NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH POLICE SERVICE
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As e-Commerce continues to grow, so do the opportunities to be victimized through online purchases - specifically with a credit card.
Continuity scams largely take place when victims online observe a pop-up or advertisement offering a free trial or free gift upon completion of a survey.
Consumers who participate are often asked to provide a credit card to pay for shipping and handling. Unless victims review the terms and conditions, it's unlikely they will see the hidden fees associated to the offer, which includes overpriced monthly charges that are nearly impossible to cancel.
It is not uncommon for victims to suffer multiple charges from multiple merchants around the world. Victims are urged to contact their bank or credit card provider immediately and request a stop payment.
Warning signs and what you can do:
- Review all fine print and terms and conditions before making a purchase.
- Conduct open source searches (i.e. Google) to see if anybody has suggested the offer is a scam.
- Beware of paid advertisements online. Paid banner ads are not always affiliated with the website you are viewing. A good place to look is at the URL and see if it looks legitimate to the website you are attempting to locate.
- Review credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges.
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