Chinese scammers in particular have been known to claim that they can offer super-low prices on brand-name merchandise because these products are usually manufactured in China and they can get special deals. Not true. All genuine products sold through authorized resellers are subject to worldwide pricing restrictions. Don’t get tricked into thinking you can buy iPhones or other authentic branded products at deep discounts.
Mistake #2: Paying a stranger through Western Union M oney T ransfer, MoneyGram or a wire transfer to a personal b ank a ccount. Scammers love Western Union and similar international services because proof of identity is not required to collect the cash, and buyers have no recourse if merchandise is not delivered--your money is just gone, and so is the thief. Any business that insists upon being paid only through Western Union is very likely crooked. Transferring money to a personal b ank a ccount, not to a commercial b ank a ccount, is also risky.
Mistake #3: Assuming a seller you have never done business with before is reputable. Just because a company has a professional-looking website or has set up shop in an online marketplace like Alibaba.com doesn't automatically make them legitimate. It's just good business sense to conduct due diligence when dealing with an unfamiliar supplier. Conduct a Google search for signs of bad business behavior by your potential partner, ask for bank references, call overseas to have a live conversation, use a product inspection service like this one at Alibaba.com --these are just some of the recommended moves buyers can make when dealing with a stranger.
- Credit : www.alizila.com