Chistmas e-fraud

Don’t Go Christmas Crackers

Austerity Britain shops online but falls prey to e-fraud
Police clamp down on 2000 fraudulent e-tailors*
17 per cent of consumers have been ripped off online
192.com urge caution ahead of online Christmas shopping bonanza

Identity-checking website 192.com is urging shoppers to background check e-traders during the UK’s 7 billion-pound online Christmas shopping spree.

According to the IMRG, the trade association for online retailers, £7.75 billion will be spent by shoppers in the weeks prior to Christmas, signaling a 14 per cent rise in festive online spending.¹

The IMRG’s prediction is echoed by the Centre of Retail Research and Kelkoo.co.uk who say UK families will spend a quarter of their Christmas budget online; totaling $13.4 billion, up 16% from last year. ²

Dominic Blackburn, Product Director of 192.com said: "It’s easy to get carried away in the Christmas rush, but if legitimate e-retailers are going to be busy, then so will fraudsters.

"If you’re buying from members of the public or from small businesses, we urge you check out their validity as businesses or their identity as individuals – and the best way of doing that is by confirming their address. If their address cannot be found there is reason to question their authenticity."

192.com’s warning came as penny pinching Brits-flock online to save money. According to Gumtree, the UKs leading small adds website, the number of second-hand goods for sale on the site has risen 56 per cent in a year to more than 1.6 million items.³

"Online auction and classified sites are also open to abuse, which is worrying when people seek to cut their Christmas spend by chasing bargains. Our own research shows that 17 per cent on consumers have been ripped off online 4, so it’s so important to carry out the appropriate checks.

Last Christmas online auction sites Ebay enjoyed a bumper Christmas, as shoppers raced to the site to save money, with 5 million logging on over the Christmas Period. 5

This year the popularity of Ebay is expected to increase with the site revising its mobile sales estimates from $4billion worldwide sales to nearly $5billion this year.6

192.com’s findings were echoed by a recent Police crackdown on fake online retailers, shutting down 2000 fraudulent e-tailers, 200 more than last year.

"Online shoppers must be aware with whom they are transacting at all times, and 192.com database is designed to help you spot a fake name, website or questionable business," he added.

Background checking with 192.com:

If you’re transacting with an individual, verify a seller’s name and address: 192.com’s free directory enquiries and millions of records on the Edited Electoral Roll will verify their contact details - something fraudsters are keen to hide.
If you’re transacting with a business, use the 192.com business finder to access to company credit reports, and third party web references. Check out a UK company credit report on 192.com you can see if there have been county-court judgements against that business – useful to know if you’re about to hand over money.
Access Company and Director reports to know more about the people behind the brand
Not sure if you’re dealing with a business or individual? Utilise 192.com’s search capability to pinpoint where they are, and what they do.
Use 192business to provide solutions to help business users.

-Ends-

Contact

Alexander Clare

PR Executive, 192.com

0207 909 2151

192.com http://www.192.com/ is the UK's most awarded online directory, helping find people, businesses and places for eight million users every month. On 192.com, users can search almost 700 million records including free directory enquiries, edited electoral roll information, local business records, interactive mapping, aerial photography and property reports.

Sources

¹ http://www.internetretailing.net/2011/11/uk-shoppers-will-spend-more-than-7bn-online-this-christmas-research/

http://www.imrg.org/ImrgWebsite/User/Pages/UKInternational.aspx?pageID=149&isHomePage=false&isDetailData=false&itemID=0&pageTemplate=14&isAllRecords=true&specificPageType=0&isArchiveData=False&parentPageID=158

² http://press.kelkoo.co.uk/busiest-online-da.html

³ http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/284161/Second-hand-Britain-is-booming

4192.com survey, July 23 – July 28, 2010: Conducted by One Poll, who surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,500 people.

5http://tamebay.com/2010/12/ebay-uk-breaks-all-records-for-christmas-sales.html

6 http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1103957/Online-Christmas-sales-forecast-rise-14-775bn/

*BBC News website, technology page: http://snip.it/s/on7