Warning over dodgy goods up for sale
Internet shopping can be a problem
As the last frantic weeks of Christmas shopping get under way West Lothian’s Trading Standards officers are warning shoppers to be on their guard against dodgy and potentially dangerous goods.
The traditional home of ‘too good to be true’ gifts, such as festive market stalls may be declining, but the online market has grown huge in terms of electronics and equipment such as phone chargers - which can be lethal.
Trading Standards urge particular care when buying online.
Most importantly, if you are doing the Christmas shopping from the comfort of the kitchen table, is to be sure your purchases are safe. Remember all you are looking at is an image. You don’t get to pick it up and examine it.
When shopping online look for signs that the website is using a secure encrypted connection for payments such as https:// in the web address. Also check the returns policy. If it is not a trusted trader don’t buy.
Buying from social media sites is notoriously risky as they can contain misleading advertising, counterfeit and unsafe products, subscription traps and many other scams, such as shortened web addresses containing malware which could put your personal data and banks details at risk.
Back to the traditional ‘must have’ toys. The old advice that “if it looks too good to be true then it is” still applies. If you find that impossible to find toy and it’s a lot cheaper than you’d seen elsewhere, then be a Scrooge and question it.
Also check that toys are suitable for the right age, are CE marked and have the name and address of the importer or manufacturer on the packaging.
Ed Machin, the council’s Trading Standards Manager, said: “Christmas is an expensive time of year and the last thing that anyone wants to do is to spend money on fakes or unsafe goods.
“The council’s Trading Standards team is taking this opportunity to highlight what to look out for and how people can protect themselves from being duped.”
If you have any concerns about goods, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 03454 040506.