Stay safe online
Shopping safety
Google helps consumers find products in a number of different ways, and, while we don’t control the content on the Web, we want to help consumers shop safely online. The vast majority of online transactions go forward without problems, but there are some risks, and that’s why we’ve created these tips to help.
Research your purchase
- If it’s too good to be true … it usually is. Compare the price you’re seeing with similar goods being sold elsewhere. If the price is significantly different, use caution – make sure to research the seller and ask questions about the condition of the item.
- Research unfamiliar sellers: If you haven’t shopped from a merchant before, check beforehand to make sure they’re legit. For example, do a web search for reviews from other buyers with experience with the seller. Legitimate merchants should provide you with contact information that you can reference if you have any questions or problems with your transaction. Never wire money to a seller you haven’t reviewed very thoroughly, and stay alert for phishing attempts.
Before you buy
- Use a payment method with buyer protections: Credit card companies often limit your liability for online purchases in cases of fraud.
- Read the fine print: Before you purchase, make sure you’re familiar with the seller’s shipping, warranty, and return policy. Some stores will offer full refunds, while others charge restocking fees and give only store credit.
- Be wary of spoofed invoices: For example, there have been recent cases of spoofed invoices relating to fraudulent vehicle purchases, where the scammer claims the purchase is protected by a service such as Google Checkout or Google Wallet. In this case payment is requested through wire/bank transfer or via Western Union/MoneyGram, which is a clear scam signal as Google Checkout does not support money transfers in any of these ways. Read more about fake invoices on the Google Checkout blog
Privacy and security tips
- Make sure your passwords are strong
- Only send information over secure connections
- Avoid conducting financial transactions on public computers
Receiving the item
- Keep a record of the transaction: Having a digital or paper copy of large transactions can help you if you do need to make a return or contest unauthorized charges made to your account.
- Make sure you got what you paid for: Once you’ve received the item, give it a quick once-over to make sure everything is as it should be. The sooner you can try to address a case of fraud, the better chance you have to resolve it positively.
Combating counterfeiting
No one wants to get tricked into buying a counterfeit good. Counterfeit goods contain a trademark or logo that is identical to or substantially indistinguishable from the trademark of another. They mimic the brand features of the product in an attempt to pass themselves off as a genuine product of the brand owner, or they promote the goods as faux, replicas, imitations, or clones of the original product.
We provide brand holders and users with forms to report abuse, which you can find in our Help Center. In addition, we invest significant engineering and machine resources to prevent violations of ads policies, including counterfeiting.
Report abuse of Google services
Where Google services can be used to advertise or sell goods and services, we count on companies and users to report violations of our policies. You can do so here:
Additional help
There are several organizations that may help consumers report and resolve complaints:
The Better Business Bureau and the National Consumers League both offer information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit: www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
If your complaint is against a company in a foreign country, you may be able to report complaints at: www.econsumer.gov
It’s good to know you can follow these tips to help avoid making risky transactions online. Read the next topic: Locking your screen