There are too many scams out there that can eat up your money, information, and time. There are some tips you need to remember when dealing things online. The same things holds true for online as it does for offline. If it sounds to good to be true it most likely is.
There is a place I go to check companies out you can also use search engines and type scam and the name of the company. If someone has been ripped off or has a negative complaint you can find it there.
One place to go is ripoffreport.com. They have information on hundreds of so called companies and complaints. They also give you some suggestions if you happen to fall prey to one of them. They are by no means any legal representation they are just a consumer advocate site.They are there to warn each and every one of us of companies who do not play by the rules.
You can also check with your Better Business Bureau and see if they have any complaints. You can access the Better Business Bureau online for those online companies. They do their best to keep the site up to date with information.
Another source if you happen to fall victim to a company is to contact your local state Attorney Generals office. There is a form that they will send you to fill out.
If you paid for something with a debit card or credit card you can contact your bank or credit card company. As far as a bank you must fill out a form as well. The credit card company will ask you to submit a request in writing.
Unfortunately, these processes are not immediate and you have to wait for them to research it and answer your requests. It can take 10 days to 2 months in some cases. Your bank or credit card company can give you an estimated time but it can take longer. Remember, that the days it takes is business days not weekends usually.
To keep things from happening to you do your research first do not get into a hurry of giving out your information too quickly. It pays to be cautious when dealing with companies you have not heard of.
Make sure that companies offer some type of guarantee. Although, some companies will not honor their guarantee. Make sure you read the fine print.
No matter how cautious you are everyone has fallen victim to scams one time or another. Its just not to allow it to happen to you all time. A little research and thought will keep it from happening all too frequently.
