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High discounts, non-existent goods: fake stores spoil Christmas
It actually sounds too good: a 50 percent discount on exactly the gift that was missing for Christmas. If it sounds too good to be true, it really is, warns Joachim Leitner from the consumer arbitration service. Fake webshops lure customers with immorally high discounts.
Consumers usually don’t see the goods they ordered and paid for. Or only worthless plastic scrap instead of the product that was promised. Extreme caution is required, especially in the Christmas and subsequent exchange businesses.
The “Watchlist Internet” gives tips on how to store safely. For example, the price should be questioned before making a purchase, and the store’s reviews should be read online. Trustworthy stores always have an imprint with contact details. The spelling of the Internet address of the fake store, which often looks deceptively similar to the original, also indicates that it is a fake.
Leitner strongly advises against paying in advance for unknown stores. In fraud cases, a payment can be reversed via a credit card.
