Shopping online can be great: for folk in lockdown; if you cannot find what you want locally; for shoppers with mobility issues ;for small traders who want to expand their sales.

Its ease of use and convenience also presents problems- you haven’t been able to ‘handle’ the product and check it out for yourself. But there are often the reviews of other shoppers that you can read.

This is the story of one person’s experience.

Shopping Online

I searched for a basic smartwatch, to connect with my mobile phone, everyone seems to have one and I could see the advantages. I searched and found excellent reviews on a company and bought a watch for just under 40 pounds. It certainly wasn’t a lot of money, but if it did the basics … I’d be happy.

I paid via credit card as I believed that I was better protected when shopping online paying this way. I have since discovered that you are better covered on a credit card, but only if the amount is over £100. Goods under this amount may be better paid for on a debit card!

I clicked ‘contact us’ on their website and filled in an online form. I asked how I return the none-working item and asked for a refund – twice.

Twice- no response

I found a contact number when searching the site high and low, but an answering machine always says, ‘the mobile phone is switched off.’

Having looked further for reviews of this company, almost all reviews are horrendous on Trustpilot– and looking back at the positive cases more carefully, I believe they were staged reviews by this company or affiliates, due to very similar wording and style. The website has now disappeared, but I have found another site since that is very similar, if not identical.

I had reported this to trading standards on 01856873535.

A quick pop-up scam and lessons learned- read more the reviews carefully as looking at it now, I can see suspicious wordings that I should have picked up on! I am alarmed that I was conned when so many have said I’m quite clued up.

Support is available from the Orkney Scam Action Group on Facebook, if you need help or advice do not hesitate to contact them.

You can also find them on Twitter: @Orkneyscams

OSAG includes:

• Police Scotland
• Orkney Islands Council Trading Standards
• Age Scotland Orkney
• the Citizens Advice Bureau
• the National Farmers Union
• The Business Gateway