  As a first step in purchasing, people must verify that the intermediary company is authorized to provide the service of sale or import of products online. - A.M. Costa Rica illustrative photo - |
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 Published Thursday, December 3, 2020
Avoid problems with your online
purchases, experts advise By the A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services According to officials from the SNA, National Customs Service, officials, most of the difficulties to retrieve products from customs offices are because people don't verify the requirements they must meet to be allowed to enter the country or if the online shopping company is authorized in the country. Companies that provide online shopping services are responsible for informing customers of the requirements for imported products, which will guarantee that purchases reach their final destination. "Sometimes people buy items that are prohibited from entering the country, or that require prior authorization, and when using services from companies that have not been previously authorized by customs, the clients are unaware of these procedures, " said Gerardo Bolaños, general director of SNA. As a first step in purchasing, people must verify that the intermediary company is authorized to provide the service of sale or import of products online. The list of authorized companies is published on the website of the Ministry of Finance. According to the global computer systems security company Norton, people should follow basic steps beforehand to avoid fraud. "The Internet can be a dark place where virtual thieves can steal your money, your password, and even your identity," said Norton in its statement. "One of the biggest concerns when it comes to online scams is e-commerce fraud." From credit card fraud to bogus returns, the highest numbers of e-commerce fraud incidents are those against consumers. According to Norton, the RSA estimated that e-commerce fraud-related losses will reach almost $6.4 million by 2018, nearly doubling the current numbers. " It’s extremely important to be aware of the characteristics of e-commerce fraud so that you can protect yourself, and your finances," they said. The most common types of e-commerce themes include credit card fraud, identity theft, chargebacks, and bogus returns. These affect both consumers and merchants. Some of the warning signs of possible fraud include late-night orders, dropbox addresses, items placed for sale outside of the country, express shipping, free/anonymous email services, high dollar orders, and cases in which the “ship to” address differs from the billing one. Ways that consumers can protect themselves from e-commerce fraud include: • Shopping at secure websites. • Researching the website before they place the order. • Reading the site’s policies on privacy and security. • Being mindful of cookies. • Never give out your social security number. Merchants can reduce fraud by: • Verifying a cardholder’s info. • Using transaction controls. • Maintaining an internal negative file. • Implementing a transaction data field. --------------------------- Do you know anyone who has been scammed online? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com  |
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