let you see the item you are interested in purchasing in person; the second warning tip Mitchell shared through WCPO-TV. A lot of people have been scammed through these methods, because the person or product do not actually exist.

The third tip is when the buyer sends you a check for the item. Sure, it's easy to encash within a bank, if it was funded. Many scam transactions make use of this strategy, issuing "bouncing checks" to unsuspecting party.

Mitchell explained that most scammers use fake email addresses, almost identical to those people often receive from sites like PayPal or eBay in luring valuable personal data like debit and/or credit card information. Be sure to check the sites' guidelines before proceeding into any deal.

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