It may be worth paying by credit card. If the goods or services you are buying cost over £100 and you pay by credit card, you may be protected by the Consumer Credit Act. This states that the credit card company is equally liable for any defects. Therefore, should a problem arise, you can claim either from the trader or from the credit card company.
Note that for this protection to apply, the contract price must be over £100. For example, if you buy a suit, the jacket of which costs £75 and the trousers cost £40, you would have protection. However, if you bought the items separately instead of as one suit, you would not be afforded the same protection as neither of the items amount to £100.
Problems can arise when the company you are buying from is based outside the EU. For example, a guarantee may not be valid in the UK, or the goods may not work in the UK. Although UK law may cover your contract, in practice it might be very difficult to get any money out of a company based abroad.
Top tips
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Make sure that the web address of the page starts https:// before you enter any personal information or payment details. The 's' stands for 'secure'. There should also be a small padlock that appears in the bottom of your screen.
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Always print out a copy of your order and a copy of the acknowledgement that you should receive.
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Always check your bank statements carefully if you purchase something on the Internet.
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You should never be asked to tell anyone your card's PIN number - even if they claim to be from your bank or the police. Never send your PIN number to anyone over the Internet.