When it comes to buying parts online, it can be very hard to tell the difference between a good deal and a scam. Follow our tips and let us help you avoid getting scammed!
1. Get to Know the Company and its Website!
Avoid getting scammed online by making sure the company you are choosing to buy from is reliable. Make sure that you spend some time doing research if you haven’t ordered from that company and its site before.
2. Research, Research, Research!
This tip is very important. Make sure you do your research on the company and the products they offer. Make sure to research where the company manufactures their parts and where they will be sending them from. Look at all of the available reviews for the products and the company so you’re well informed.
3. Compare Prices!
Compare prices for the same products on different sites. Look at similar car parts and what different companies offer. If the prices on the website you choose to order from are significantly lower, it may mean you are either getting scammed or the parts aren’t good quality. Try to keep this in mind when ordering all parts, but especially for important parts, such as brakes. If a website is offering certain car parts at very low prices, that may be a red flag (selling damaged parts, trying to take your credit card information, etc.).
4. Return Policy!
Make sure that you are well aware of the company’s return policy and whether they offer a full refund.
5. Ask Questions!
When in doubt, ask questions. If a red flag (or two) pops up for you, send an email to the company. Ask as many questions as you’d like and see the kind of response you get back. If the answers are detailed and well explained, you probably have nothing to worry about. However, if no one gets back to you 5-7 business days, or even at all, that may be a red flag. Similarly, if someone does get back to you but doesn’t answer your questions well, redirects your questions, or pressures you to make an instant purchase, it may be a scam.
6. Never Give your Personal Information by Phone or Email!
This one is fairly self-explanatory. Unless you’re absolutely certain of the person on the other end of an email or phone call, don’t hand over your Visa number or banking information.
7. Know that Wiring Money is like Sending Cash!
A huge giveaway that something is a scam is if someone insists that you wire money. This is done because it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace the money.
8. Read your Monthly Statements!
Scammers steal account information and then run up charges in your name. If you see charges you didn’t authorize, or additional charges after you placed an order for your parts, contact your bank, card issuer, or other creditor immediately.
9.Communicate with Friends and Family!
Another tip on how to avoid getting scammed is to communicate with your friends and family. Check with them and ask for a second opinion. Maybe your friends and family have ordered from that particular site before, or even heard things about it. Check with them to see if they know of any suspicious occurrences– maybe they’ve heard about sketchy practices or have been previously scammed.
10- Exercise Good Judgment and Use Common Sense!
Lastly, and most importantly, use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
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