Shopping and Using Auction WebsitesBefore shopping and using auction websites:
* Do your business with the largest, most established online auction services. They are more likely to have invested their money and reputation in services to protect buyers and sellers, and to have established orderly procedures for resolving disputes.
* Use CREDIT CARDS, not checks or money orders, so that failed purchases may be disputed.
* Give your credit card number only after you have thoroughly checked the business or auction seller through multiple sources—not just the Internet—and have verified a physical "brick and mortar" address as well as a telephone number.
* If unavailable, check the website's homepage for reference to the Internet Service Provider (ISP), the business that "hosts" the website. If the seller does not accept credit cards, consider PayPal, Western Union, or other online payment services.
Use every "consumer protection" service offered by the website business or auction. These include escrow, insurance, authentication services for collectibles and verification and rating of auction participants. The extra cost charged for some of these services is well worth it!
- Do your homework. Be sure you understand what you're bidding on, its approximate value and all terms and conditions of the sale, including the seller's return policies and who pays for the shipping.
- Establish your top price and stick to it.
- Check comments made on sites by previous buyers and make sure to get the seller's name, address and telephone number. Verify this information through an online telephone directory.
- Don't bid on an item you don't intend to buy. Remember that if you are the highest bidder, you are obligated to follow through with the transaction.
- When bidding, don't give out personal information like your Social Security number, driver's license number or bank account.
- Save all your transaction information.
Before Children and Teens Go OnlineUse filtering software,which can be downloaded from many ISP's for free, in order to screen out adult content, hate speech and other objectionable material. Filtering software may also be purchased.
Find out where they go, by viewing your internet browser's history. Information that is tracked includes the title of the Web page, the website address, the time the site was visited and the number of times it was visited.
Keep tabs on their "virtual friends."Ask your child about their use of free e-mail and instant messages, two ways that children communicate with their friends privately, outside the scrutiny of the family's household e-mail address. Make sure that their e-mail and screen names bear no resemblance to the family e-mail address or to their names. Their personal profile, which may be viewed by strangers, should be left blank. Ask to see a list of the child's message "buddies," and find out with whom your child communicates.
Raise a smart consumer. Children should learn that private information they leave at a website when registering, entering contests and completing surveys might be used to help businesses sell more products to children like themselves. Along with your child, learn about the products promoted by the website offering free e-mail, as well as the website's privacy policy.
Spot a Problem?
Begin by sending a complaint to the offending website, but don't stop there. Contact the website's ISP, often identified at the bottom of the homepage, as well as your own ISP company. Report website and auction credit card fraud to your credit card company. You may also wish to contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report potential legal violations. The FTC's Web site is, www.ftc.gov, or you can call them toll free at: 877-382-4357.
If you suspect deception or fraud in your dealings with individuals and businesses on the Internet, please call the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs at 732-929-2105. Or you many write to the Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 45025, Newark, New Jersey 07101 or you can call 973-504-6200, or if outside New Jersey, 800-242-5846, and ask for a complaint form. You may download a complaint form at: https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Pages/File-a-Complaint-old.aspx.
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