Today, consumer experts warned: don't turn online shopping into an online scam!
The government and the Better Business Bureau received thousands of complaints this year from people who were tricked into paying hefty monthly charges after supposedly signing up for a free trial.
We’ll tell you what you need to know to avoid becoming a victim.
Visa did a survey and found almost one in three consumers have been tricked into buying something they thought was free.
You're shopping online and see the magic words: "free trial!"
But read on: It's in the fine print, hidden behind poorly-labeled links.
"Legitimate marketers don't hide critical information," said David Vladeck with the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection.
And it's in small boxes that the company checks for you, getting your consent to charge your credit card every month. It's called "negative option billing."
"If there are pre-checked boxes, that' a danger sign something is wrong," Vladeck said.
Visa's on the lookout, and is punishing those merchants.
"We've removed more than 100 merchants from the Visa system," said William Sheedy with Visa.
Here's what you can do:
Check your merchant's record with the Better Business Bureau before you buy. They've got 4 million reports online.
"They should have a letter rating: A+ through F,” said Steve Salter BBB. “If they have a bad rating, if they have a bad record with the BBB -- be very, very careful about using them."
Read the fine print. Look for pre-checked boxes.
Review your credit card statement.
And if you are billed for something you didn't buy - fight it.
The government says contact the company first, then your credit card issuer -- most will reverse the charge while they investigate.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement