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WITH the
advent of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in the
country, online shopping has slowly made its way to the
Filipino buying culture. Today, more and more
Internet-savvy consumers are stepping into “virtual
retail outlets” to find a vast collection of products,
ranging from the simple to novelty, or from cheap to
classy.
With
this, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) urges
consumers to continue their vigilance over electronic
transactions after the practice boomed over the past
years, as evidenced in the increasing number of
consumers that are buying goods and services online.
While
the convenience of online shopping should be
appreciated, there are still certain risks to this kind
of transaction, particularly the risk of being duped by
identity theft and other Internet-related scams.
Since
online shopping involves keying in sensitive information
such as bank-account numbers and passwords, it is still
better to be very wary than learn that virtual thieves
have disappeared with your money.
Thus,
the DTI shares some tips for consumers to remember in
order to avoid being victims of online scams:
1. Never
enter any account or identification number without
initially checking if the web site is secure.
§
Look for
a closed minipadlock displayed at the bottom of your
Internet browser. If there is none, or if the lock is
open, don’t risk it. Just leave the web site and look
for another.
§
The web
site address at the top of the screen should start with
https:// instead of the usual http://.
§
Beware
of unprofessional looking or poorly designed web sites.
2. Avoid
web sites that do not provide adequate information.
§
This
includes terms of warranty, return or refund; merchant’s
full address and contact numbers; shipping fees and
delivery charges.
§
Always
read the privacy and security policies to learn how a
merchant processes your order.
§
If there
is any, go over the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
list.
3.
Refrain from providing irrelevant personal data such as
your Social Security Number, annual income and hobbies.
In online transaction forms, blanks necessary to be
filled out are often marked with a red asterisk.
4. Most
legitimate web sites can be accessed only by its
members, which means one can sign in and enter only with
a user name and password. When choosing a password,
avoid birthdates, nicknames and other publicly known
information. As much as possible, never reveal your
password to anyone.
5. If it
is too good to be true, it probably is. Some web sites
may offer counterfeit, substandard or used products
while others may trick you into falling for a scam.
Thus, be wary of overstated claims, suspicious
promotional offers and unusually low pricing. If in
doubt, contact the merchant or manufacturer.
6. Not
all people can afford to own a credit card. But when
shopping online, paying by this mode is much safer.
Remember to document your transactions by keeping
printed copies of the confirmation message. This usually
states customer information, item description and
quantity, total cost and confirmation number.
Meanwhile, the DTI assures consumers that online
transactions are also covered by the Consumer Act of the
Philippines (RA 7394) through provisions of the
E-Commerce Act (RA 8792) of 2000.
RA 8792
Section 33 (c) states that “violations of the Consumer
Act and other relevant or pertinent laws through
transactions covered by or using electronic data
messages or electronic documents, shall be penalized
with the same penalties as provided in those laws.”
 The
trade department further reminds online sellers that the
Consumer Act protects the public against deceptive,
unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices. The
law also requires businesses to provide sufficient
information and education to facilitate sound choice and
the proper exercise of rights by the consumers.
Furthermore, the DTI urges online selling companies to
have adequate means of redress in the form of a
complaint-handling mechanism so that complaints are
immediately and effectively addressed. |
