directlight Shopping Online Tips
PREVENT WEB TRADING FRAUD - DIRECTLIGHT SAFETY GUIDE
Take action now!
To prevent becoming the victim of retail and identity fraud.
Help us to help you and the industry to stamp out online fraud.
Q. Whatīs happening with online e-commerce?
A. The (O.F.T) Office Of Fair Trading estimates that we lose over Ģ1bn pounds to scam artists every year. Unfortunately, if you respond to one scam, you're likely to receive more as your name may be sold on to other unscrupulous traders.
Q. Whatīs the Government doing about it?
A. Soon the O.F.T launches its second Scams Awareness campaign.
A main aim is to provide consumers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognise and stamp out these scams.
Q. What should I look out for?
A. Be aware! a scam artist may approach you in many ways:
By post, phone or e-mail. Here are some tips on how minimise your risk.
By Post
If itīs too good to be true-It probably is!
Stop unsolicited post by contacting http://www.itsmypost.com
Donīt be pressurised in replying to that "once in a life time offer" shop around!
You will be surprised what offers are available.
E-mail
Scam emails come in various forms - here are some tips to help avoid them:
They may include links purporting to be to official websites. If you hover your mouse over the link, your email program should show you where the link actually points to - which may be different to the address visible on your screen.
For example, you may see http://www.paypal.com on the screen, but hovering your mouse over the link might show you it's a 'phishing' scam that actually points to www.somedodgyserveraddress.com/getthispersonspassword.htm!
If they don't match up - DON'T CLICK ON IT!
If you suspect you have clicked a false link in an email, look at the bar at the top of your browser that shows the address of the website you're currently visiting and make sure it's official. Example: Right now at the top of your browser, you should see http://www.directlight.co.uk/tips.html
An email with an attached file could contain a virus or other malicious software - NEVER OPEN AN EMAIL THAT CONTAINS AN ATTACHED FILE IF YOU DID NOT EXPLICITLY REQUEST IT FROM THE SENDER!
Most major companies online, including ourselves, WILL NEVER ASK YOU TO CONFIRM PERSONAL DETAILS OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION BY EMAIL OR OVER AN INSECURE WEBSITE.
Finally, if you are in ANY DOUBT as to the authenticity of an email message, you should immediately forward a copy to your internet service provider's (ISP) abuse address. This is almost always abuse@yourisp.com - e.g. if your email account is with Hotmail, forward to abuse@hotmail.com. You should also forward a copy to the individual or organisation that the email claims to originate from.
Phone calls
To reduce the number of annoyance calls you receive, register with the Telephone Preference Service: www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/ or call 0845 070 0707. This will help reduce this type of call- but you may still receive calls from overseas and from companies breaking the law.
Q. What is www.directlight.co.uk doing about making sure that its own customers are protected against both personal, ID and Internet Fraud?
A. As one of the web's fastest growing independent suppliers of indoor and outdoor decorative, utility and security lighting, we make sure that we are vigilant and pro-active when dealing with both you and your money online.
1. Directlight.co.uk uses the most advanced web security currently available.
In association with NatWest Bank, We operate a checkout system that is protected by a 128-bit secure socket layer - this means ALL your information is securely encrypted before it ever leaves your computer.
2. directlight.co.uk fully complies with all current data protection and consumer legislation and will treat any personal information in confidence. WE WILL NEVER SELL OR PASS ON YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS TO ANY OTHER COMPANY.
3. We will always follow up an order with a security phone check to protect you, even if the transaction only presents the slightest security risk - PLEASE DO NOT BE ALARMED IF WE CALL TO VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY - WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY!
4. We will also take payment at the time of purchase to minimise the risk of fraud.
(Most card frauds come to light within the first 24 -48 hours of a fraudulent transaction, so by taking the payment at the time of purchase the clock starts ticking straight away. By the time our warehouse processes your order we have been able to determine if the card has been misused or stolen. This reduces the risk of fraud to both parties...it Works!)
BE VIGILANT, AND PRO-ACTIVE WHEN PURCHASING ON-LINE...
- THAT WAY YOU WILL ALSO ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE AND THE SAVINGS!
directlight's online shopping guide - this applies to both ourselves and other online retailers.
Some handy tips when purchasing anything online:
All good websites will have all the relevant information displayed, somewhere.
Check out any delivery charges first.
Send an email or make a phone call to clarify anything that is not clear about the product.
Ask for larger pictures if you are in doubt of the colour or shape of a product.
Cut down on time and stress by finding out what the returns policy is in advance.
Make sure that you supply both mobile and landline contact telephone numbers when ordering, as this will allow the courier to contact you to make delivering easier and ensure you receive your goods in a timely manner.
Having placed an order always keep the confirmation email somewhere safe until you receive your delivery and are fully satisfied with your purchase.
Inspect the delivery straight away for any signs of damage. Notify the company ASAP of any problems and sign the delivery as DAMAGED if you suspect any problems.
Remember you have the right to return the goods within 7 working days of receipt - for ANY reason. This is your legal right.
Gain prior consent before returning the goods, and always keep hold of any communication involving the return.
Send your goods back complete and in the original packaging or the supplier may have the right to refuse you a full refund.
Keep things amicable with your supplier, this will normally make things happen quicker and is always to your benefit. Having said this, decent companies will always take any complaints you have seriously and do their very best to help you resolve any issues.
Most companies are genuinely concerned for your well being - you are the customer after all!
Don't get fobbed off if they tell you to go to the manufacturer! If you have a problem, your contract is with the retailer, not their supplier!
I bought it in a sale - can I take it back? Your rights are NOT affected if the item is bought in a sale - retailers canīt get away with saying there are no refunds on sale goods if they prove faulty.
When did it break? The item has to have had a defect at the time of purchase. A claim could be made on a light fitting if it later develops a fault because of poor quality when it was manufactured. With ANY product, if things go wrong within the first six months after the purchase then it is presumed the fault was there at the time of sale.
Sending it back? Do it quickly! If you are returning an item because itīs faulty, you can reject it and get a refund provided you do so within a reasonable period of time (usually 1-3 weeks). After that you may only be offered a repair.
Taking it back? If the supplier is not to far away, make arrangements to return your item in person. However, please be aware you may not secure a refund while you wait, because many traders have policies to deal with refunds and this may take a few days.
Get some sort of written receipt that confirms the condition of the goods when they were taken back.
Your rights. If the goods are less than six months old, itīs up to the retailer to prove the fault wasnīt present when they were bought. If itīs more than six months old, the shop can ask for evidence of the fault. Contact an independent repairer and ask for a report.
See you in court. If the retailer wonīt settle the matter and all reasonable steps have been taken to reach a resolution, then the final solution might be to take them to the small claims court. This court has a limit of Ģ5000 (Ģ750 in Scotland and Ģ2000 in Northern Ireland) details and a form can be obtained from a local County or Sheriff Court, or online.
If you can, get a gift receipt. This means that your friend or relative can take a present back themselves. If the retailer doesnīt have gift receipts ask the shop to put the name of your friend or relative on the back of the receipt so they can return the present if they want to.
Security within your credit card. For most purchases online consider using your credit card. If something goes wrong with the purchase then you may be able to claim against the credit card company - invaluable if the retailer wonīt resolve a problem, or the retailer goes bust before delivering the goods youīd paid for.
Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the information provided on this page is accurate and up-to-date, please note directlight.co.uk accepts no responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies.
